Investing in Schools

School funding is at an all-time low in the UK. The Conservative government has promised countless times to boost investment in primary & secondary schools, yet this still hasn't happened.

Other than the Big Dave Political Party, the only other party that promises to increase funding in schools this general election is Labour. The Liberal Democrats have vowed to reset the funding back to the levels in 2015, and Conservative plans leave almost all schools still heavily underfunded.

I guarantee we will inject an additional £16 billion into public education.

A Redesigned Education System

GCSEs were introduced in 1988 - 31 years ago from today, and 19 years before the first iPhone was released. They were introduced before the modern internet, and computers, and most technology. They were designed for an older society, unlike ours today. And they need to be updated.

Students today face a multitude of different scenarios and issues which noone could have foreseen in 1988, such as social media "perfectionists". Countless students feel pressured into succeeding and achieving above a grade 9 (A* equivalent), even when it is almost impossible for them to gain a grade 6.

Many senior school leaders, the NSPCC, and Childline are concerned that the new format GCSEs are far too stressful and are leading to teenage mental health crises. In 2016, the average GCSE student sat 18 exams at a total of 24 hours 30 minutes. Contrastingly, in 2019 the same student would sit 22 exams totalling 33 hours. These 33 hours, at age 16, are what defines young peoples' lives nowadays.

I can guarantee that we will overhaul our education system, bringing it up-to-day with modern culture and technology, redefine the national curriculum, and invest in mental health support for young people.

Increased Funding

Due to inflation, the original 2015 funding levels are not sufficient to provide a word-class standard of education that this country, and its children, deserve. An analysis by the School Cuts coalition found that “more than 80% of schools will have less funding per pupil in 2020 than they did in 2015” with a Conservative government.

This is why we are proposing an extraordinary funding increase for the education sector. Starting with the most underfunded areas, we will increase monetary investment in primary and secondary education.

I can guarantee that each primary school will receive at least £3500 per pupil, and each secondary school will receive at least £4500 per pupil, meaning that all students across the country will have the resources and materials they need for a superior education.

More Teaching Jobs

Dear Gavin Williamson, teachers ask children to 'tell the truth'. Voters would like the same from the Tories

Each year, fewer and fewer people are choosing teaching as a career, whether it be due to the terrible starting salary, the lack of support from the government or local authorities, or a range of other factors.

In England, the average age of a teacher is 39 years old, compared with other countries where their average age is 44. However, only 18% of teachers stay in the profession in England after the age of 50, with an average of 34% elsewhere.

The latest survey showed that many teachers working hours have got longer since the previous survey in 2013, from 48 to more than 49 hours a week for secondary school teachers. Primary school teachers in England recorded working 52 hours a week, longer than their peers in other countries apart from Japan.

These are all signs of a demoralised workforce, caused by those in power in our parliament across the past 6 years. This amplifies the requirement for change: change in our country, change in education, change in power.

I can guarantee that all teachers' starting salaries will be increased to at least £29000 by 2023, delivering a more motivated teaching workforce, benefitting both teaching staff and children's education alike.

Better Classroom Standards

In recent years, England has risen in the international literacy league tables. But will a Conservative government allow these standards to continue rising? Likely not.

The latest survey showed that many teachers working hours have got longer since the previous survey in 2013, from 48 to more than 49 hours a week for secondary school teachers. Primary school teachers in England recorded working 52 hours a week, longer than their peers in other countries apart from Japan.

I guarantee that all schools - even those rated as 'outstanding' - will receive annual inspections to ensure that parents, teachers, and children can be confident that the younger population are receiving the excellent education which they deserve.