Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life

Debate between Sureena Brackenridge and Bridget Phillipson

Monday 7th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

The hon. Lady asks a number of questions and I am grateful for her broad welcome for the intent of this Government to make sure that all of our children get the best start in life. On early years, she will know that as of next year we are investing £9 billion into the system along with a near-doubling of the early years pupil premium. That goes hand in hand with the £75 million expansion grant to support the sector ahead of the September further expansion. In addition, we are working across Government, as the strategy sets out, on how we might consider simplification of funding and how we can make sure it is working as intended for both providers and for parents. I would of course be happy to discuss further issues on that with the hon. Lady. As she said, the Minister for early years education, my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan), met Genevieve’s family and the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr Morrison) last week.

To answer directly the question on Ofsted, from next April Ofsted will inspect new early years providers within 18 months of opening and will move towards inspecting all providers at least once every four years, compared with six years currently, alongside there being additional investment to strengthen quality assurance and inspector training to make sure that all children are safe, loved and protected. I also join with the hon. Lady in sending my condolences to the families affected.

[Mrs Sureena Brackenridge (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

I welcome the revival of a ’90s favourite, not just Oasis at the weekend, but Sure Start-style family services to support half a million more children. Can the Secretary of State confirm that some might say we no longer need to look back in anger and that these hubs will be staffed with SEND professionals to identify needs early, work with families and give vital access to speech, language, emotional and neurodiversity services?

[Bridget Phillipson]

It is hard to top my hon. Friend’s question and I will not begin to try to make further ’90s references. What I can say to her is that we are drawing on the best of Sure Start, learning from the evidence about what was incredibly effective. One other element I would add to her list is that Sure Start was at its best when it worked with families to understand what was most important to them—when services were co-designed with families, and when families and parents had real input into the nature of those services. I remember one development in my own community that only came about because of the role of parents: many dads told us that they wanted Saturday morning clubs so they could be involved in those services. That is the kind of change that we only get through listening to and working with parents.

My hon. Friend is right that we will make sure better SEND support is delivered through the Best Start family hubs. We will also make sure that support for children around speech and language happens much more quickly than is currently the case, and that goes hand in hand with the Nuffield early language intervention that we are rolling out across primary schools.

Breakfast Clubs: Early Adopters

Debate between Sureena Brackenridge and Bridget Phillipson

Monday 24th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

I am confident that the funding being made available to schools will be sufficient to deliver on this programme. The hon. Gentleman quotes the daily per pupil funding rate, but alongside that, as I set out earlier, there will be start-up costs, as well as lump-sum payments to cover the costs of running breakfast clubs, alongside a higher daily funding rate for special schools and a higher daily funding rate based on the proportion of FSM6 pupils at the school.

[Mrs Sureena Brackenridge (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

First, my congratulations go to Pool Hayes primary school in Willenhall for being one of the 750 early adopters. Will the Secretary of State outline how the free universal roll-out of breakfast clubs, alongside capping the number of branded items of uniform and expanding funded childcare, will help families in Wolverhampton North East with the cost of living?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I am delighted that my hon. Friend’s constituency is part of the early adopters programme. Our breakfast clubs scheme is all about making sure that children get a great start to their school day—a welcoming space that provides them with valuable opportunities to play, learn and socialise. However, as she identifies, the measures we are setting out to the House today on the early adopters scheme, as well as the measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, will also make a big difference to parents. They will put more money back into their pockets by limiting the costs of school uniform and providing more support around breakfast clubs. That is the difference a Labour Government make.

Children’s Social Care

Debate between Sureena Brackenridge and Bridget Phillipson

Monday 18th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

I am not quite sure how to begin to respond to the frankly extraordinary first part of the right hon. Gentleman’s question. To take the more serious points he raised, we are determined to ensure that we have the resources and support in place for the most vulnerable children in our country. The reason I get so cross when I hear some of the contributions made by Conservative Members is that during my time as shadow Secretary of State and Secretary of State, I have heard directly from far too many children who have been badly failed by this system. It is shocking and shameful, and we will change it.

[Mrs Sureena Brackenridge (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

Years of inaction by previous Conservative Governments have led to vulnerable children feeling forgotten and councils being financially crippled. How will my right hon. Friend ensure that reforms truly prioritise children’s wellbeing and tackle profiteering at their expense?

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend brings real expertise to this House from her work in education. Education is also a crucial area where we need to work together on safeguarding; school staff, teachers and others have a role to play in keeping children safe and ensuring that all children can thrive. The steps that we are setting out today will make a big change to the life chances and wellbeing of many children across our country, and I am grateful for her support for that important work.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sureena Brackenridge and Bridget Phillipson

Monday 9th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Sureena Brackenridge (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

4. What steps she is taking to ensure the adequacy of the provision of level 3 vocational pathways for students.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)]

Qualifications must deliver on our missions, enhancing and spreading opportunity, and growing our economy. The last Conservative Government botched the roll-out of T-levels and defunded them. That is why this Labour Government have announced a pause and review of qualifications reforms, to support skills growth and students, and to bring certainty where there has been chaos. This short, focused review, along with other measures, such as the curriculum assessment review and the creation of Skills England, will allow the Government to improve skills training, unlock opportunity and harness talent.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mrs Brackenridge]

As a former deputy headteacher, I have seen at first hand the impact of the previous Government’s rushed plans to eliminate most BTec qualifications, in the midst of a botched roll-out of T-levels. How does my right hon. Friend intend to fix the mess that she has inherited and ensure that the diverse aspirations and varied talents of students in Wolverhampton North East are met?

[Bridget Phillipson]

Given her background in education, my hon. Friend knows all too well how important it is that all our young people have the opportunity to achieve and thrive. She is right that we inherited a big mess, but we have acted swiftly and we are conducting a focused, intense review to ensure that all our young people have options that are available to them and we make a success of T-levels.