Latest news with #BridgetPhillipson
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
White working-class pupils behind in all but 21 of UK's 3,400 secondary schools, shocking figures reveal
White working-class children are falling behind their peers in all but 21 schools across the country, shocking official data has shown. It means only a tiny fraction of more than 3,400 secondary schools across England see such pupils doing as well as their peers. Last night Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson warned that white working-class children were being 'betrayed' and left behind. In what has been seen as an attempt to take on Nigel Farage 's Reform UK, Ms Phillipson has launched an inquiry into why such children are failing. She said: 'Across attendance, attainment and life chances, white working-class children and those with special educational needs do exceptionally poorly. 'Put simply, these children have been betrayed – left behind in society's rear-view mirror. They are children whose interests too many politicians have simply discarded.' The proportion of white working-class pupils getting grades 5 or above in English and maths GCSE was 18.6 per cent, substantially below the 45.9 per cent national average, according to the data. But critics said Labour was only paying attention to the issue to counter the threat from Reform. Tory schools spokesman Neil O'Brien said: 'Everything Bridget Phillipson is doing is disastrous for white working-class kids. 'Her trade union-led Schools Bill is smashing up 30 years of cross-party reforms which have raised standards in England. 'Phillipson has axed support for able pupils in mathematics, physics, Latin and computing because she sees them as elitist. 'She has axed the behaviour hubs which were doing so much to improve discipline and standards in schools. 'School funding formulas still tend to heavily favour urban areas. While 40 years ago, London was an education disaster zone, today it is the highest-achieving part of the country and the lowest levels of achievement are found in shire and coastal areas.' At secondary school, white British pupils on free school meals perform around a grade and a half worse in each GCSE subject compared with the national average. Officials said the drivers of low attainment among white working-class pupils included a lack of parental involvement or aspiration. According to the research, white boys from disadvantaged backgrounds and workless homes have the lowest aspirations of all groups. But white working-class girls also fell in school attainment at a faster pace than their peers over the past five years. The inquiry will be led by Sir Hamid Patel, who runs a number of outstanding schools across Yorkshire, the North West and the West Midlands. Former home secretary Sir David Blunkett will also sit on the panel, alongside school standards tsar Sir Kevan Collins. It will look at why white working-class children perform worse across measures including behaviour, attendance, mental health, attainment and life chances. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty said: 'Since the early 2000s, white working-class pupils have fallen behind their peers at every level of education. 'English and maths GCSEs are the bedrock of education and opportunity. 'The Government must develop a strategy to close this attainment gap and ensure this group are no longer marginalised. 'Labour must dispel the ongoing narrative around white privilege, as well as intergenerational disadvantage, geographic inequalities and disengagement from school, if they are serious about improving outcomes.' Announcing the inquiry, Ms Phillipson said: 'We'll look closely at what's working in the tiny number of schools that the data indicates may have cracked this problem for white working-class children. 'My message to parents is that we will create a school system where every child, in every classroom, has the support they need to achieve, and a fair crack at making a success of their life.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
DAN HODGES: I know the real reason Keir Starmer will never set foot in a truly working-class area ever again...
Finally. The Labour Party have discovered the British white working class do exist. Or, at least, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has. 'White working-class children, and those with special educational needs, do exceptionally poorly,' she admits. 'Put simply, these children have been betrayed, left behind in society's rear-view mirror.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Repairs and upgrades for schools across the county
Nearly 20 schools across Lincolnshire are to get repairs and upgrades. The government has announced funding that will be given to 18 of the county's schools. The work will start in the summer and run until next April. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "Parents expect their children to learn in a safe, warm environment. It's what children deserve." There will be urgent fire safety work at Spalding Grammar School to prevent its closure, and Westgate Academy in Lincoln will have asbestos removed. The money is part of more than £40m awarded to schools across the east Midlands, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The other Lincolnshire schools set to benefit are: Boston Grammar School Boston High School Gipsey Bridge Academy, Thornton Le Fen, near Boston The King's School, Grantham Bourne Westfield Primary Academy Little Gonerby Church of England Primary Academy, Grantham Queen Elizabeth's Grammar, Alford John Spendluffe Foundation Technology College, Alford Branston Community Academy, near Lincoln Sir Robert Pattinson Academy, North Hykeham Carre's Grammar School, Sleaford Kesteven & Sleaford High School Branston Junior Academy, near Lincoln Bassingham Primary School, near Lincoln Leadenham Church of England Primary Academy, near Sleaford Surfleet Primary School, Pinchbeck Phillipson said: "This investment is about more than just buildings – it's about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter." The government has also announced investment in hospitals including the Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, which will receive £7m for work on its electrical systems and fire safety. Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has been given about £750,000 for similar work across its sites. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "Patients and staff deserve to be in buildings that are safe, comfortable and fit for purpose." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Crumbling schools hit by leaks and cold, BBC finds Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
a day ago
- Health
- BBC News
Repairs and upgrades announced for schools across Lincolnshire
Nearly 20 schools across Lincolnshire are to get repairs and government has announced funding that will be given to 18 of the county's work will start in the summer and run until next Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "Parents expect their children to learn in a safe, warm environment. It's what children deserve." There will be urgent fire safety work at Spalding Grammar School to prevent its closure, and Westgate Academy in Lincoln will have asbestos money is part of more than £40m awarded to schools across the east Midlands, according to the Local Democracy Reporting other Lincolnshire schools set to benefit are:Boston Grammar SchoolBoston High SchoolGipsey Bridge Academy, Thornton Le Fen, near BostonThe King's School, GranthamBourne Westfield Primary AcademyLittle Gonerby Church of England Primary Academy, GranthamQueen Elizabeth's Grammar, AlfordJohn Spendluffe Foundation Technology College, AlfordBranston Community Academy, near LincolnSir Robert Pattinson Academy, North HykehamCarre's Grammar School, SleafordKesteven & Sleaford High SchoolBranston Junior Academy, near LincolnBassingham Primary School, near LincolnLeadenham Church of England Primary Academy, near SleafordSurfleet Primary School, PinchbeckPhillipson said: "This investment is about more than just buildings – it's about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter."The government has also announced investment in hospitals including the Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, which will receive £7m for work on its electrical systems and fire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has been given about £750,000 for similar work across its Secretary Wes Streeting said: "Patients and staff deserve to be in buildings that are safe, comfortable and fit for purpose." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Liberty in legal action against equalities watchdog over gender consultation
The campaign group said it has submitted legal papers to the High Court alleging the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) six-week consultation period on the new guidance is 'unlawful', with anything less than 12 weeks 'wholly insufficient'. The Supreme Court ruled in April that said the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex, after a challenge against the Scottish Government by campaign group For Women Scotland. The equalities regulator published lengthy draft guidance earlier this month related to trans people's use of certain spaces including toilets and participation in sports. The commission at that stage said it had tripled the length of time for feedback from an original proposal of two weeks, 'in light of the level of public interest, as well as representations from stakeholders in Parliament and civil society'. But Liberty is arguing this is not long enough and 'there is no good reason why it should not be' at least 12 weeks. The human rights organisation said it sent a pre-action letter to the EHRC earlier this week and has now submitted legal papers to the High Court and is waiting to see if a judge decides whether to proceed to a hearing based on its arguments. The group said it is also arguing that by having a consultation period shorter than 12 weeks, the commission is 'in breach of the public sector equality duty (PSED)' to 'eliminate unlawful discrimination'. The latest attempted legal challenge comes two weeks after campaign group the Good Law Project (GLP) said it had taken the first step of a legal challenge against the commission over the aspect of the guidance related to trans people's use of toilets, which it is arguing is 'wrong in law'. The interim guidance said trans women 'should not be permitted to use the women's facilities' in workplaces or public-facing services like shops and hospitals, with the same applying for trans men using men's toilets, although it added that trans people 'should not be put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use'. More detailed draft guidance earlier this month indicated a birth certificate could be requested by a sports club or hospital if there is 'genuine concern' about what biological sex a person is. It said people can be asked to confirm their birth sex if it is 'necessary and proportionate for a service provider, those exercising public functions or an association to know an individual's birth sex to be able to discharge their legal obligations'. It cautioned that any such question 'should be done in a sensitive way which does not cause discrimination or harassment'. The commission added that if there is 'genuine concern about the accuracy of the response to a question about birth sex, then a birth certificate could be requested'. The consultation on the draft guidance runs until June 30, with women and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson likely to be presented with the finished guidance for approval in July. Akiko Hart, Liberty's director, said: 'We have taken legal action today because the consultation period set out by the EHRC is unlawful. 'As a public body, the EHRC has a legal duty to conduct a fair and lawful consultation process that allows everyone affected by a decision enough time to respond to it. 'Instead, they have tried to speed through sweeping changes to their guidance, initially giving just two weeks to people to respond to nearly 60 pages of amendments when printed out. Anything less than a minimum of 12 weeks on this issue is wholly insufficient and simply does not comply with the law. 'The EHRC's guidance will have life-changing implications for how all of us access vital services, from jobs, schooling, social clubs we might join, all the way up to how the armed forces operate. In particular, it will fundamentally change the ways in which trans people are able to safely participate in society, as well as how businesses and service providers operate. 'It is a fundamental part of our democracy that we are all given a fair opportunity to make our voices heard about any decision that impacts us. We urge the EHRC to extend the consultation period to at least 12 weeks, just as its previous consultation on this code of practice was. There is no good reason why it should not be.' An EHRC spokesperson said: 'We are unable to comment on any legal action at this stage.'
