Educational Opportunities — [Mark Pritchard in the Chair]

Ms Gardner highlighted the poor condition of Trentham academy in her constituency, citing issues such as rotting floors, mould, vermin infestations, inadequate toilet facilities, and fire safety risks. She noted that despite these conditions, the school is oversubscribed with a 'good' Ofsted rating.

She highlighted the crisis in education caused by the previous government, focusing on apprenticeships as an essential route to fill skill shortages. She called for financial incentives for SMEs to take on apprentices and proposed expanding foundational apprenticeships and introducing shorter ones. Additionally, she stressed the importance of valuing all educational pathways and increasing outreach into local communities.

Mr. Andrew Cooper highlighted the issue of child poverty affecting millions in the UK, emphasizing the barriers to education for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). He cited a National Audit Office report indicating that the current system is inadequate, causing trauma for families and leading to poor outcomes.

As a former teacher, he emphasized the impact of child poverty on educational attainment. He mentioned that 17.3% of children in Harlow live in low-income families and welcomed the Government's pledge for free breakfast clubs. He also discussed the plight of young carers who often miss school due to their caring responsibilities and called for more awareness and support.

He discussed the increase in eligibility for free school meals, expressing concerns about future funding levels post-universal credit roll-out. He also asked for reassurance regarding the holiday activities and food programme's continuation beyond this year and questioned the need for a slow pilot phase before expanding breakfast clubs to secondary schools and special schools.

Employers in Southampton Itchen are seeking people with skills of today and tomorrow, including preparation for new technology and automation. The curriculum review and Skills England establishment should move away from high-stakes assessment towards practical skills and work experience.

He highlighted barriers to educational opportunities in Stoke-on-Trent North, including high rates of speech, numeracy and language deficiency among early years children. He stressed the importance of addressing these issues through investment in early years development.

Ms. Emily Darlington acknowledged the importance of education in promoting peace and prosperity. She praised the Open University's role in social mobility and its flexible learning model, which benefits students from deprived areas and those with disabilities. She questioned how to transform educational opportunities for her constituents.

Colleges across Scotland have faced a decade of decline under the SNP, with funding cuts totalling £32.7 million since 2021 and a £12 million cut to student support funding. The Scottish Government now have an extra £4.9 billion from the UK Budget for higher education but must act at pace to restore Scottish colleges.

The speaker highlighted the loss of skilled labour in Scotland's construction industry, citing examples from his experience working on North Sea oil projects. He expressed concern about the disappearance of cabinetmaking skills used in constructing the Scottish Parliament. Jamie Stone emphasised the importance of passing down these skills to younger generations and advocated for more training initiatives.

Jessica Brown-Fuller highlighted the barriers young people face in accessing creative education due to underfunding and poor organisation. She noted a significant decline in arts enrolment at A-level since 2010, with a drop of 29%, and emphasised the importance of including arts within the English baccalaureate.

Jim Shannon suggested that the Minister look into Northern Ireland's RAISE programme, which aims to remove barriers to learning and educational achievement for young white Protestant boys. He highlighted a successful project in Strangford where residents' groups build confidence among young men, helping them secure jobs and break family cycles.

The MP criticised the SNP's management of Scotland's education system, noting a decline in educational standards as evidenced by Programme for International Student Assessment reviews. He pointed out that school attendance and behaviour have worsened since 2016 according to Scottish Government figures, impacting children's opportunities. Grady also highlighted issues with adult education, including difficult access to career guidance and low financial incentives for reskilling workers.

Mr. Kenneth Stevenson discussed the importance of further education in Scotland, highlighting challenges faced by FE staff including undervaluation, overwork, and underpayment. He emphasized the need for investment in STEM courses and a renewed focus on opportunity beyond school years.

Commended the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe on securing the debate, pointed out a significant increase in apprenticeship starts from 279,000 to 337,000 under the Conservatives, and asked about future plans regarding apprenticeships and spending up to 50% of the apprenticeship levy on other types of training. She also questioned how the Government would safeguard high-value and rare skills, particularly in crafts.

Mark Sewards, a former maths teacher, highlighted the challenges faced by young carers in education. He cited a Carers Trust report showing that young carers missed an average of 39 days of school in 2022-23 compared to their peers who were not carers and only 25% of respondents felt teachers had good understanding of their challenges.

Melanie Onn discussed the barriers faced by children in kinship care, stating that 450 children in her constituency are living with relatives or close family friends. She noted these children have higher rates of special educational needs, particularly SEN schools attendance and EHCPs.

Wilson highlighted the various barriers children face to education, such as poverty, special educational needs, disabilities, mental health issues, and social media impacts. She called for abolishing the two-child benefit cap, extending free school meals eligibility, and implementing a tutoring guarantee to reduce the attainment gap. She also urged the Minister to address the crisis in special educational needs and disabilities services by establishing a new national body to support children with complex needs.

She thanked the hon. Member for securing this debate and highlighted the importance of local partnerships between schools and industry in Somerset to provide STEM skills training and job opportunities at Agratas, a gigafactory creating jobs and boosting the green economy.

Sarah Smith discussed the challenges faced by children growing up in poverty in her constituency, highlighting that 37% of children live below the poverty line. She praised the £1.4 billion schools rebuilding programme and the £2.1 billion repairs fund but raised concerns about the education, health and care plan system, citing examples such as a constituent's daughter waiting over a year for an EHCP.

As a former teacher, he discussed three types of barriers to educational opportunities: age-related professional development needs, SEND access issues, and early years provision. He highlighted BAE Systems' investment in continuous professional development and apprenticeships, and questioned the Government's plans for addressing these barriers.