Our Response to the King's Speech

"My Ministers will seek to raise educational standards and break down barriers to opportunity."

We welcome these words from the #KingsSpeech yesterday outlining what The Labour Party government will be driving through in the coming months.

Raising educational standards and ensuring schools have the teachers they need to deliver an education young people deserve is a crucial focus, as is improving young peoples’ mental health provision. This is necessary for young people to thrive, enjoy their youth and education, and build a foundation for a successful future.

We are pleased to see the continued commitment to establishing Skills England, as well as a reformation of the existing Apprenticeship Levy. Labour previously shared their plan to increase the flexibility of the levy, allowing up to half of funds to be spent on non-apprenticeship training. The new government have also announced that Skills England will consult on which training is eligible for this, with the overall aim of aligning learners, employers and needed skills across the UK. We await further details and hope that young people are key beneficiaries of these policies, as this is an excellent chance to transform how industries harness the talent young people possess.

It is encouraging that the above manifesto commitments are being taken forward. We are hopeful that this will be the same for other promises, particularly the achievable, affordable and impactful policies of two-weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person, improved careers guidance, and a guarantee of access to training or employment for young people not in education at 18.

We look forward to working with the Government to introduce policies that support educators and businesses, and most importantly, ensure generations of young people are skilled, prepared and have equal access to opportunities.

For the Government to decisively break down barriers to opportunity, they must strive to create a society in which where you are born and who you are born to are not predictors of your future. Every young person must be able to discover their talents and then access, achieve and enjoy the future they chose.