30 h. ago Starmer to pledge to ‘rebalance power’ at summit with community groups

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will deliver a keynote speech when he launches the Government’s civil society covenant.

Politics

3 d. ago Labour scraps Tory plan to put age restriction on sex education in primary schools that would have stopped under

In an exclusive interview with the Mail, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson insisted children would still learn about reproduction and sexual health at secondary school.

Politics

3 d. ago Major update on school curriculum as kids to get new lessons on misogyny and AI

Bridget Phillipson said kids are being 'bombarded by manipulative content online', as she vowed for them to be taught how to 'separate fact from fiction'

Politics

3 d. ago Bridget Phillipson wants all teachers in mainstream schools to be SEND trained

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson warned that the current special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system is 'too adversarial' and 'too bureaucratic'

Politics

4 d. ago Fathers plan legal action to get smartphones banned in England’s schools

Two fathers tell education secretary they will seek judicial review in bid for statutory ban to safeguard childrenTwo fathers plan to take legal action against the government in an attempt to get smartphones banned in schools in England.Will Orr-Ewing and Pete Montgomery wrote to the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, on Friday warning that they would seek a judicial review. They argue that current guidance, which allows headteachers to decide how smartphones are used, is unlawful and unsafe for children. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Briefings against senior women ministers must stop – Heidi Alexander

The Transport Secretary was asked about comments criticising her female Cabinet colleagues over recent months, amid rumours of a reshuffle at the top

Politics

8 d. ago Bridget Phillipson’s fury that a vulnerable child was placed in a caravan at cost of £75,000

Exclusive: Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has told The Independent that she wants to end the practice of putting vulnerable children in care into illegal squalid homes

Economics

8 d. ago Government told to fully fund teacher pay rise to prevent school provision cuts

Four education unions have made a ‘united’ call to ministers to provide additional investment to schools for increased staff salaries.

Politics

8 d. ago Schools ‘bridging gap in Government funding to provide free school meals’

The Government recently announced plans to expand free schools meals to 500,000 more children from next autumn.

Politics

9 d. ago Bridget Phillipson hit with blow after MPs issue stark warning over 6,500 new teacher vow

Bridget Phillipson is under pressure over Labour’s landmark election vow to hire 6,500 additional teachers as MPs warn it is 'unclear' how the pledge will be delivered

Events

9 d. ago From Sherlock Holmes to Poirot, Bridget Phillipson reveals the books which inspired her to read growing up

Exclusive: The education secretary has written for The Independent about the books that inspired her growing up and the joy of reading to her own children as she declares 2026 as National Reading Year

Politics

9 d. ago Voices: I learned the power of reading on my grandad’s knee – now I’m passing it on

As both a parent and minister, I know how powerful books can be, writes education secretary Bridget Phillipson. With the launch of a National Year of Reading in 2026, we can make reading not just a school skill, but a family ritual that can shape a child's future

Politics

9 d. ago To those who question what Labour stands for – look at Best Start. It will change Britain’s future | Polly Toynbee

Sure Start was New Labour’s finest achievement, and the Tories destroyed it. Now it’s back with a mission to put children at the heart of everythingThey hunt high and low for Labour’s missing message, vision, purpose or identity. Well, here it is, where it always was, in the future of children. It’s what Labour does best, what it is for: building a society where children come first and everything else falls into place. The foundations have now been laid by Bridget Phillipson by finally bringing back Sure Start to England – the most successful achievement of the last Labour government – now rebranded as Best Start family hubs.It’s a pity about the new name, but young parents recognise “hubs”, whereas Sure Start is largely gone and forgotten. Its uprooting began the day Michael Gove arrived as education secretary in 2010. He entered the “Department for Children, Schools and Families” – a name chosen to reflect the awareness that children don’t learn without wraparound care for their w...

Politics

1 week ago Before the government overhauls special educational needs, lessons must be learnt

Editorial: The welfare reform bill fiasco has made rethinking education, health and care plans infinitely more difficult. Any reforms must clearly be for the benefit of the recipients – not driven by the Treasury’s need to make savings

Politics

1 week ago Phillipson: Family hubs will give parents freedom to focus on loving children

It comes alongside plans to offer £4,500 to specialist teachers, in a bid to attract staff to nurseries.

Society

1 week ago ‘Without support, my son would not be here’: Mother’s plea over feared cuts to SEND

Renata Watts says her son would have been failed without a legal support plan, as Labour faces backlash over SEND reforms

Politics

1 week ago ‘Without EHCP, my son would not be here’: Mother’s plea to Labour against proposed SEND cuts

Renata Watts says her son would have been failed without a legal support plan, as Labour faces backlash over SEND reforms

Politics

1 week ago Voices: Why, as a special needs parent, any changes to my child’s support frighten me

It took years of wrestling with bureaucracy before my local authority agreed to provide the services that my child is legally entitled to – so I won’t be handing back our hard-won SEND provision without a fight, says James Moore

Society

1 week ago Ministers fail to rule out cutting Send school plans after campaigners’ concerns

Stephen Morgan insisted parents should have ‘absolutely’ no fear that support for children with special needs or disabilities will be scaled back.

Politics

1 week ago Starmer braced for fresh rebellion over reforms to special needs support

It comes after Bridget Phillipson refused to rule out scrapping key documents that parents rely on to guarantee specialist help for their children

Politics