3 h. ago BRIDGET PHILLIPSON: 'Young people deserve a country that backs them'

'Combined with our measures to get kids back into classrooms, we’re giving every child, wherever they grow up, a genuine chance to succeed', the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson writes

Politics

58 h. ago I'll strengthen child safety after 'sickening' West Hampstead paedophile nursery case, says minister

Bridget Phillipson promises a full safeguarding review into how Vincent Chan, 45, was able to prey on youngsters in his care at Bright Horizons nursery in West Hampstead

Politics

60 h. ago Phillipson: We must learn every lesson in case of paedophile nursery worker

The Education Secretary has made a statement in the Commons about the ‘sickening case’ of paedophile nursery worker Vincent Chan.

Politics

61 h. ago Top Labour minister speaks of 'horror' at 'sickening' paedophile attack on nursery kids

Bridget Phillipson gave an update to MPs after Vincent Chan yesterday pleaded guilty to 26 harrowing charges, including five of sexual assault on a child by penetration

Politics

3 d. ago Women’s Institute latest organisation to announce trans membership ban

The NFWI news comes a day after Girlguiding announced it has banned trans girls from joining.

Politics

4 d. ago Girlguiding makes ‘difficult decision’ to stop admitting trans girls as members

The organisation made its policy change eight months after the Supreme Court ruling on biological sex.

Politics

6 d. ago The Guardian view on the Send crisis: Bridget Phillipson must be tough with the Treasury so children aren’t penalised | Editorial

Tory special needs reforms upended council finances, but Labour’s plan to rebuild public provision won’t come cheap if it’s done properlyThe crisis over special educational needs and disabilities in England is not just a question of cash. Children and parents spend months and years battling for support to which the law entitles them, schools lack the funding to meet needs, and specialist provision is inadequate. An adversarial system shunts families towards tribunals that councils almost invariably lose.Tory reforms created obligations for local authorities but did not adequately fund them – allowing ministers to duck responsibility. The result has been financial chaos, with the overall overspend on special educational needs and disabilities (Send) predicted to reach £6.6bn by next March, and keep rising. Taking responsibility for funding away from councils and handing it to the Department for Education is the right move. But the most important questions about Send go beyond account...

Events

8 d. ago Minister defends watering down Angela Rayner's flagship Bill amid backlash

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said there was a 'very real prospect' that key measures in the Employment Rights Bill would not be in place by April without the change

Politics

9 d. ago Starmer accused of 'misleading' public over Labour's big tax plans in car

Keir Starmer was repeatedly challenged over whether he deserved the 'trust' of the British people in a bruising interview after the Budget .

Politics

1 week ago Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson 'to reshape social care after women's refuge horrors'

The Education Secretary has pledged an extra £547million to keep families together and stop kids being put into care, saying: "Every child deserves to grow up in a safe home and a loving family."

Events

1 week ago AIMEE WALSH: If respect is the goal, why are we debating where trans people can exist?

As Bridget Phillipson weighs new ‘single-sex space’ guidance, the debate reduces trans lives to a policy dilemma. This is an evasion of moral responsibility, writes columnist Aimee Walsh

Politics

1 week ago Paisley councillor says people deserve to enjoy the town “without fearing for their safety"

Councillor Carolann Davidson said she remains “seriously concerned” about anti-social behaviour in the town centre after a teenager was stabbed on Bonfire Night.

Politics

1 week ago Starmer dishes up as more free school meals set to be rolled out

The Prime Minister served meals to children at Welland Academy in Peterborough.

Politics

2 w. ago Delayed trans guidance branded ‘licence to discriminate on looks’

The proposed code of practice will be used by businesses and other organisations to inform their provision of single and separate-sex services.

Events

2 w. ago UK government insists it is ‘taking time to get this right’ on single

Labour accused of delaying new rules to avoid backlash, after leak of EHRC guidance saying trans people could be questioned based on looksThe UK government has insisted it will take as much time as necessary to “get right” new rules on access to single-sex spaces after a leak of guidance submitted by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) raised concerns that its publication was being deliberately delayed.The equalities watchdog submitted its formal guidance on how public bodies, businesses and other service providers should respond to April’s landmark supreme court ruling on biological sex to the UK government in September. Since then, its outgoing chair, Kishwer Falkner, has urged the equalities minister, Bridget Phillipson, to approve it “as soon as possible”. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago PM says special educational needs ‘raised with me more than any other issue’

Sir Keir Starmer made his comments during a visit to a school breakfast club in Reading.

Politics

2 w. ago Labour's Bridget Phillipson insists she's 'taking the time to get this right' after ministers are accused of delaying publication of new trans guidance due to fears of a backlash

The women and equalities minister said she is considering 'thoroughly and carefully' a draft code of practice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (ECHR).

Politics

2 w. ago Education Secretary says asylum reforms ‘will be a fair system’ amid concerns

A raft of measures were set out on Monday to overhaul the asylum system.

Society

2 w. ago Slight fall in number of young people not in work, education or training

The total number of so-called Neets remains close to one million.

Politics

2 w. ago Jess Phillips tells teachers to 'whinge more' like Birmingham bin workers and says 'schools are asked to do too much'

The outspoken Home Office minister said teachers had not been 'thanked enough' for all the work they had taken on over the years.

Politics