Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to fight the “pernicious idea that background equals destiny”, with plans to “end once and for all” the “academic and vocational divide”.
In a major speech this morning, the Labour leader will warn a “class ceiling” is stifling opportunity for too many young people, and call for education to give all young people a “grounding” in both “skills and knowledge”.
The address in Gillingham, Kent, follows a series of policy announcements by the party over the past week for schools.
They have pledged to pay early career teachers £2,400 retention bonuses, require all teachers to have or work towards qualified status and create new “school improvement teams” across England.
