Government education announcements are often a popular last resort when the mood in the room is souring. It certainly felt like that at the Conservative Party conference, when Rishi Sunak announced that his “main funding priority in every spending review from now on will be in education”.
Is this the prime ministerial equivalent of shouting “Free drinks!” after delivering your best man’s speech? Or is it a real vision from a prime minister looking to tackle the very real problems besetting education today?
The only clear direction he gave was on the Advanced British Standard. It may well be true that five-year-olds currently entering the education system will benefit from the prime minister’s Advanced BS plan. But what about the people who need support right now?
Right now, post-19 education is being hung out to dry. Sunak rightly argued that education “is the best way to spread opportunity and create a more prosperous society”. So why is he ignoring one of the most obvious routes to spreading opportunity and creating a more prosperous society? What is he planning to do right now for adults whose lack of qualifications – and sometimes basic literacy and numeracy – is keeping them out of the workplace?
