The Mirror’s Sophie Huskisson returned to her old school to watch a landmark speech by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson
There aren’t many opportunities in life to go back to your old school.
But I returned to Ormiston Bushfield Academy, in Peterborough, today for a landmark speech by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. My younger sister and I attended as pupils, as well as both worked there for a year after our education finished.
I watched Ms Phillipson’s speech in the same auditorium I used to have morning assemblies – and she stood on the stage where I once performed musicals like Cats and Fame. The room was now filled with Westminster journalists, my former teachers and current pupils of the school.
READ MORE: 13 bombshell changes to schools from new SEND support and classroom shake-up
Ms Phillipson told the audience: “A great school can lift the lives of all children. I’ve known that all my life because great schools, great teachers, changed my life.” The line stuck with me. After the speech, I bumped into my former English teacher and I thanked her for all she had done to inspire a love of writing in me and how I would not be a journalist without her.
Ms Phillipson has never forgotten her roots and it is her journey from council estate to Cabinet table that has spurred her on to produce a Schools White Paper that has the genuine power to transform children’s education.
Her £7billion plans are a once-in-a-generation shake-up of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, with inclusion in mainstream settings at the heart of them. Some of the children I worked with who had extra needs in those school walls would have benefited greatly from boosted inclusive support.
But some parents are very worried by such drastic reforms. They fear changes to the system could mean weakened support after they have already fought battle after battle to get a legally-binding Education, Health and Care Plan.
Teachers’ unions welcomed the ambitious plans but admitted they feared the funding would not be enough to provide enough extra staff in mainstream settings.
It’s a political tightrope for Ms Phillipson to walk but she’s confident the Government’s wider work on early intervention, Best Start Family Hubs and tackling child poverty will have a knock-on-effect in easing pressures in schools.
The nostalgic visit to my old school reminded me of the sheer significance, influence and power a child’s school plays in their life – and the unfairness of Britain’s postcode lottery when it comes to education. I am so grateful I went to a great school, with great teachers.
Labour will do well to make good on its promise to ensure all children – including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with SEND – get the bright futures they deserve.