Latest news with #LauraTrott
The Sun
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Outrage as proposed ban on teaching under-9s about sex is SCRAPPED by Bridget Phillipson
EDUCATION Secretary Bridget Phillipson sparked fury today after scrapping plans to stop under-9s being taught about sex. New guidance from the Department for Education waters down Tory proposals telling schools not to teach pupils earlier than Year 5 about topics including porn and sexual assault. 1 The updated sex-ed rules now only 'recommend' kids aren't taught about sexual activities until their last two years of primary – leaving schools free to decide if they think it's necessary. Ms Phillipson's guidance also ditches Tory plans to slap age limits on lessons about extreme sexual violence. The previous government wanted kids to learn about the dangers of sick acts from Year 9 onwards. But the Education Secretary claimed this was 'too late'. Tory Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott fumed: 'This guidance weakens key safeguards, scrapping protections that prevented under-9s being taught about sex. 'Parents do not want young children to be exposed to porn and sexual assault far too early. Age limits must be put in place.' Defending her new approach, Ms Phillipson said: 'I want our children to be equipped to defy the malign forces that exist online. 'Schools and parents alike have a vital role to play, helping children identify positive role models and resist the manipulation too often used online to groom impressionable young minds.' Teachers will now be told to focus on areas including porn and harmful AI 'deepfakes'. Kids will also get lessons on the misogynistic incel movement to fight back against the rise of toxic influencers like Andrew Tate. Meanwhile, worried parents are still waiting for the government to publish its guidance on trans issues in schools. The Tories promised to ban gender ideology being taught as fact in classrooms. Labour's updated guidance is expected by the end of summer. Ms Trott blasted: 'The DfE still hasn't published vital guidance to protect gender-questioning children, a basic safeguard for women and girls. 'The Education Secretary says she wants to protect them, but without this guidance, the evidence says otherwise.'
Sky News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Children with special needs will 'always' have 'legal right' to support, education secretary says
The education secretary has said children with special needs will "always" have a legal right to additional support as she sought to quell a looming row over potential cuts. The government is facing a potential repeat of the debacle over welfare reform due to suggestions it could scrap tailored plans for children and young people with special needs in the classroom. Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Bridget Phillipson failed to rule out abolishing education, health and care plans (EHCPs) - legally-binding plans to ensure children and young people receive bespoke support in either mainstream or specialist schools. Laura Trott, the shadow education secretary, said parents' anxiety was "through the roof" following reports over the weekend that EHCPs could be scrapped. She said parents "need and deserve answers" and asked: "Can she confirm that no parent or child will have their right to support reduced, replaced or removed as a result of her planned changes?" 2:45 Ms Phillipson said SEND provision was a "serious and complex area" and that the government's plans would be set out in a white paper that would be published later in the year. "I would say to all parents of children with SEND, there is no responsibility I take more seriously than our responsibility to some of the most vulnerable children in our country," she said. "We will ensure, as a government, that children get better access to more support, strengthened support, with a much sharper focus on early intervention." ECHPs are drawn up by local councils and are available to children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is provided by the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) budget. They identify educational, health and social needs and set out the additional support to meet those needs. In total, there were 638,745 EHCPs in place in January 2025 - up 10.8% on the same point last year. 'Rebel ready' One Labour MP said they were concerned the government risked making the "same mistakes" over ECHPs as it did with the row over welfare, when it was eventually forced into a humiliating climbdown in the face of opposition by Labour MPs. "The political risk is much higher even than with welfare, and I'm worried it's being driven by a need to save money which it shouldn't be," they told Sky News. "Some colleagues are rebel ready." The MP said the government should be "charting a transition from where we are now to where we need to be", adding: "That may well be a future without ECHPs, because there is mainstream capacity - but that cannot be a removal of current provision." Later in the debate, Ms Phillipson said children with special educational needs and disabilities would "always" have a "legal right" to additional support as she accused a Conservative MP of attempting to "scare" parents. "The guiding principle of any reform to the SEND system that we will set out will be about better support for children, strengthened support for children and improved support for children, both inside and outside of special schools," she said. "Improved inclusivity in mainstream schools, more specialist provision in mainstream schools, and absolutely drawing on the expertise of the specialist sector in creating the places where we need them, there will always be a legal right … to the additional support… that children with SEND need." Her words were echoed by schools minister Catherine McKinnell, who also did not rule out changing ECHPs. She told the Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge that the government was "focused on reforming the whole system". "Children and families have been left in a system where they've had to fight for their child's education, and that has to change," she said. She added that EHCPs have not necessarily "fixed the situation" for some children - but for others it's "really important".
Telegraph
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Labour's AI plans for schools risk creating ‘cardboard cutout' students
Labour's plans to rapidly roll out artificial intelligence in schools risks creating a generation of 'cardboard cutout' students, the Tories have warned. Laura Trott, the shadow education secretary, said that a switch to computer learning could dumb down academic standards. Writing for The Telegraph, she said the growing use of ChatGPT, which can solve maths sums and write essays, was 'dangerous'. Her intervention comes after a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US found that relying on AI programs eroded students' ability to think critically. Labour has unveiled plans to roll out the technology across schools, allowing it to draw up lesson plans and even mark homework. Ministers say that doing so will free up teachers to spend more time in the classroom helping their pupils rather than being bogged down in paperwork. Ms Trott said: 'If we ease teachers' workloads by embracing this technology without caution, we risk crushing critical thinking underfoot. 'It's a dangerous trade-off and only incentivises young people to use AI tools as a crutch.' The MIT study found that human graders consistently marked down AI written essays for their lack of originality and independent thought. But when AI programs were presented with the same work they awarded it higher marks. Ms Trott said the Government needed to wake up to the dangers of the technology and act to curb its growing use before 'the horse has bolted'. 'If we let AI flatten thinking, we'll end up with cardboard cutouts, everyone sounding the same, thinking the same,' she added. 'If vast numbers of students lean on chatbots to write, research, and code for them, what remains of traditional education? 'We must demand education policies that protect and foster true thinking, not just tech-enabled shortcuts.' It comes amid efforts to roll out a new 'quality mark' for schools who can demonstrate that they are using AI in a responsible way. The Good Future Foundation, a UK-based non-profit organisation, has developed the scheme, which it is hoping to roll out to hundreds of schools. Daniel Emmerson, its executive director, said: 'The potential for AI to make a positive impact is staggering, but the implications of irresponsible use are significant. 'The Government has already outlined how vital AI can be to the future of education in Britain. 'It is vital that our educators are given the support they need to understand and implement this technology in the classroom to confidently prepare all students to benefit from and succeed in an AI-infused world.' We risk starving children of the ability to think critically By Laura Trott We've been here before. In the 1950s, it took years for society to wake up to the dangers of smoking, despite the growing evidence and rising public concern. Big Tobacco denied the harms, resisted regulation, and continued to profit while young people bore the consequences. Today we are facing an eerily similar moment with smartphones and social media. Technologies that have transformed modern life are quietly eroding childhood, fuelling mental health problems, destroying educational attainment, and fostering dependency by design. The new beast is Big Tech. The question is not whether these harms exist, but how long we are prepared to look the other way. This is not about burying our heads in the sand. Technology has undeniable benefits. During Covid, when schools were closed, digital tools kept learning alive. But 'alive' is not the same as thriving. Many children fell behind, and many more are still struggling. Technology offered a lifeline, but a fragile one. Now, a new threat is emerging. ChatGPT is everywhere. University libraries report it as the most common program open on students' laptops. Yet a recent MIT study should alarm us all. Students who used ChatGPT to write essays sounded shockingly alike, with the same phrases and the same logic. Human graders marked down these AI-generated essays for their lack of originality. Meanwhile, AI scoring systems rewarded them. If we ease teachers' workloads by embracing this technology without caution, we risk crushing critical thinking underfoot. It's a dangerous trade-off and only incentivises young people to use AI tools as a crutch. The study's findings are stark. Brain scans revealed that using AI tools reduces activity in regions responsible for learning and memory by up to 55 per cent. Students relying on AI struggled to recall what they'd written and performed worse without it. Their brains seem to essentially be switched off. The danger isn't just laziness, it's the erosion of independent and critical thought that builds knowledge. Researchers of the study warned that the findings 'raised concerns about the long-term educational implications' of using AI both in schools and in the workplace. This evidence is clear to see – just look at Sweden. After pushing digital learning since 2018, it is now reversing course, unpicking some of the damage it believes technology embedded into learning has caused. Research showed students learned better with printed textbooks and pen and paper. Those physical tools improve comprehension and memory. The policymakers overlooked one truth: young children still need old-fashioned practice to master reading and writing. We risk locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. If vast numbers of students lean on chatbots to write, research, and code for them, what remains of traditional education? We risk starving children of their ability to think independently and critically. We must remember what makes us human. Creativity, individual thought, intellectual curiosity. If we let AI flatten thinking, we'll end up with cardboard cutouts, everyone sounding the same, thinking the same. This soil cannot nurture the Shakespeares or JK Rowlings of tomorrow. That loss is tragic. It's time to act. We must demand education policies that protect and foster true thinking, not just tech-enabled shortcuts. Because the future depends on minds, not machines.
Glasgow Times
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Family hubs to be rolled out across every council in England
The Department for Education is putting £500 million targeted at disadvantaged communities into the scheme, to put a Best Start family hub in every local authority by April 2026. The Education Secretary has said that the scheme will 'give a lifeline' to families. Family hubs were originally rolled out across 75 local authorities at the start of 2024 by the then-Conservative government. Officials say that the hubs will be rolled out in every local authority by April 2026, and there will be expanded so there are up to 1,000 of them by the end of 2028. Among the services available at the locations will be birth registration, debt advice, midwifery services and support for parents who are separating or have separated. Officials hope that the spaces will also provide families access to other services and social care. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson praised the scheme (Ben Whitley/PA) Bridget Phillipson said: 'It's the driving mission of this government to break the link between a child's background and what they go on to achieve – our new Best Start family hubs will put the first building blocks of better life chances in place for more children. 'I saw firsthand how initiatives like Sure Start helped level the playing field in my own community, transforming the lives of children by putting in place family support in the earliest years of life, and as part of our plan for change, we're building on its legacy for the next generation of children. 'Making sure hard-working parents are able to benefit from more early help is a promise made, and promise kept – delivering a lifeline of consistent support across the nation, ensuring health, social care and education work in unison to ensure all children get the very best start in life.' The Conservatives have said that the announcement 'brings little clarity on what's genuinely new and what simply rebrands existing services'. Shadow education secretary Laura Trott (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Shadow education secretary Laura Trott said: 'That lack of clarity is part of a wider pattern. 'This is a Government defined by broken promises and endless U-turns.' Charity Save The Children has said it is 'pleased' to see the Government 'making it easier for families to get the help they need'. Dan Paskins, executive director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns at Save The Children UK, said: 'Focusing on family services for the under-fives will be vital in securing better outcomes for children, and we welcome the Best Start In Life announcement. 'We know from our work in local communities that bringing together parenting, healthcare and education support services in one place is an approach which works, so we are pleased to see the UK Government making it easier for families to get the help they need. 'With ministers now demonstrating an increasingly ambitious plan for children in the UK, we hope this drive for change continues when the child poverty strategy is released in autumn. 'This must include scrapping the two-child limit to Universal Credit, which is the only meaningful way to reduce the UK's record child poverty rate.' The head of the NAHT union welcomed the move. General secretary Paul Whiteman said: 'This is a positive step forward towards ensuring all children get the best start – and we are pleased to see tangible investment following this week's announcement of new targets for school readiness.'
South Wales Guardian
06-07-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Family hubs to be rolled out across every council in England
The Department for Education is putting £500 million targeted at disadvantaged communities into the scheme, to put a Best Start family hub in every local authority by April 2026. The Education Secretary has said that the scheme will 'give a lifeline' to families. Family hubs were originally rolled out across 75 local authorities at the start of 2024 by the then-Conservative government. Officials say that the hubs will be rolled out in every local authority by April 2026, and there will be expanded so there are up to 1,000 of them by the end of 2028. Among the services available at the locations will be birth registration, debt advice, midwifery services and support for parents who are separating or have separated. Officials hope that the spaces will also provide families access to other services and social care. Bridget Phillipson said: 'It's the driving mission of this government to break the link between a child's background and what they go on to achieve – our new Best Start family hubs will put the first building blocks of better life chances in place for more children. 'I saw firsthand how initiatives like Sure Start helped level the playing field in my own community, transforming the lives of children by putting in place family support in the earliest years of life, and as part of our plan for change, we're building on its legacy for the next generation of children. 'Making sure hard-working parents are able to benefit from more early help is a promise made, and promise kept – delivering a lifeline of consistent support across the nation, ensuring health, social care and education work in unison to ensure all children get the very best start in life.' The Conservatives have said that the announcement 'brings little clarity on what's genuinely new and what simply rebrands existing services'. Shadow education secretary Laura Trott said: 'That lack of clarity is part of a wider pattern. 'This is a Government defined by broken promises and endless U-turns.' Charity Save The Children has said it is 'pleased' to see the Government 'making it easier for families to get the help they need'. Dan Paskins, executive director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns at Save The Children UK, said: 'Focusing on family services for the under-fives will be vital in securing better outcomes for children, and we welcome the Best Start In Life announcement. 'We know from our work in local communities that bringing together parenting, healthcare and education support services in one place is an approach which works, so we are pleased to see the UK Government making it easier for families to get the help they need. 'With ministers now demonstrating an increasingly ambitious plan for children in the UK, we hope this drive for change continues when the child poverty strategy is released in autumn. 'This must include scrapping the two-child limit to Universal Credit, which is the only meaningful way to reduce the UK's record child poverty rate.' The head of the NAHT union welcomed the move. General secretary Paul Whiteman said: 'This is a positive step forward towards ensuring all children get the best start – and we are pleased to see tangible investment following this week's announcement of new targets for school readiness.'
