School funding - Thangam Debbonaire

Childcare shortage putting parents under pressure

I was pleased to hear the government commit to treat childcare as essential infrastructure for planning purposes, in response campaigning by Labour MPs and others. But it is not just childcare for new housing developments which needs attention. There is already a real shortage of childcare provision in Bristol. I’ve…

Labour’s children’s recovery plan passes in Parliament – will government now back it?

Many children and young people suffered educational setbacks during the Covid crisis. Alongside this, their social development and physical, mental health have also been affected. This has been compounded by the growing cost of living crisis. Many families are unable to afford early childcare and afterschool clubs. These activities help…

Labour’s plans to support young people’s careers thwarted by the government

On Monday, the government demonstrated their lack of ambition for the country’s young people by voting against Labour’s amendments to the Skills Bill. The Bill which had originated in the Lords had its Third Reading in the Commons. Most people are aware we are in the midst of an acute…

NEW CAMPAIGN: Guaranteed mental health support for young people

Young people may have been less susceptible to Covid, but the pandemic has hit them hard in other ways. They have been much more affected by loneliness, depression, anxiety and a wide range of complex disorders. You can see it in scientific studies and I see it in my own…

My highlights from 2021

I know it’s been a tough year for everyone – and I’m always going to do my best to help, campaign, and be a voice in parliament for all of you, in good times and bad. To update you on what I’m doing as your MP, here is my round-up…

Labour sets out a great future. How would it change Bristol?

In his passionate and eloquent speech at Labour Conference today, Labour leader Keir Starmer showed the country who he is and set out what Labour will do when in government. This bold set of commitments will deal with the rolling crises caused by the last 11 years of Tory rule.…

Congratulations to A level and BTEC students!

I wish good luck to everyone getting A level and BTEC results today. Throughout the pandemic I’ve stayed in touch with schools and the City of Bristol college, and I’ve been inspired by how students, staff and parents worked through difficulties and supported young people to keep learning. I know…

Broken testing system risking Bristol children’s education

A number of teachers, parents and carers from across the constituency have been in touch to warn that delays in COVID testing and problems receiving results are affecting Bristol children’s education, leading to staff shortages and pupils needlessly isolating. I’ve written to the heads of all schools in Bristol West,…

The Digital Divide: How disadvantaged students have been let down

As students all over the country return to school, we cannot forget that not all of those returning will do so on an equal footing. ‘The Digital Divide’ is one of the many issues that COVID-19 has highlighted within modern Britain. Disparities in internet access, especially for the elderly and…

Students have been let down by the government’s A-level failure

Congratulations to all Bristol students getting their A-level results this week. This situation is far from ideal, but I had hope you all feel your hard work has been recognised and you get what you need to move forward. Unfortunately, there are many of you who feel robbed by this…

COVID-19 and education: My letter to the Secretary of State

I am working to collate the concerns of people in Bristol West and put them to the relevant ministers. Below is a letter I have sent to the Secretary of State for Education, requesting that he consider some of the consequences of the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis:

Support for inner-city primary schools

Yesterday I asked the government about its strategy for school places. In some areas of Bristol, families are moving further out due to the high price of rent and the lack of open space. I believe many of these changes affecting schools could be anticipated and planned for in the…

Standing up for school funding

Schools in Bristol West are still suffering from budget cuts, even though the government continues to insist that their budgets have increased. In real terms, the opposite is true. The government’s misleading statements on school budgets have been criticised by a range of experts, including the Institute for Fiscal Studies…

Will the government reverse cuts to special needs education?

Properly-funded special needs support could help pupils at risk of exclusion. Almost half of school pupils excluded have identified Special Educational Needs, according to a review of school exclusion published yesterday. From speaking to parents, teachers, pupils and school staff, it is clear that schools in Bristol need more money…

Bristol schools deserve better than this government’s cuts

This week, I condemned the government again on their shameful refusal to admit they have delivered real terms cuts to school budgets in Bristol West. I am so inspired by the excellent schools in Bristol, but I am so angry that teachers and staff are being asked to do more…

Efficiencies will not solve the school funding crisis

Headteachers of maintained nurseries, primary and secondary schools across Bristol West tell me that – despite what the government says – the solution to the school funding crisis cannot come from making further ‘efficiencies’. There is simply nothing left to cut. I’m outraged that the government is passing the buck…