Initial response to the School’s White Paper

In response to the publication of the Department for Education's White Paper, 'Every child achieving and thriving', Sam Butters and Gina Cicerone, Co-CEOs of the Fair Education Alliance, said:

“Today's commitment to halve the gap between children from low-income backgrounds and their peers marks a pivotal moment. It puts the focus where it should be: on the children who are struggling in a school system that hasn’t been designed to meet their needs.

We welcome the comprehensive programme of change in the White Paper, from early childhood provision and transforming support for children with SEND to broadening the curriculum and investing in the teaching workforce. Deep reform - properly funded and carefully introduced - is desperately needed to transform our broken education system into one that is truly fair and inclusive.

It’s right that there will now be a period of consultation in which schools, other education organisations, and families and young people can draw on their expertise to scrutinise the plans and have their say.

The FEA will publish a fuller response in the coming days. We’d also love to hear from our members to inform our response to the consultation, so please get in touch to share your thoughts.”