Session Results

As a teacher, I'm incredibly encouraged to hear this commitment to education. The £1.5 billion investment addresses many of the critical issues we face daily in our schools. The specific targets—reducing class sizes to 25, the £3,000 professional development budget, and increased support staff—show a genuine understanding of what's needed.

What particularly resonates with me is the professional development budget. In my 18 years of teaching, I've seen how underfunded CPD leaves teachers struggling to keep up with curriculum changes and new teaching methods. This investment would transform our ability to deliver quality education.

My only hesitation is around the funding mechanism. While I support progressive taxation in principle, I'd want to see more detail about how these "progressive tax reforms" would work and whether they're politically feasible. But the policy direction is absolutely right, and it's refreshing to see education prioritized so clearly.

I'm pleased to see investment in children's education, though I must admit my priorities lie more with healthcare and social care. That said, this policy shows the kind of long-term thinking we need—investing in the next generation is investing in the future.

The free school meals commitment particularly appeals to me. In my nursing career, I saw too many children whose ability to learn was hampered by poor nutrition. This practical measure would make a real difference to disadvantaged families.

However, I do share concerns about the funding. At my age, I've seen many ambitious promises. I'd want assurance that these "progressive tax reforms" won't unfairly burden pensioners like myself who've already contributed throughout our working lives. More specificity would ease these concerns.

Good to see education getting attention! The investment in teachers and smaller class sizes would have made a huge difference when I was in school. Quality education shouldn't depend on your postcode, and this feels like a step toward addressing that inequality.

I appreciate the progressive tax approach to funding—those who can afford to contribute more should do so. That's the kind of fairness my generation expects from politics. Though honestly, I'd also like to see similar ambition applied to university funding and student debt, which directly affects me right now.

The messaging could be stronger on the climate and environmental aspects of education. My generation cares deeply about these issues, and there's an opportunity to link education investment with preparing young people for the climate crisis we'll inherit.

As a healthcare professional, I support investment in public services, and education certainly needs it. The policy is well-structured with clear deliverables, which is encouraging compared to vague promises we often hear.

However, I can't help but notice the absence of healthcare in this messaging. The NHS is in crisis—we're hemorrhaging staff, waiting lists are at record highs, and morale is at rock bottom. While I don't doubt education's importance, I worry about prioritization. We need transformative investment across all public services, not just one sector.

The £1.5 billion figure also seems modest compared to the scale of the challenge. I'd want to understand whether this represents the beginning of sustained investment or a one-time gesture. Education, like healthcare, needs long-term commitment, not short-term fixes.