Callum’s Column: A curriculum that works for everyone
When I think back to my own education, I know I was fortunate. Growing up in the late 90s and 2000s, I benefited from a Labour government that believed in investing in schools, teachers, and young people.
That investment gave me opportunities I’ll never take for granted and enabled me – as a council flat kid from a single-parent family – to build a career in the City of London and enter the world of politics. I worked hard, yes, but I also had a system that backed me. That’s why I’m so passionate about making sure every child today gets the same chances I had.
Nationally, Labour has already increased the core schools budget by £2.3bn is rolling out free breakfast clubs across the country, and has reinstated maintenance grants for low-income students on priority courses. But that’s not all: this investment is being matched by long-overdue improvements to the national curriculum.
After more than a decade of stagnation, we finally updated the curriculum last week - and not a moment too soon. This matters, because our young people need the skills required for the jobs of the future. Technology, the economy, and the demands on our children have all evolved. Our education system needs to keep pace.
That’s why we are delivering a modern, world-class curriculum that prepares young people not just for exams, but for life. We’re embedding vital skills like financial, media, and digital literacy, so children leave school ready to navigate the real world and thrive in tomorrow’s economy.
But we’re also making sure we don’t lose sight of the things that matter most. Art, music, drama, sport aren’t extras, they’re essentials. They help children express themselves, build confidence, and discover passions that stay with them for life. Every child deserves access to a rich, creative education, no matter their background.
What’s changing?
• Raising standards in reading, writing, maths and speaking - from early years through to secondary.
• Revitalising arts education, with new support for teachers via the National Centre for Arts and Music Education.
• Creating a fully digital curriculum to help teachers plan engaging, connected lessons across subjects and key stages.
• Introducing an enrichment entitlement - giving every child access to experiences like civic engagement, outdoor adventure, culture, and life skills.
• Partnering with employers to bring learning to life and show students how their education connects to future careers.
These reforms are especially important for our patch. We’re at the heart of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, a region driving innovation in science and technology. With East West Rail coming soon, our connectivity and potential are growing fast.
We’re already home to hundreds of innovative forward-thinking businesses and institutions, so it makes absolute sense for our schools to be preparing young people to lead in these fields - and to do so with creativity, confidence and curiosity.
Labour’s curriculum reforms are about fairness, opportunity and ambition. They’re about making sure every child - whether in a village school in Great Horwood or in the middle of Bletchley - has the chance to succeed, to discover their talents, and to shape the future.
I’ve visited dozens of schools over the past year or so, and (let’s be honest) it’s one of the very best parts of the job. I always leave feeling incredibly inspired and full of determination to change things for the better. Our children deserve nothing less.
After all, my life shows what’s possible when a child grows up in a system that believes in them.