In the past month, we've been driving change from the Department for Education:

New Best Start family hubs

New Best Start school-based nurseries

New Best Start free breakfast clubs

We're boosting family finances and children's life chances, because this Labour government is on your side.

We need a national mission to make sure Britain's children are school-ready, writes Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson | LBC Too many children are starting school without the basics - we need to act earlier.

Gaps open up early, so we're acting early.

Labour is driving a sea change in the way we approach the early years, no government has ever put such a focus on them.

Rebuilding family services, affordable childcare – all to give our children the best start in life.

www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...

Parents told new schools and nurseries guidance to prepare kids for Reception The Department for Education has released fresh guidance for teachers and early years staff amid a crisis in children turning up to Reception not school-ready

Happy primary school offer day to families. The next few months are crucial for children's development.

To help them get 'school ready', Labour is stepping in with practical help to make things easier for parents and give children the best start in life.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

British Council to run Erasmus+ as UK and EU formalise deal Organisation to resume role as national agency for study abroad programme after Capita handed oversight of Turing Scheme

Our future lies with our European partners.

Students, apprentices, educators and young people will soon be able to study, work and experience all Europe has to offer through Erasmus+.

www.timeshighereducation.com/news/british...

SEND reform: Experts at hand service could be a game-changer Trust leader Tom Campbell says quick access to SEND experts - especially educational psychologists - could be transformative

Today we're giving councils £429m to set up Experts at Hand, the first of a £1.8bn investment.

What does that mean? Opening up access to specialist support for children with SEND – faster, earlier, easier. No need for diagnosis. No need for long waits.

www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

19 more Technical Excellence Colleges announced for April 2026 launch | FE News | 19 more Technical Excellence Colleges announced for April 2026 launch

From Plymouth to Durham, we're backing young people with opportunities in the industries of the future – tech, defence, manufacturing, clean energy.

Our new Technical Excellence Colleges will bring state of the art training to every corner of our country.

www.fenews.co.uk/fe-voices/19...

We want children growing up in our country healthy and happy.

With Best Start free breakfast clubs, half a million more children to receive free school meals and new updates to the quality of school food, Labour is setting children up to achieve and thrive.

Organisations rally to support new school food standards with £2.3 million implementation fund School food organisations rally to support new school food standards with £2.3 million implementation fundToday, the government has announced updated school food standards, which is the first time the...

❗️NEW: Major overhaul to school food, first changes in over a decade, backed by experts

With new free breakfast clubs and free school meals for half a million more children, we’re giving students the fuel they need to concentrate, learn and thrive.

foodfoundation.org.uk/press-releas...

This morning, 500 more Best Start free breakfast clubs are opening their doors, making nutritious meals available to over 140,000 children and savings of £450 available to their parents.

We’re stepping in to make families’ mornings that bit easier, because Labour is on your side.

The Prime Minister has set a bold target to get two-thirds of young people to be taking a gold standard apprenticeship or heading to university by the age of 25.

We're modernising our campuses to make that happen.

Labour is restoring pride in our colleges.

feweek.co.uk/revealed-302...

Education Secretary meets @ICT_MrP to answer questions on the schools white paper YouTube video by Department for Education

I sat down with Mr P to talk all things Schools White Paper – SEND, school-readiness, the curriculum, Ofsted and supporting the sector to make change a reality.

The full interview is below, just over half an hour long, so one for a cuppa ☕

youtu.be/xTqykdML6I0?...

Yesterday in Newcastle, I met with families set to benefit from the scrapping of the two child limit. Parents will have more money in their pockets, children will have better life chances.

That’s the difference a Labour government makes.

My interview with @chroniclelive.co.uk 🎙️

Interest rate cap introduced to protect Plan 2 borrowers Interest on Plan 2 and 3 student loans will be capped at 6%, instead of RPI+3%, to provide borrowers with certainty in an uncertain world.

As the situation in the Middle East causes anxiety for people across the country, this government remains focused on the cost of living.

Labour is stepping in to make sure graduates at home don't pay the price for conflicts abroad.

www.gov.uk/government/n...

Farage and Badenoch in 'race to be nastiest' on welfare, Labour says Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says rivals would push more children into poverty by restoring the two-child benefit cap, as the Government confirms its abolition

Today, as we deliver change, we remember politics is about choices.

We choose a better life for our children, the Tories and Reform choose to condemn them to poverty.

inews.co.uk/news/politic...

List of attendance statistics for England’s schools.

This is what progress looks like.

🔗: www.gov.uk/government/s...

Bridget Phillipson and her dog, Maisie, in a park.

I took @theobserveruk.bsky.social out on a walk with Maisie to talk about:

▪️ Why I prioritise the early years
▪️ Childhood and parenting in an online world
▪️ My ambitions for families
▪️ Class, accents and being an outsider

Have a read below 🚶‍♀️

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

This Labour government is focused on the cost of living.

At the Department for Education, we're saving families cash:

£450 on free breakfast clubs
£50 on school uniforms
£500 on free school meals
£300 on school holiday clubs

Now it's confirmed we've halved childcare costs, saving parents £8,000.

Bridget Phillipson, Warinder Juss and Richard Parker speak to children at the Way Youth Zone

I’ve been to the Way Youth Zone in Wolverhampton to see their great work with young people during the school holidays – backed by the Labour council and Mayor.

Labour has provided long-term certainty for the Best Start HAF programme, saving parents £300 and supporting children to thrive.

Families to get free advice and support as 200 ‘Best Start’ hubs open across England | LBC The Government is launching more than 200 hubs offering free advice, childcare support and early help services, with plans to expand to 1,000 sites by 2028.

This week 200 Best Start Family Hubs will open in areas that the Tories left without family services.

But we’re not just plugging the gaps they left behind, Labour will open 1,000 hubs to build on the proud legacy of Sure Start and back families.

www.lbc.co.uk/article/fami...

The front page of The Sun, covering new screen time guidance.

This government is on the side of families. Whether that is tackling the cost of living, or helping navigate the rapidly changing online world.

Today, we publish non-judgemental, practical tips, developed with parents, experts and led by evidence to manage under-5s’ screen time.

Screenshot of a Times article covering McMurdock’s past.

Reform UK said I was 'bullying' when I pointed out their colleague was jailed for beating up his former partner.

Now, they're trying to sneak him back into their party. So I'll say it again:

James McMurdock was jailed for beating up his former partner.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Councils in England must outline Send plans to access £860m funding pot First tranche of a £3bn fund aimed at creating 50,000 new Send places in mainstream schools part of changes announced last month

Labour is delivering the biggest funding injection to create specialist places for children with SEND – part of over £3bn of investment.

Councils must prove it will be spent building nurseries, schools & colleges where every child can achieve and thrive.

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Bridget Phillipson speaking with children and teachers at a school.

Children growing up in our country deserve the best start in life – nothing less.

With new Best Start school-based nurseries, we're boosting parents' work choices and children's life chances.

Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, watching a child paint at a nursery.

Best Start school-based nurseries help with the drop off, the pick up and the transition into Reception.

By repurposing empty classrooms, we're creating thousands more nursery places across the country, so our children can get the best start in life.

Over 300 new school-based nurseries announced - see full list of schools Keir Starmer hailed the support as a 'seismic shift' in how childcare supports hard-pressed families juggling with work - as 331 new school-based nurseries announced

Labour has halved the cost of childcare, and now we’re doing even more to make high-quality early years education more accessible and affordable.

We’re cutting the cost of living and giving children the best start in life.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Photograph shows Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Labour’s Secretary of State for Education, campaigning for Scottish Labour’s James Dalgleish with Tracy Gilbert MP and the Edinburgh Scottish Labour team, March 2026.

After 19 years, the scars of SNP failure are everywhere.

Scotland needs the change only Scottish Labour can bring.

Out listening with local people in the sunshine yesterday in Edinburgh with James Dalgleish, @tracygilbertmp.bsky.social, and the @scottishlabour.bsky.social team.

Photograph shows Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Labour’s Secretary of State for Education, campaigning for Scottish Labour’s Kieron Higgins in Coatbridge with Frank McNally MP and the Coatbridge & Chryston Scottish Labour team, March 2026.

This week Labour ended the two child limit.

Change like that only comes when you vote for it.

Out in Coatbridge at lunchtime today with the fantastic Kieron Higgins talking with local people about the change Scotland needs that only @scottishlabour.bsky.social can bring.

Photograph shows Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education, visiting Bellshill JobCentre Plus with Frank McNally MP, March 2026

This week Parliament ended the two child limit.

Great to hear from parents and @frankmcnallymp.bsky.social at Bellshill JobCentre Plus about the difference we’re making and the next challenges to tackle.

Photograph shows Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education, visiting Sandaig Primary School and hearing from children about UK-Ukrainian school-twinning, March 2026.

The alliance between the UK and Ukraine is vital. 🇬🇧 🇺🇦

Wonderful to hear about it from young children themselves at Sandaig Primary this morning — the knowledge they’re gaining and the friendships they’re making through the UK-Ukraine school twinning programme.

Photograph shows Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education, visiting Aberlour Children’s Charity in Cardonald with Alison Taylor MP, March 2026.

This week we ended the two child limit.

In England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Great to hear from parents, @alisonstaylormp.bsky.social and @aberlourcharity.bsky.social about the difference that change will bring to every corner of our country.