Stephen Morgan MP used Education Questions in the House of Commons today to highlight the concerns of parents in Portsmouth as fewer than half of primary school children in the city are achieving the expected standards in reading, writing and maths, as well as experiencing long waits for SEND support.
Despite the dedication of teachers and school support staff, attainment levels of pupils leaving primary school in the city have unfortunately been getting worse, not better.
In 2022/23, only 49% of our primary school children achieved the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. In every other council in England but one more than 50% of primary school leavers achieved these standards.
In the same year, only 31.4% of our young people achieved a GCSE grade 5 or above in Mathematics and English.
In only two other local authorities in England did pupils perform less well than young people in Portsmouth in these two vital subjects.
The City MP asked of the Government:
“Parents in Portsmouth are rightly concerned that fewer than half of primary school children in the city are achieving the expected standards in reading, writing and maths.
While under the watch of the Lib Dem run council, waiting lists for SEND services continue to rise.
Does the Minister agree that families in Portsmouth deserve better than the current local leadership which is failing children and failing parents?”
Children with special educational needs have also experienced the brunt of local council and Government failures, reportedly waiting for a year or longer to access support.
Across England more than 20,000 cases were waiting longer than the 20-week limit, and as many as 3,000 for a year or more.
Parents, teachers and school support staff have been in touch with Stephen to raise their concerns locally with regards to the prolonged waiting times in accessing specialised support and the demands on school budgets.
The City MP has been visiting local schools to understand concerns and recently met individual council officers to raise individual cases.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“Children in Portsmouth deserve every opportunity to succeed and thrive but are too often let down by a lack of local leadership and a Government which neglects our communities.
“It cannot be right that despite the dedication of teachers and school support staff, attainment levels of pupils leaving primary school in our city has been getting worse, not better.
“Labour will put inclusion at the heart of our education system by working with parents, carers and children with additional needs to deliver the system they have rightly been calling for over so many years, and to enable every child and every young person to achieve and thrive.”
Labour will work to support inclusivity and expertise, to ensure children’s rights to receive their education and support in a mainstream school is upheld, if that is their family’s choice; while ensuring that specialist provision is available.
This will include:
- ensuring teachers and support staff have the training they need and recognition they deserve, including in specialist SEND and alternative provision settings,
- providing better consistency in conditions for staff and students
- working with families to end the battle for SEND support that so many families face and ensure schools are better equipped and designed to enable these children to thrive, alongside their peers
- and, strengthening accountability arrangements to better support and empower parents, carers and children.
