Portsmouth is a proud city, fizzing full of potential, but is too often let down by a lack of local leadership and a Government which neglects our communities. Labour wants to ensure every child succeeds and thrives, no matter their background or wherever they are from. Key to achieving that is for children to go to a great local school, which is well resourced and with dedicated teachers and school staff.

Sadly under the current Government and with either the Tories or Lib Dems having run the council in recent years, attainment levels are not where they should be in comparison to similar local authorities.

Not only has there been no improvement in our city’s relative performance but we appear to be going backwards, particularly in the attainment levels of pupils leaving primary school. 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. Data on this can be found on the Department for Education website here for primary pupils:

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/key-stage-2-attainment/2022-23?subjectId=3c575150-d58d-4627-9a99-08dbfa54b894/

and here for secondary pupils:

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/key-stage-4-performance-revised/2022-23?subjectId=88459d0d-c903-4954-a044-08dbca41c453/

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Amanda Martin, council candidate for Cosham ward and recently President of the National Education Union said: “Locally, Labour take this matter very seriously, working with parents, teachers, teaching unions and others to ensure every child gets the chance to succeed.”

Labour in government will:

• Drive up standards in schools to enhance educational outcomes, with a strong focus on improving early years and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision
• Roll-out free breakfast clubs and Mental Health professionals in every school to improve pupil behaviour, attendance and mental health of students
• Focus on recruitment and retention of teaching assistants and teachers in schools and colleges.

You can read more about our plans at https://labour.org.uk/missions/opportunity/