Children's Minister Sarah Teather with Norwich South M.P Simon Wright before her meeting with Liberal Democrats in Norwich. Photo: Steve Adams
Government minister Sarah Teather visits Norwich to talk education and address city Liberal Democrats
Richard Wheeler
Thursday, January 19, 2012
9:23 PM
Children’s minister Sarah Teather insists government plans to fund education for the poorest children will give them a “lifetime of life chances”.
Ms Teather is visting Norwich to address the city’s Liberal Democrats at their annual dinner tonight.
And the coalition minister is outlining her hopes for education in the county during the sold out city centre event.
As reported, government plans to give more disadvantaged two-year-olds free access to education is predicted to lead to a 750pc increase in demand for places in Norfolk.
The county council is assessing how to create enough spaces in the next 20 months.
And Lib Dem Ms Teather said: “There are huge benefits. Unfortunately what we see is if you are from a poor background you start at school behind other children and you will do less well. What people don’t know is that this develops long before school. What we are trying to do is turn that around and give them a leg-up before they start school.”
Ms Teather said pupil premiums then acted as a further “leg-up” for children during their time at school. She said it was a “tragedy” that bright youngsters were not achieving the grades they ought to, which hampered their future university and job prospects.
She said: “We are planning for the long-term and the results we will see for putting extra money for disadvantaged two-year olds will be in 10 years time. We’ve got a short-term problem dealing with the country’s deficit but what we are trying to do is generate a lifetime of life chances.”
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7 comments
You have to bear in mind the Premium is old money from the existing squeezed budget. In other words its a PR gimick, one from Alistiar Cambells box of tricks which was at the heart of the new Labour fabrication.
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chasboz
Monday, January 23, 2012
you say help i think you mean help in the loosest term possible as it isn't benefiting our vunerable
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Double Bill
Friday, January 20, 2012
it is all about helping the very young and very old. the middle-aged can ...........
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bookworm
Friday, January 20, 2012
it is all about helping the very young and very old. the middle-aged can ...........
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bookworm
Friday, January 20, 2012
she didnt mention tuition fees either milecross.
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Peter Watson
Friday, January 20, 2012
why doesnt sarah teather talk about the real issues what people are concerned about and that is housing ,jobs and debt
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milecross
Friday, January 20, 2012
what hope is there when sarah teather has the job of looking after our poorest children ? increasing vat to hit poor families hard with the rest of the cuts and even voting to treble tuition fees discouraging poorer students . its like putting derrick murphy in charge of an anti incinerator campaign !
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Double Bill
Friday, January 20, 2012