Five fixes for the new Education Secretary

by Matt Bromley

This article first appeared in The Yorkshire Post newspaper on 11 August 2026. Read the original here.

Dear Lucy Powell,

Congratulations on being appointed Secretary of State for Education by our new Prime Minister. What an honour! You have accepted a busy brief and will no doubt be bombarded with suggestions on what to do next. As such, I’ll keep my advice simple and offer – in the spirit of collaboration – the 5 priorities I think should sit at the top of your in-tray if you are to help your boss, Andy Burnham, bring back hope…

First, fix the SEND system. Do not mistake a new policy or code of practice for system reform. Improving SEND provision requires real investment: more money, more training, and more specialist staff. It requires properly resourced inclusion facilities in every school, too. The measure of success will be: fewer families fighting for help, fewer children waiting years for diagnosis and support, more teachers skilled at adapting curriculums and lessons to meet different needs, more specialist provision within and outside of mainstream schools, and more young people engaging with education and thriving in the future.

Second, fix school attendance. Understand the problem before trying to solve the issue. Some children are missing school because they face significant barriers to attendance: anxiety, unmet needs, poverty, unaffordable or inaccessible transport, poor mental health, unstable housing, caring responsibilities, or a lack of support around the family. The answer, then, is not simply more sanctions but better support. We need specialist teams working alongside families. We need to acknowledge that attendance is not just a school issue, but that transport infrastructure, access to affordable childcare, early years support, the care system, and the benefits system all influence whether children can access education.

Third, fix the disadvantage gap. For too long, we have asked schools to compensate for wider social inequality. But teachers cannot be expected to solve poverty alone. Whilst the expansion of free school meals this September is welcome, children need funding as well as food. They need opportunity, enrichment, and support. The Pupil Premium has helped, but the way that funding is allocated must be reformed to ensure those in greater need get support. And we must recognise that disadvantage is not only an inner-city issue. Coastal and rural schools often face their own challenges: fewer services, weaker transport links, reduced employment opportunities, and limited access to enrichment.

Fourth, fix progression pathways. A child’s future should not depend on their parents’ confidence, connections, or cashflow. Every pupil deserves a future. Careers education, information, advice, and guidance must improve. Too many young people still lack access to the networks and experiences that others take for granted. That means equitable access to university and college visits, CV writing workshops, support with applications, interview practice, employer encounters, and meaningful career conversations. It also means rethinking curriculum breadth. GCSEs have become an increasingly intense experience for many pupils. We need balance, with a curriculum that values depth, creativity, and practical skills alongside academic rigour – and a more rounded assessment system. At post-16, we must finally achieve parity of esteem between academic, vocational, and technical routes. And we must recognise the warning signs of disengagement earlier to prevent young people becoming lost to education, employment, and training at 16.

Fifth, fix the accountability system. Accountability matters but weighing the pig doesn’t make it fatter. Ofsted must become a stronger broker for improvement: helping schools identify weaknesses, sharing expertise, and encouraging collaboration rather than creating a culture of fear. Inspection must also better understand context. Schools serving high levels of disadvantage or large SEND populations should not be judged without considering the different challenges they face. Outcomes data must be interpreted intelligently, not used as a blunt instrument that penalises schools doing some of the hardest work. I wish you well in your new job. We all want you to succeed for the sake of our children.