Prime Minister visits Walbottle Academy in North East trip
At Walbottle Academy, near Newcastle, Mr Starmer outlined his plans for reforming education, including special educational needs and disability (SEND), as well as free school meals and breakfast clubs.
Speaking during his visit, the Prime Minister said: “Very often we say that we want every child to go as far as their talent or ability will take them, wherever that is, whatever that may be. And that is a wonderful thing.
“And I believe in it profoundly. I think it’s so important. I wouldn’t prescribe what children and young people should do. I don’t think there’s this good thing and this not-so-good thing.
“I think every child should go wherever their talent and ability take them, whatever that may be.”
During his speech, he highlighted his working-class background, noting that his dad worked in a factory and mum was a nurse.
He also spoke about his brother Nick, who died aged 60 from cancer on Boxing Day 2024. but struggled during his school years.
He said: “He had difficulties learning at school. He was put in a remedial class, not even in the school premises. And he didn’t count. And he struggled. And he spent his adult life going from job to job in near poverty.
“In many ways, he lost his fight. His fight was simply to count, to be heard, to be treated as part of the system. And it didn’t work for him within my own family.
“Now I’m not going to pretend things were exactly as they were all those years ago, but I know that despite all the good work that goes in, there are still too many children for whom the system doesn’t really work for them.
“It doesn’t allow them to go as far as their talent and ability will take them.
“And I’m absolutely determined that this government will fight for them.
“I will fight for them and remove every barrier that is in their way.”
The Prime Minister also set out how Mission North East, a new school improvement programme announced this week.
He also confirmed that the government were looking to run a consultation for a ban of social media for under-16-year-olds.
He added: “Now, when we say social media, all of us parents are concerned about social media and the amount of time children are spending on social media, the access they’ve got.
“And therefore, we are consulting on whether there should be an age restriction.
“Is it right that children shouldn’t be on social media at all if they’re under 16?
“There’s a powerful argument for saying so.
“There are arguments against, and we’re doing a consultation to weigh up the evidence.
“We can’t stay where we are. But it’s not just the age that’s on there because there are already addictive features and characteristics on social media which keep people scrolling, keep people coming back to the screen instead of being able to put the screen to one side.
“And then there are measures like AI chatbot and Grock, which have been in the news lately, which is a pretty disgusting feature that allows adults to be undressed online using this feature.
“We had to fight and fight and fight to get that taken down.”