Marie Tidball, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, has come out in support of a landmark children’s bill, designed to put children and their wellbeing at the centre of government policy – with estimates showing the legislation could save parents over £500 per child.
The focus of Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill is to make ‘child-centred government’ a reality through a number of changes to cut the cost of sending children to school and make life easier for families in Penistone and Stocksbridge.
Labour’s plan for free breakfast clubs in primary schools will save families an estimated £450 per year per child.
The Bill also includes a cap on the number of branded school uniform items. Estimates show the legislation could save parents over £50 per child on the back to school shop. It comes as research shows almost half of parents are concerned by the cost of uniform and over 1 in 10 experience financial hardship as a result.
As well as making families better off, the landmark law outlines a number of reforms to schools in order to drive high and rising standards. This includes putting more qualified, expert teachers at the front of classrooms and rolling out a new, cutting-edge national curriculum designed to ensure young people are ready for work and ready for life.
**Marie Tidball, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said: **
“From knocking on thousands of doors and holding surgeries across our communities, I know how much parents will value having a free breakfast club at their local primary and a cheaper back to school shop.
As a child, I experienced firsthand the transformative power of support in education. After undergoing numerous operations, my local state education and incredible teachers and teaching assistants helped me build my confidence and achieve my potential.
1 in 5 children live in poverty in our communities. I want to break down the barriers to opportunity for all children across Penistone and Stocksbridge, so background never determines success.
The measures in this Bill will make a real difference to the household finances of families and the life chances of children across Penistone and Stocksbridge. our children deserve the best start in life, and nothing less will do.”
**Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education, said: **
“This bill is a significant moment for the Labour government as we put our vision of child-centered government into action.
The bill will drive high and rising standards in schools, make lives easier for families by cutting the cost of sending children to school and make real, lasting change by stopping children from falling through cracks.
Children in our country deserve the best start in life. Labour will make that a reality.”
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