Today, I am proud to stand in full support of the Children’s Schools and Wellbeing Bill, a vital piece of legislation that aims to improve the educational experience and overall wellbeing of our children across the country, regardless of background or circumstance.
This Bill recognises the crucial role that schools play in shaping the future of our young people, by ensuring that schools are not only places of learning, but also places of care.
We are addressing today’s climate head on; the pressures of social media, difficulties at home, and the rise in mental health problems. We have set out clear steps to improve access to mental health services in schools, provide professional development for teachers to better support students, and give parents the resources they need to support their children’s education and wellbeing at home.
This will have positive effects for the children across our borough as it will address socio-economic factors that are currently driving gaps in educational attainment. For instance, the current percentage of children in Oldham who achieve a ‘Good Level of Development’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage is around 60-65%, slightly behind the national average of around 70%.
I believe this is due to our education system being focused too heavily on academic outcomes without giving enough attention to overall development and support of our children.
I am committed to changing that and giving our young people the best environment to succeed, regardless of the challenges they face outside the classroom. I believe by addressing external factors, providing specialist care and pushing for equal opportunities, we will drive up development and close educational attainment gaps.
I am proud to vote for this Bill as it is time we put the wellbeing of our young people at the forefront of our educational priorities.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 