Commenting on policy and legislation announcements in The King’s Speech, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:

“Today’s King’s Speech sets out a raft of measures that have the potential to deliver real change for workers and better opportunities for children and young people.

“It is welcome that the new Government has committed to taking forward many new measures to address concerns highlighted by the NASUWT for some time.

“We have long called for government to turn the page on restricting children’s access to a broad and balanced education on the basis of parents’ ability to pay.

“Restoring the national educational entitlements of all children and young people, including the fundamental right to a national curriculum that is taught by qualified teachers, will be of critical importance to securing equality of opportunity for every learner, regardless of where they are educated.

“Securing entitlements for pupils must go hand in hand with securing the entitlements of teachers and support staff to world-class employment conditions in every state-funded school. We look forward also to working with Ministers to deliver their vision for improving workers’ rights and securing equality for teachers in our schools and colleges.

“The new Government’s programme provides an opportunity to reset our education system and take a significant step forward in addressing the inequality, fragmentation, chaos and damage inflicted on the education system over the last 14 years, and restore the status of the teaching profession.

“We will now be looking to the new Government to work with us in taking forward these and other measures in the interests of children and young people and the workforce in our schools and colleges.”