Doubling expenditure on education has helped to achieve better exam results and record numbers in further and higher education.

This is working locally:
67.7% of pupils in Haringey now achieve 5 good GCSEs compared to under 27% in 1997.
Over 1500 more primary school places.
Over 2100 more secondary school places.

See how Labour compares:

Labour’s policies Tory Government
  • 36,000 more teachers and 172,000 more classroom assistants, with 1,100 new schools built or rebuilt
  • Labour introduced the Education Maintenance Allowance to help young people from low income families stay in education after 16 years old
  • Student grants re-introduced for £2,906 for students from poorer households and record numbers of British students are now at university
  • Introduced a Union Learning fund with £50 million investment it has supported 490 projects in 3,000 workplaces helping 100,000 workers every year to improve their skills
  • A right to an apprenticeship for every suitably qualified young person. With over 200,000 new apprenticeships by 2011. Three time as many as in 1997

… have pledged to cut Labour’s budget but won’t say where the cuts will fall.

  • Has pledged to slash £4.5 billion from Labours secondary school rebuilding programme
  • Will not commit to keeping Education Maintenance

Better exam results:

  • over 69% of pupils achieved at least 5 good GCSEs in 2009
  • 73% of 11 year olds are reaching expected levels in English and mathematics

Compared to results in 1997 when only 45% achieved GCSE.

Compared to results in 1997 when only 53% were achieving in English and mathematics.
Labour has transformed Further Education colleges with £4.2 billion investment to create modern learning environments. Further Education colleges went to rack and ruin pre-1997. Further Education funding was cut by 7% in real terms in the four years leading to 1997.