Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has called for universal early years education as part of plans to give families equal access to childcare.
Speaking at Ruskin College, part of the University of West London (UWL), on Friday, July 10, Phillipson said that high-quality early years provision should form the foundation of a comprehensive education system that stretches from childhood into employment.
“The time has come to build towards a bolder future, a future of universal early years education,” she said.
“We won’t have achieved comprehensive education from birthplace to workplace in this country until every family has equal access to childcare.”
This comes after former prime minister James Callaghan delivered an influential speech at Ruskin College fifty years ago, launching what became known as the ‘Great Education Debate’.
Phillipson used the anniversary to set out her vision for an education system centred around a theme of “education as freedom”.
She said education should provide every child with “the knowledge and skills to choose not just the career [they] want, but the life [they] want too”.
The Education Secretary said schools and colleges must prepare young people for technological change, artificial intelligence, demographic shifts and changes to the labour market.
She said: “We need to think carefully about how we prepare all our children, both to seize and to shape the opportunities of this changing world, and to manage the rising uncertainty that I know we all feel.”
Phillipson also highlighted the need to improve support for children with special needs and disabilities, arguing that identifying needs earlier could prevent children from experiencing greater difficulties later in their education.
She said: “Early intervention can be truly life changing for children with SEND.
“But if needs are left unchecked, they can spiral into school.”
Her speech also addressed school standards, technical and vocational education and the need to give young people meaningful choices after compulsory education.
She said her aim was to create “a country in which every young person feels in control of their own destiny, whatever their needs, no matter their background, authors of their own stories.”
UWL has invested significantly in creating an inspiring social and learning environment for students over the past few years, with The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 praising its “supportive atmosphere and career-led curriculum”.
Professor Graeme Atherton, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Regional Engagement and Vice-Principal of Ruskin College, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Secretary of State to discuss the future of education and the role that schools, colleges and universities can play in responding to the opportunities and challenges facing society.
“These are conversations that matter, and Ruskin College is proud to continue providing a space for them.”
Featured image credit: University of West London
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