In Knowsley, we have invested heavily in new schools, exam results are up and the number of teaching support staff has nearly tripled over the last 12 years.
* 34% rise in the number of pupils gaining 5 A*-C grades at GCSE (23.4% in 1997 to 57.4% in 2008)
* Between 1997 to 2008 literacy and numeracy rates are up by 25% and 19% at age 11
* Teaching Assistants and Support Staff in maintained nursery, primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units have nearly tripled in Knowsley: 210 in 1997 compared with 610 in 2008
* Over £150m has been invested in seven brand new Centres for Learning through Building Schools for the Future. Further investment secured for Knowsley’s primary and special schools.
Since Labour came to office in 1997, across the country we have:
* Record levels of literacy and numeracy in schools
* Young people achieving some of the best ever results at 14, 16, and 18
* Funding for every pupil in England has doubled
* Child benefit up 26 per cent since 1997
* Delivered 2,200 Sure Start Children’s Centres
* Over 36,000 more teachers in England and 274,000 more support staff and teaching assistants
* 600,000 children lifted out of relative poverty
* Introduced child tax credit giving more money to parents
* Free nursery places for every three and four-year-olds
* Free fruit for most four to six-year-olds at school
