Speeches - Bridget Phillipson

Speech launching the National Year of Reading

Hello, everyone – thank you so much for being here. Thank you to the National Literacy Trust for bringing us together, and to Jonathan for that lovely introduction. Thank you to Baroness Rebuck for all your support leading up to today – and for your tireless work boosting the literacy…

Speech at Reception Year Conference

Hello everyone, thank you so much for being with us today. And thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to put today together. How wonderful it is that we can meet here at home in the North East! I grew up not seven miles from here. Brendan Foster…

Speech to Education World Forum

Hello everyone, and thank you all for being here. It’s wonderful to see everyone together in the same place – the biggest gathering of education ministers anywhere in the world! And what a fitting location. Just next door is the Methodist Central Hall, where almost 80 years ago the United…

Speech to Progressive Britain

Thank you Ally, and thank you Adam and everyone. Three years ago this month, I had the privilege of speaking to you about the vision we all share, of a future where children come first. I spoke then about the ambition we must have, the optimism we must have: the…

Speech to Festival of Childhood

Good morning everyone. It’s really great to be here! Thank you, Tristram, for hosting us today. And Hughie, what a privilege it is to speak alongside you. Thank you so much for everything you said. Your bravery and determination, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital,…

Speech to the Annual Conference of the Association of School & College Leaders

Good morning, everyone. Thank you so much for inviting me to speak. It’s good to be here. To talk to ASCL members once again. Continuing a conversation that has stretched over many years, during my time in opposition, and now as Secretary of State for Education, I value your voice…

Speech on a new era for school standards, Centre for Social Justice

Good morning, everyone. Thanks so much for being here. And thanks to the Centre for Social Justice for hosting us. And thanks to Andy. It’s great to be back here, this time as Education Secretary, six months into delivering our Plan for Change. I know CSJ shares this government’s commitment…

Speech at the Confederation of School Trusts Conference

Good morning, everyone. It’s a real privilege to be here. Thank you to the whole CST team for bringing us together today. And thank you, Leora, for inviting me to speak this morning, and thank you for your outstanding leadership in the sector. Your passion for social justice really is…

Bridget Phillipson speaks to Labour Party Conference 2024

Thank you Conference, and thank you Zahida. I owe you so much. More than I could ever say. More than I could ever put into words. Thank you. What you and the amazing teachers like you at my local state school believed, what I believe, what Labour believes, is that…

Speech at the Embassy Education Conference

**CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY** Thank you very much. I am delighted to be here with you today. Thanks so much for the invitation. In my first weeks as secretary of state in this new government I have been resetting relationships across the length and breadth of education. I want to refresh…