A leading Labour politician has promised a complete review of the national curriculum if Labour get elected.

Bridget Phillipson, Shadow Secretary of Education, has slammed the Conservatives for their "incompetence" in managing the education of the country.

She hit out at a recent miscalculation of state school budgets which overpromised funds for next year which will not materialise.

Ms Phillipson highlighted Labour's commitment to end tax breaks for private schools and use that money to hire 6,500 more teachers.

She emphasised the importance of having mental health support available for secondary school pupils.

The Shadow Secretary said: "The incompetence that we have seen from the Conservatives will have a really damaging impact on some children.

"School leaders across the region are already under a huge amount of pressure and budgets are very tight.

"They are having to make some really tough choices like whether they can afford to keep on the support staff and increasingly asking parents to cover the costs of stationery.

"What Labour have said is that we would end the tax breaks for private schools enjoy and we would put that money into delivering 6,500 new teachers and better mental health support for our children."

Addressing the reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) crisis she criticised the Conservatives' handling of the situation.

Ms Phillipson explained that she has visited schools in the North East which will not be able to re-open.

She said: "I have visited schools in the NE affected by RAAC where it will just not be possible for those schools to re-open.

"We haven’t heard a plan from the government about how those schools will be rebuilt if that is what is necessary.

"We also haven't heard any plans which will make sure that they get the support they need in terms of mitigations."

The Northern Echo has been campaigning for knife crime to be introduced to the national curriculum.

Ms Phillipson did not confirm if knife crime would be added but she did state that Labour would conduct a full review of the national curriculum.

She said: "If Labour wins the next election we will have a full review of the curriculum from government, it will be expert-led.

"It needs to make sure that young people are ready for work.

"I am concerned about the growing cases of knife crime that we are seeing in our region. Tragic consequences follow on from that.

"We want to make sure that young people are not affected by crime in this way."

Her final commitment was to parents across the North East. 

She emphasised that she believed background will not limit opportunities for children under a Labour government.

Addressing parents in the North East she said: "Labour will put education right back at the heart of national life.

"We will break down the barriers that too many of our children face.

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"A Labour government will make sure that background is no barrier to getting on.

"We want to make sure that our children and young people have the resources they need to thrive.

"I believe that every child and young person has a valuable contribution to make but they are not getting the support they need at the moment."