Education Is a Bright Spot in the Tories’ Record: Chris Bryant

This is part of a series on what 14 years of Tory rule have delivered for Britain’s economy, society and standing in the world. The challenges awaiting the next government are numerous.

Education reform is one area the Conservative Party has made a differencein the past 14 years, helping England advance in international education rankings (in relative terms). Focusing on literacy and numeracy, emphasizing academic rigor and embracing best practices — whether from academic strongholds in Asia or the previous Labour government — have underpinned this success.

To improve reading in primary schools, the Tories promoted phonics — recognizing the sounds that letters make and ...