PUBLIC SERVICES

DETAILS

1. NO STANDARDISED TESTING CULTURE

• No high-stakes exams until the end of high school (age 18).

• Teachers assess progress through continuous feedback, not standardised tests.

• No school rankings or public "naming and shaming" like OFSTED reports.

2. HIGHLY TRUSTED, AUTONOMOUS TEACHERS

• All teachers must hold a Master’s degree (fully subsidized).

• Teachers design their own curriculum & assessments within national guidelines.

• No school inspectors, quality is maintained through peer collaboration and professional pride.

3. SHORTER HOURS, MORE PLAY

• Shorter school days (e.g. 5 hours for younger kids, 7 for teens).

• 15-minute breaks every 45 minutes, kids play outside, even in winter.

• Minimal homework (studies show it has little impact at young ages).

4. EQUITY OVER COMPETITION

• No private schools: all schools are publicly funded and equally resourced.

• No grammar schools or selection: mixed-ability classes are the norm.

• Free meals, healthcare, and counselling in every school.

5. FOCUS ON WELL-BEING & LIFE SKILLS

• Less rote memorisation, more critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.

• Mandatory "phenomenon-based learning" (interdisciplinary projects, e.g., studying climate change through science, politics, and art).

• Mental health support is embedded in schools.

6. LATER FORMAL SCHOOLING & LESS PRESSURE

• Children start school at age 7, vs. 4–5 in the UK.

• Early years focus on play, social skills, and curiosity.

• No tuition culture, private tutoring is rare.

7. TEACHER TRAINING IS RIGOROUS (BUT PRESTIGIOUS)

• Only 10% of applicants get into teacher training programs, it’s as selective as medicine or law.

• Teachers earn respectable (but not elite) salaries, comparable to engineers.

WHY DOES IT WORK?

• Cultural trust in teachers as professionals.

• No obsession with rankings, education isn’t politicized.

• Focus on equity ensures no child is left behind.

TIMELINES

5-YEAR PLAN (PHASE 1: FOUNDATIONS)

Goal: Lay the groundwork for equity, teacher autonomy, and reduced high-stakes testing.

Year 1-2: Quick Wins

• Abolish SATs for 7- and 11-year-olds and replace with teacher assessments.

• Scrap OFSTED and replace with peer-led school reviews (like Finland’s "light-touch" audits).

• End private schools’ tax breaks by redirecting £150m+ per year to state schools.

• Pilot 'play-based reception years' in 500 primary schools (delay formal literacy/numeracy drilling until age 6).

Year 3-5: Structural Shifts

• Merge PGCE into a fully funded master’s requirement for new teachers (like Finland).

• Cap private school enrolment growth by freezing new registrations at 2025 levels.

• Nationalize elite private school assets (e.g. Eton/Harrow become state-funded "national academies").

• Legislate a maximum 4-hour school day for under-10s and mandatory outdoor breaks.

Outcome After 5 Years:

• Testing culture reduced, teacher trust growing.

• Private school influence starts declining.

• Early years become less formal.

10-YEAR PLAN (PHASE 2: FULL TRANSFORMATION)

Goal: Near-total alignment with Finnish principles.

Year 6-8: Systemic Equality

• Ban fee-paying schools (allow existing ones to operate only as non-selective state academies).

• Roll out universal free school meals, mental health care, and extracurriculars.

• Shift GCSEs to competency-based portfolios (no final exams until age 18).

Year 9-10: Cultural Shift

• Raise school starting age to 6 (with play-based "kindergarten" for 3–5-year-olds).

• Eliminate school league tables entirely.

• Redirect 20% of university funding to adult education (lifelong learning).

Outcome After 10 Years:

• UK system resembles Finland’s in equity, autonomy, and well-being.

• Private schools fully integrated; teaching is a top-tier profession.

• No high-stakes testing until adulthood.

FINNISH EDUCATION MODEL

NATIONAL CARE SERVICE

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This proposal outlines the creation of a National Care Service (NCS) for England, fully integrated with the National Health Service (NHS) and funded directly by HM Treasury. Recognising that the UK government as a currency-issuer is not fiscally constrained in its own currency, this plan prioritises the real-world resources of labour, skills, and infrastructure over purely financial considerations. The NCS will provide free-at-the-point-of-use personal care to all assessed adults, ending the postcode lottery and catastrophic care costs. It will be phased in over five years, initially focusing on high-need groups. While nationalisation of the entire care home sector is not a prerequisite, a significant expansion of not-for-profit public provision is central to the model, ensuring quality, accountability, and alignment with NHS values.

2. VISION & GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Universal and free care and support will be provided based on need, not the ability to pay, mirroring the NHS founding principle.

• Seamless integration with NHS services, and a single point of access, to break down the artificial barrier between health and social care, improving patient flow and outcomes.

• Care plans will be co-designed with individuals and their families to be person-centred, focusing on dignity, independence, and quality of life.

• A national framework will guarantee consistent quality and entitlements, while delivery is managed locally to be responsive to community needs.

• Creation of a properly paid, trained, and respected professional care workforce with an NHS-style agenda for change, pay bands, and career progression, giving a fair deal to the staff.

3. STRUCTURAL MODEL

The NCS will be a distinct but inseparable part of the NHS structure.

• National Level

  • A National Care Board will be established, responsible for overall strategy, setting national standards, workforce planning, and allocating the central budget from the Treasury.

• Regional Level

  • NHS Regional Directors will oversee NCS delivery, ensuring coordination with Integrated Care Systems (ICSs).

• Local Level

  • Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) will become the statutory commissioners and budget holders for both NHS and NCS services. They will not be forced to commission services from private providers, with a strategic goal of expanding public provision. They shall bring together GPs, community NHS teams, NCS care providers, local authorities, and housing associations to design and deliver integrated care packages for their local populations.

4. FUNDING & FISCAL POLICY

Under Modern Monetary Theory, the UK government issues its own currency and cannot involuntarily become insolvent. The primary constraints are inflation and real resources (labour, buildings, equipment). Fiscal policy must therefore be designed to mobilise these resources without triggering excessive inflation.

• Funding Source

  • Direct Treasury funding via the central government budget. The NCS is recognised as a public purpose that enhances national productivity, dignity, and health, justifying its place as a permanent fiscal commitment.

• Phased Implementation

  • To manage inflationary pressures, rollout will be phased, allowing time to train and recruit the necessary workforce and build capacity.

    • Year 1-2: Free personal care for all adults with Critical and Substantial needs (as per Care Act criteria); end to means-testing for this group.

    • Year 3-5: Gradual extension to those with Moderate and Low-level needs.

• Costing

  • The initial annual cost is estimated at £10-15bn, covering the first phase. This is not a "cost" but a fiscal allocation of real resources to a national priority. Under MMT, the question is not "how will we pay for it?" but "do we have the real resources to deliver it?".

• Mitigating Inflation

  • The phased approach manages demand. Furthermore, by increasing productivity (freeing up family members to work) and reducing pressure on NHS beds (through better community care), the NCS is deflationary in the medium term.

5. PROVIDER LANDSCAPE & NATIONALISATION

A pragmatic approach is proposed to transition towards a predominantly public and not-for-profit provider model.

• For-profit providers will not be forcibly nationalised en masse. This avoids massive upfront compensation costs and operational disruption.

• The "Wait-and-See" Model:

  • The State, via Local Authorities or NHS Trusts, will be empowered and funded to establish new, not-for-profit care homes and home care services as part of a new era of public provision, and will establish national standards for quality, pay, and training. All providers wishing to contract with the NCS must meet these standards.

  • The NCS/ICB will act as the provider of last resort, taking over failing homes that provide a critical community service, safeguarding residents and staff.

  • ICBs will preferentially commission from high-quality, not-for-profit, and co-operative providers, gradually squeezing out poor-performing for-profit operators through competition on quality, not just price. Those assets can then be acquired over time.

  • Voluntary transfer mechanisms will be created for well-run for-profit or third-sector providers to voluntarily integrate into the public system if they choose.

• Outcome

  • Over a 10-15 year period, the provider landscape will organically shift towards a majority public/not-for-profit model without the need for a large-scale, compulsory acquisition programme.

6. WORKFORCE STRATEGY

The single greatest resource constraint is labour. A transformative workforce strategy is essential.

• Pay and Conditions:

  • Immediate uplift to NHS Band 3/4 equivalent pay scales for care workers, with agreed overtime, sick pay, and pension entitlements.

• Training and Career Progression:

  • Creation of a standardised national training framework with clear pathways for progression into senior care roles, nursing, or management. Tuition forgiveness schemes for relevant qualifications.

• 'Passporting':

  • Enable seamless movement between NHS and NCS roles without losing seniority or benefits, creating a unified health and care career structure.

• Immigration Policy:

  • Designate all NCS roles as shortage occupations to ensure international recruitment can supplement domestic training efforts.

7. IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE

• Year 0 (Preparation):

  • Legislation passed. National Care Board established. Standards and funding arrangements designed. Workforce and capacity audits conducted.

• Year 1-2 (Phase 1):

  • Launch of free personal care for Critical/Substantial needs. Recruitment and training drive begins. New public care home construction starts.

• Year 3-5 (Phase 2):

  • Extension of free care to all assessed needs. Full integration of IT systems between NHS and NCS. Evaluation and adjustment of the model.

8. CONCLUSION

The establishment of a National Care Service is a logical and necessary evolution of the UK's welfare state. By integrating it with the NHS and funding it decisively through the principles of Modern Monetary Theory, the government can solve the social care crisis that has plagued the country for decades. This proposal provides a practical, phased, and fiscally responsible (in real-resource terms) roadmap to deliver a service that is universal, equitable, and a source of national pride for generations to come.

• FREE EDUCATION FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE

  • Free childcare and early years education.

  • Abolition of university tuition fees (reintroducing full public funding for higher education).

  • Free adult education and vocational training.

• REVERSING PRIVATISATION & MARKETISATION

  • Ending the academy and free school programmes, and returning schools to local democratic control.

  • Halting the outsourcing of education services to private companies.

• FAIR FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS & COLLEGES

  • Increased investment in state schools after years of austerity.

  • Restoring funding for Further Education (FE) colleges.

• LIFELONG LEARNING & SKILLS

  • Expanding access to adult education and retraining opportunities.

  • Introducing a right to lifelong learning with free courses for adults.

• INCLUSIVE & HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION

  • Ending high-stakes testing and reducing unnecessary exams.

  • Investing in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision.

  • Mental health support in schools.

NATIONAL EDUCATION SERVICE

An Act to safeguard essential public services from privatisation; to require democratic consent for any transfer to private ownership; and for connected purposes.

SECTION 1: PROTECTED PUBLIC SERVICES

• 1. The following services are designated as "Protected Public Services" and shall remain in public ownership:

  • (a) Healthcare services, including the National Health Service (NHS).

  • (b) Water supply and sewage services.

  • (c) Rail transport infrastructure and operations.

  • (d) State education (primary, secondary, and further education).

  • (e) Social care services.

  • (f) Royal Mail postal services.

  • (g) Any other service designated by the Secretary of State via affirmative resolution.

• 2. No Minister of the Crown, government department, or public body may take any action to:

  • (a) Transfer ownership of a Protected Public Service to a private entity.

  • (b) Outsource the management or delivery of a Protected Public Service to a for-profit entity without explicit parliamentary approval under Section 2.

SECTION 2: PROHIBITION ON PRIVATISATION WITHOUT SUPERMAJORITY & REFERENDUM

• 1. Any proposed legislation to privatise, part-privatise, or outsource a Protected Public Service shall require:

  • (a) A two-thirds majority in the House of Commons, and;

  • (b) A simple majority in the House of Lords, and;

  • (c) Approval via a national referendum with at least 66.7% support on a turnout of no less than 75% of the national electorate.

• 2. No secondary legislation (including statutory instruments) may be used to circumvent this requirement.

SECTION 3: RESTRICTIONS ON OUTSOURCING & PRIVATE CONTRACTS

• 1. Where private sector involvement is permitted in non-core functions, contracts must:

  • (a) Be limited to 5-year terms, renewable only after parliamentary scrutiny.

  • (b) Services be run on a non-profit model that is free at the point of use.

  • (c) Require full transparency in financial dealings.

• 2. Workers in outsourced services retain public sector employment rights and may demand insourcing via collective agreement.

SECTION 4: ENFORCEMENT & JUDICIAL REVIEW

• 1. Any privatisation attempt in violation of this Act shall be legally void.

• 2. Citizens, trade unions, and local authorities may seek injunctive relief to block unlawful privatisation.

• 3. Courts must apply strict scrutiny to any government action undermining this Act.

SECTION 5: ENTRENCHMENT CLAUSE

• 1. This Act may only be amended or repealed by:

  • (a) A two-thirds majority in the House of Commons, or;

  • (b) A national referendum with 66.7% approval on a turnout that is no less than 75% of the national electorate.

• 2. No future international trade agreement may override this Act.

SECTION 6: COMMENCEMENT

This Act may be cited as the Public Services Protection Act 2029 and comes into force immediately upon Royal Assent.

PUBLIC SERVICES PROTECTION ACT 2029

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