Education Secretary's Bridget Phillipson's journey from 'Byker Grove' to the Cabinet table
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson passionately believes the music and drama opportunities should not be limited to children in fee-paying schools
Press pause on an old episode of teen television classic Byker Grove and you might spy a future Education Secretary.
Today, Bridget Phillipson has a starring role in Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet but as a schoolgirl she was an extra in the Newcastle-set series.
A personal priority is ensuring that the arts are not the sole preserve of the privately educated.
“I was quite a shy kid growing up and as a result my mum sent me to Saturday morning drama classes at the local community centre that cost, I think, £1 a week or something like that,” she said.
“From that, many of us got to be extras on Byker Grove, for example, because they went out to local community drama groups to get us involved.”
This week she will address the Labour conference in Liverpool, and she is in no doubt about the power of childhood performances to boost self-confidence.
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“You have to overcome your nerves to get up there on stage,” she said. “It helps you to find your voice.”
She argues it “does make a difference to be pushed and to not be in your comfort zone”. And parents tell her they want their children to be able to take part in music, drama and sport.
“Increasingly, that’s becoming the preserve of parents who have extra money and can play for clubs and classes on a weekend,” she said.
This is a source of concern for the 40-year-old cabinet minister, who attended a Catholic school in Washington.
“There’s so much talent across our country,” she said “So much imagination, creativity.
“And the arts is one area that’s becoming increasingly dominated by people from private school backgrounds.”
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She wants children of all backgrounds to attend schools where academic excellence is prized and where they also have opportunities to pursue their gifts and passions.
“I’m determined to ensure we get that richness and that breadth,” she said. “Sometimes it’s seen as: ‘Do you want high academic standards or do you want a range of opportunities?’
“For me, the two are essential together – you don’t have one without the other.”
