Education Secretary Lucy Powell is hosting a summit today, 10 September 2026, in Manchester, bringing together regional mayors, business leaders, headteachers, and college principals. The meeting at No10 North aims to discuss how to enhance the education system and better prepare young people for employment.
Discussions will focus on the delivery of vocational education reforms for those aged 14 and over, work experience opportunities, and the use of devolved funding for 16 to 19-year-olds. Ms Powell is expected to state in her opening remarks that she wants a new approach to education, with changes co-designed with local leaders who understand local strengths and challenges.
This summit follows recent PISA international education rankings, which showed England's performance improved or remained stable against a global decline, and continues to be above OECD averages in all three subjects. The reforms build on the government's introduction of V Levels from age 16 and the expansion of T Levels from next September.
On the same day, Minister Smith is scheduled to address the higher education sector, encouraging universities to integrate themselves into the reform agenda. She will call on institutions to collaborate with local leaders, colleges, and employers to identify local opportunities for shaping courses and creating work experience.