Thread by @SchoolsWeek

Good afternoon from #NEU19, where Labour leader @jeremycorbyn will address delegates shortly

@jeremycorbyn Corbyn arrives to cheers, applause and chants, predictably, of "Oh, Jeremy Corbyn". He starts by thanking teachers for their work, says he's honoured to be here for first ever conference of the @NEUnion #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion "The old trade union saying, 'unity is strength', is as true today as it ever was," says Corbyn as he congratulates NEU members on the formation of their union #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion Big cheer as Corbyn thanks the NEU for its work supporting Palestinian teachers, and another one when he thanks them for giving him a chance to give a speech that's not about Brexit #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion "Education is the pathway to liberation, not just for the individual but for society as a whole. But that vital pathway is becoming ever narrower" - Corbyn #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion "The language and methods of the market are invading our schools and universities," says Corbyn. Says academies and free schools have "brought the private sector" into children's education #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion Another huge cheer as Corbyn reaffirms Labour's commitment to ending the academies and free schools programme. @AngelaRayner also gets a round of applause when she's mentioned in his speech #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner Corbyn moves on to talk about plans for a National Education Service. He says it will "remove the corporations from the classroom and the campus" #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner Corbyn says school should be about supporting every child to reach their full potential. Says we put kids through "unnecessary pressure" of national exams at primary schools. "I think that is wrong" #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner Corbyn says SATs leave pupils in floods of tears, "and it's even worse for children with SEND" #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner BREAKING: Corbyn pledges Labour will SCRAP primary school SATs for 7 and 11-year-olds #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner Corbyn adds that baseline assessment will also be scrapped. Both announcements get a standing ovation #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner "More than 90% of schools have had their per-pupil funding cut. The first cuts to education in a generation," says Corbyn #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner "This?I In the fifth richest country in the world?! This is the reality of nine years of Conservative government and austerity" - Corbyn #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner "I'm very worried that children with SEN are being permanently excluded from school at a rate of six times higher than other pupils" says Corbyn #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner "Children living in poverty, children going hungry are not going to be able to concentrate in class. And when other services are cut it's left to schools to pick up the pieces," says Corbyn #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner Corbyn says it's "easy for the government to blame teachers", and thanks delegates again for the work they do #NEU19

@jeremycorbyn @NEUnion @AngelaRayner "When we work together, there's so much we can achieve. And if we stick together, we will win," says Corbyn as he finishes his speech to a long standing ovation #NEU19