Bridget Phillipson ‘ready to take on unions’ over year 8 reading tests | Bridget Phillipson

Bridget Phillipson has said she is ready to fight unions over compulsory reading tests for 13-year-olds and more extra-curricular activities to prevent all children from becoming “stuck in the disastrous cycle of leaving school”.

Education unions, who argue the tests are “unnecessary and distracting”, need to “think really carefully” about whether they can justify standing in the way of tackling the “shocking consequences” for many working-class children, the education secretary said.

In an interview with the Guardian, Phillipson said the deputy leadership campaign was “just the beginning” of efforts to help Labor win a second term and warned that one in four children overall and one in three disadvantaged children do not meet required literacy standards.

A new compulsory reading test will be introduced for Year 8 pupils in a bid to tackle the underachievement experienced by working-class children, in response to a review of curriculum and assessment published next week. Schools are also expected to informally assess writing and mathematics.

It will also require every school in England to offer core enrichment activities for all students in five different areas, including sport, arts and culture, as well as outdoor activities, civic engagement and life skills such as cooking and financial management.

Only two-thirds of secondary school students last year took part in any extra-curricular activities through school, despite their increased chances of going on to work and further education. Ofsted will assess whether schools meet expectations during routine inspections.

Phillipson said: “I stand with children and parents and my first priority must be to ensure the best possible outcomes for our country’s children, especially working class children. “They only have one chance at a good education and we cannot allow this drift to continue.

“I appeal to those who are considering opposing the introduction of such a measure.” [reading tests] Real careful thought needs to be given to whether they can justify the shocking outcomes we see for so many working-class children in our country.

“We will deliver much stronger academic outcomes for young people. But on top of that, I worry that young people lack a sense of purpose and feel stuck in this disaster cycle of disconnection and not being able to read.”

The education secretary also said he was concerned about children “lacking a sense of purpose” or feeling like they didn’t belong at school, suggesting new requirements to ensure all pupils are provided with a wider range of extra activities would help.

“We’ve seen a worrying trend, particularly when it comes to young men accessing all sorts of toxic material dripping into their ears online and the risks posed by increased radicalization and disconnection, including far-right extremism. I want them to be excited to be part of something.”

Phillipson said he would continue to press Keir Starmer to remove the two-child benefit limit from the budget altogether and said the evidence was clear it needed to be removed to reduce child poverty.

“We need to make the biggest possible impact on child poverty figures. We must fight for re-election on the basis that we have made significant progress in reducing these figures. It is urgent that we do this,” he said.

“The important test is whether there are fewer children living in poverty by the end of the parliament than at the beginning.”

Following the delay in publishing the long-awaited revision of the special educational needs provision, Phillipson said he understood the financial pressures councils were under but reforming for the sake of children should be “our starting point”.

“Parents tell me the system isn’t working quite right, but they worry about what happens next. So it’s important that we take the time to fix this and get them on board,” she said.

He also sought to reassure MPs to avoid a repeat of the infighting that blew up welfare reforms. “This is about kids and their life chances. This is not about how we’re trying to save money, and that’s why we’re investing more this year and every year.”

Phillipson, who lost out to Lucy Powell in the Labor Party deputy leader race after being seen as Downing Street’s candidate, said she wanted to ensure party members’ voices were heard in the cabinet no matter what.

“This is just the beginning… I have already placed education at the center of national life, but now I will push harder and do more to make sure members are proud to campaign for a second term,” he said.

“With so much going on in the world, it can sometimes be difficult to cut through the noise and reach voters, especially because they just want their lives to be better with all the volatility in politics.

“So while this is about the story we tell, it shouldn’t just be about telling it, it should be about people feeling better about themselves, seeing the differences in their communities and showing the change that’s being brought.”

The Houghton and Sunderland MP admitted he was disappointed that Labor was so unpopular with voters. “Of course I look at the polls and I am aware of the challenges we face as a party,” he said.

“But polls are a snapshot in time. We are in government, we can turn things around… I would rather make that change happen, no matter how difficult, than linger on the sidelines.”

He warned Labor Party MPs not to return to the opposition mentality. “We cannot afford to go back to the days when we enjoyed easy elections with opposition. Anyone can stand up, make a speech or hold a banner and feel good, but it won’t make one iota of difference to people’s lives.”

He said Labor needed to make a positive statement at the next election about what it had achieved and what it wanted to achieve in a second term, while also setting out the “clear choice” voters faced between his party and Reform.

Despite the outcome of this competition, he did not deny his own passion for leadership. “I’ve got a huge job on my hands as education minister and I think it’s the best job in a Labor government. That’s all I’m focused on.”