Government announces new package to transform education in ‘left behind’ areas

The Department for Education and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities have announced that education will be at the heart of major new reforms in their drive to Level Up in identified areas. The plans will identify 55 areas around the country where school outcomes are the weakest, to target investment, support and action that help children from all backgrounds to succeed at the highest levels.

These new ‘Education Investment Areas’ will offer retention payments to teachers in the highest priority subjects. There will be priorities for new specialist sixth form free schools to ensure children from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to the highest standard of education.

The White Paper, due in the spring, will consult on moving those schools in these areas that are judged less than Good in successive Ofsted inspections, into strong multi-academy trusts to attract more support and the best teachers.

The White Paper will also set a new national mission to have 90% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths leaving primary school by 2030. It will also consult on a National Youth Guarantee that will aim to give every young person access to regular clubs, activities, adventures away from home and volunteering opportunities by 2025.

Items of note to the SEND sector it the government aim to double the capacity of the Supported Internship programme to provide thousands more young people who have additional needs with the skills to secure and sustain paid employment. Backed by £18 million over three years, the programme will additionally seek to drive up the standards and quality of internship delivery across the country for students who have an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their families and caregivers will be better supported with respite care as well as internship opportunities. Councils will receive £30 million in funding for the next three years to set up more than 10,000 additional respite placements. The funds should help to provide positive opportunities for disabled children and young people and to give family carers a break so they can look after vulnerable children better in the long-term.

The new funding for respite and Supported Internships is added to more than £45 million of continued targeted support for families and parents of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The existing funding aims to:

• Improve monitoring, support and intervention for local authorities and local health and care partners’ delivery of statutory SEND services, with a focus on underperforming areas and sharing best practice;
• Improve participation and access for parents and young people for high quality advice and support; and
• Directly support schools and colleges to effectively work with pupils with SEND, for example through training on specific needs like autism.