A £5 million drive will be launched to drive up education standards in the North East, boost exam results, and improve children’s life chances.
North East mayor Kim McGuinness is pledging to support hundreds of schools across the region to drive up attendance rates, put on extra-curricular activities, improve kids’ reading, writing and maths skills, and train and retain the best teachers.
The North East has the lowest rates of top GCSE grades in the country, with a 10.7% gap to London, and there are particular concerns about youngsters from the most deprived areas. Analysis from the Education Policy Institute has shown that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are already 4.8 months behind their peers when they start schools and leave school more than 18 months behind.
On Tuesday, North East Combined Authority leaders signed off on a £5 million investment in a three-year Excellence in Education programme, which will start this September and is expected to reach at least 550 schools.
Ms McGuinness told a cabinet meeting in Sunderland that too many children were falling behind their friends academically and that teachers needed to be empowered to help.
She added: “We need to start early and think big. I’ve seen first-hand the incredible job work teachers and schools are doing, not just to educate our young people, but go the extra mile to support their life chances.
“Austerity, the pandemic and increasing workloads have put enormous strain on teachers. Schools and teachers are on the frontline of our fight against child poverty, and we will back them so the North East becomes the home of real opportunity.”
The number of children in the region with special educational needs (SEN) rose from 12.6% in 2019/20 to 14.6% in 2023/24. There are also serious concerns about a school absence crisis, described recently by schools minister and Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell as the educational challenge of this generation.
GCSE students in the North East had the highest absence rates in the 2022/23 academic year, while persistent absence rates among all children increased from 12.1% in 2018/19, to 22.5% in 2022/23.
The Excellence in Education scheme will fund projects such as coaching and mentoring for teachers, as well as mental health support for pupils.
The cash will also be used to expand programmes such as Voice North East, which aims to improve knowledge and confidence around speaking and listening for over 60,000 pupils, and the North East Festival of Languages, which has helped 24,000 children take part in activities to learn foreign languages.
South Tyneside Council leader Tracey Dixon said: “By supporting schools and investing in extra-curricular programs, we create opportunities for children to develop essential skills, build self-confidence, and foster a sense of community.
“These initiatives not only boost academic performance but also offer a safe and nurturing environment where children can explore their interests and talents. Empowering children through education and after-school activities helps paves the way for a brighter future, breaking the cycle of poverty and helping them to reach their full potential.”
At Tuesday’s meeting on Wearside, Durham County Council leader Amanda Hopgood also urged all councils to introduce automatic enrolment in free school meals for eligible families.
She said that the policy had brought 2,500 children into the free school meals offer in Durham and saved families an average £400 per child on food costs.
