Six more ‘opportunity areas’ announced
Education Secretary Justine Greening announced six more places as ‘opportunity areas’ that will receive a share of £72 million funding.
The scheme, which was announced in October 2016, will be widened to include Bradford, Doncaster, Fenland and East Cambridgeshire, Hastings, Ipswich, and Stoke-on-Trent.
The first ‘opportunity areas’ were Blackpool, Derby, Norwich, Oldham, Scarborough, and West Somerset.
Schools and councils in those areas will use the funding to build teaching and leadership capacity and improve access to careers advice.
The 12 ‘opportunity areas’ in total are in areas which are ranked as ‘cold spots’ in the government’s social mobility index.
Each location will also receive funding for a new research school.
Greening made the announcement today (18 February) in a speech at professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, her former employer.
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