What is being done and why
Strategic Issue 1
National
- Attendance Hubs & Mentor Programme – Best practice sharing and mentoring for persistently absent pupils.
Lead: DfE & Barnardo’s - RISE (Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence) – Targeted school improvement support.
Lead: DfE - Pupil Premium & EEF Guidance – Funding and evidence-based strategies for disadvantaged pupils.
Lead: DfE & Education Endowment Foundation
Regional (Tees Valley)
- TVCA Education, Employment & Skills Strategy – Focus on raising attainment, improving attendance, and reducing exclusions through coordinated interventions and governance via the Education, Employment & Skills Board.
Lead: Tees Valley Combined Authority - National Teaching Service Rollout Priority – Incentivises high-quality teachers to work in Tees Valley schools.
Lead: DfE & TVCA
Local (Hartlepool)
- Hartlepool Attendance Strategy – Multi-agency approach to tackle persistent absenteeism.
Lead: Hartlepool Borough Council - School Development Plans – Target exclusions and improve inclusion for vulnerable learners.
Lead: Local schools & Hartlepool LA
Strategic Issue 2
National
- Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) – Statutory framework for learning and care from birth to age 5.
Lead: DfE - Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs – Evidence-based training for providers.
Lead: DfE & National Children’s Bureau
Regional (Tees Valley)
- Tees Valley Creative Education Partnership (TVCEP) – Supports early years through cultural and creative learning to boost aspiration and resilience.
Lead: TVCA & Arts Council England - Great Place Tees Valley Programme – Cultural engagement to support early development and confidence.
Lead: TVCA & National Lottery Heritage Fund
Local (Hartlepool)
- Family Hubs & Small Steps Team – Specialist support for early years and parental engagement.
Lead: Hartlepool Borough Council
Strategic Issue 3
Skills Gap in the Workforce
National
- Skills England & Lifetime Skills Guarantee – Free training in priority sectors; Skills Bootcamps.
Lead: DfE - Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) – Align training with employer needs.
Lead: Chambers of Commerce & Skills England
Regional (Tees Valley)
- TVCA Employment & Skills Strategy – Ambition to make Tees Valley a global leader in clean energy and advanced manufacturing; includes apprenticeship expansion and technical training routes.
Lead: TVCA - Adult Education Budget (AEB) Devolution – Tailored adult learning provision to local needs.
Lead: TVCA - Skills Support for the Workforce Programme – Upskilled 6,000 employees and 1,700 businesses in priority sectors.
Lead: TVCA & Calderdale College
Local (Hartlepool)
- Hartlepool College Skills Strategy – Technical and vocational pathways aligned to employer needs.
Lead: Hartlepool College of Further Education
Strategic Issue 4
Low Aspirations Hindering Higher/Vocational Education Uptake
National
- Plan for Change – Raising Participation – Two-thirds of young people in higher-level learning by 25; new Technical Excellence Colleges.
Lead: DfE - Universities UK Access Plans – Outreach and contextual admissions for disadvantaged students.
Lead: Universities UK
Regional (Tees Valley)
- #StayLocalGoFar Campaign – Promotes local career opportunities and raises aspirations for young people.
Lead: TVCA - Get Tees Valley Working Plan – Tackles economic inactivity and supports pathways into employment and training.
Lead: TVCA - UK Youth Guarantee Trailblazer – Paid work placements and taster sessions for NEET young people.
Lead: TVCA & Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Local (Hartlepool)
- Careers Guidance & Gatsby Benchmarks – Implemented in schools to improve post-16 pathways. Lead: Hartlepool Borough Council & Schools