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<p>The Department for Education is committed to ensuring that all children, regardless of background, have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. As of August 2018, 86% of schools are judged good or outstanding by Ofsted. To raise standards, national programmes are in place which provide support at system or individual school level, which respond to ongoing challenges associated with reducing the gap between the most disadvantaged young people and their peers. The Department also funds a national network of Teaching Schools and National Leaders of Education to deliver school to school support. The Department has focused interventions in 12 areas of the country with low social mobility through the Opportunity Area programme. Opportunity Areas will help the Department to understand what works best in areas with entrenched social mobility barriers, including improving educational outcomes, so it can spread successful approaches across the country. In addition, the Department has recently launched the Opportunity North East and are investing £24 million to deliver a focused programme to address the specific challenges in the region, including to improve Key Stage 4 outcomes in secondary schools across this region.</p> |