Research and analysis

Opportunity areas programme: research and analysis

Independent evaluations of the implementation and process. Evaluations of 5 discrete projects or strands of work and a summary of these.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 17 October 2018
• Last updated: 26 May 2022 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Implementation of opportunity areas: an independent evaluation

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78105-949-4, DFE-RR826

PDF, 873 KB, 66 pages

Opportunity areas process evaluation research report

Ref: ISBN 978-1-83870-362-2

PDF, 1.07 MB, 173 pages

Team Around the School Project evaluation

Ref: ISBN 978-1-83870-336-3

PDF, 1.68 MB, 101 pages

Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Project evaluation

Ref: ISBN 978-1-83870-335-6

PDF, 604 KB, 91 pages

Norwich Inclusion Charter project evaluation

Ref: ISBN 978-1-83870-337-0

PDF, 608 KB, 73 pages

Inspire by Teaching Recruitment evaluation

Ref: ISBN 978-1-83870-334-9

PDF, 492 KB, 54 pages

School to School Support project evaluation

Ref: ISBN 978-1-83870-339-4

PDF, 547 KB, 67 pages

Summary findings of the intervention level evaluations

Ref: ISBN 978-1-83870-338-7

PDF, 401 KB, 45 pages

Details

The 12 opportunity areas (OAs) aim to level up opportunity across the country so that all children and young people get every chance to go as far as their talents and ambition will take them, regardless of where they live.

Each area works in partnership with local nurseries, schools, colleges, businesses and charities to overcome the barriers that hold children and young people back.

More information on each area’s priorities is available in the delivery plans.

Opportunity areas evaluation

The evaluation programme looked at the OA programme as a whole as well as individual interventions. It includes:

• process evaluations looking at the implementation and delivery of the programme:

  • Implementation of opportunity areas: an independent evaluation (NFER, 2018) focuses on the process of implementation of the OAs - using qualitative research, it looks at the perspectives of stakeholders and practitioners, focusing on the first 6 of the OAs to be established
  • Opportunity areas process evaluation: research report (NatCen, 2022) is a process evaluation of years 1 to 4 - using qualitative research, it looks at how the OA programme was delivered, including benefits and challenges of the OA place-based approach, how COVID-19 affected delivery, the twinned area approach, and sustainability and legacy

• intervention level evaluations looking at the 5 projects or interventions in the OAs - the evaluations cover how projects were delivered, benefits and challenges, and perceived outcomes of the project

The 5 projects are:

• Team Around the School (an inclusion and support project in Blackpool)
• Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing project (a mental health intervention in Hastings)
• Norwich Inclusion Charter (an inclusion project in Norwich)
• Inspire by Teaching Recruitment (a teacher recruitment initiative in North Yorkshire Coast)
• School to School Support (a school improvement project in Bradford)

There is also a summary report including the main insights from across the intervention level evaluations and summaries of each.

Published 17 October 2018
Last updated 26 May 2022 + show all updates

1. 26 May 2022

   Added the following reports: 'Opportunity areas process evaluation: research report', 'Team Around the School Project evaluation', 'Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Project evaluation', 'Norwich Inclusion Charter project evaluation', 'Inspire by Teaching Recruitment evaluation', 'School to School Support Project evaluation' and 'Summary findings of the intervention level evaluations'.

2. 17 October 2018

   First published.