Funding extended for giving young people opportunities on North Yorkshire Coast

The Opportunity Area has been running since 2017.

Author: Seb CheerPublished 20th May 2021
Last updated 20th May 2021

More children on the North Yorkshire Coast are set to get extra learning support, as funding for a project has been extended.

Since 2017, the Opportunity Area has been working to make sure young people have more opportunities for education and work.

Now, an extra £18million has been pledged towards expanding the project across the country, including on the Coast.

It's part of the Government's "levelling up" agenda.

Stuart Carlton, from North Yorkshire County Council, says the funding has helped with "recruitment of teaching and support staff into the area, with an additional 240 posts filled, which we're delighted about. The access early to speech and language therapy for children.

"We want to make sure that we have additional targeted support for students where we're worried about the disruption to their schooling caused by the pandemic, that we continue to help them settle in.

"Over 6,000 children have been screened with support and improving their communication abilities, and work around the home learning environment. Any additional funding coming into the county, particularly across the Coast, is really really helpful."

Sir Martin Narey DL, chair of the Partnership Board, added: "The investment we have made so far is making a real difference to social mobility across the North Yorkshire Coast. We know that there are more children leaving the early yeas with a good level of development, more teachers coming to our part of the country to teach and lower numbers of students being excluded or suspended from secondary schools.

"This additional funding is welcome, and will mean we can do more in these areas and make sure that young people get the most from their education."

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