An initiative is disadvantaging schools struggling in Kent and Medway by the government that aims to improve the quality of education in areas that are not performing well.
The government has announced an initiative as part of its Levelling Up plan designed to assist school districts in aiding children with disadvantages and closing the achievement gap.
The 55 regions that have been dubbed “cold spots” will benefit from the reforms and are now designated Education Investment Areas.
However, even though standards are poor in some regions of Kent, which are also underperforming, the average achievement level across Kent is being pushed higher by the areas that are doing exceptionally.
One parliament member questioned why Dorset, the second-richest county within the UK in terms of property wealth, was included on the list while Kent did not.
Thanet South MP Craig Mackinlay stated: “I want the best education that is available throughout East Kent, and I find it difficult to believe, given different indicators of deprivation which are generally greater within East Kent, that we haven’t been able to meet one of them to be considered an investment area for education. I’ll be contacting Ministers promptly.”
The percentage of students in Thanet attaining at least five GCSEs comprising English or maths in the year 2019 was 53.2 percent – the lowest of the county compared to 65.7 percent for Kent overall.

Craig Mackinlay MP for South Thanet
Analyzing Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation data shows that Kent is the least-performing region in England regarding GCSE grades.
A mere 5.5 percent of students get the highest GCSE grades of 9 in the main subjects of Maths, English Literature, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics compared to the average across all of England (11.8 percent).
Greater Manchester’s 17.7 percent puts it first on the list.
The government claimed that the locations it identified were those where the results were weakest, in light of tests and exam results. There is no new money promised in the program.
One idea for the new areas is to assist schools in retaining teachers who are in the most critical subjects by offering additional compensation.
These areas could also gain from being the first to receive new sixth form specialist free schools.
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