Mission North East must tackle structural inequality, not just school performance
Now in its 18th year, the Summit explored what transformational regional change must involve under the theme Mission North East: A Region United for Change.
The Government, when it first made the announcement of its about-to-launch ‘Mission North East’ initiative, stated that it would be ‘transformational’, particularly for white working-class boys in our region.
How you bring about transformational change was the central focus of the Schools North East Summit 2026, the largest regional gathering of school leaders in the country, held at St James’ Park on Thursday 8 October.
Our Summit keynote speakers, Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East; Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS England; Steve Cram, former World and European Champion; and Jonny Uttley, CEO of The Education Alliance, approached the challenges facing the North East from different perspectives, but reached strikingly similar conclusions about what needs to change.
For a successful Mission North East aspirations are not enough! If you want to top the medals table you need massive ambition; significant and sustained funding; to leverage the skills of people at the grassroots of the system – school staff across our region; get the right services and people around our schools to give them appropriate, vital support; foster the right culture, based on collaboration; and think long term (10 years+) and have a clear plan.
Understanding the North East’s ‘structural divide’
However, if the Government is to deliver on its promise, it must tackle the wider inequalities affecting children and young people, rather than expecting schools to solve problems rooted in the region’s economic and social circumstances.
Children in the North East begin school behind their peers elsewhere, yet perform among the strongest nationally by the end of primary school. Despite this, significant attainment gaps emerge later in education.
In summer 2026, 23.1% of A-level entries in the North East achieved A or A*, compared with 32.7% in London.
As we have consistently argued on behalf of all 1,150 schools in the North East, these differences cannot be understood without understanding the region’s wider ‘structural divide’, including inequalities in employment, health, transport and access to specialist services.
Children’s opportunities are affected by the availability of jobs and further education, the transport links connecting them to those opportunities, and whether families can access the health and specialist services they need.
For some young people, poor transport makes it harder to access education, training or employment. For others, unmet mental health or SEND needs can affect attendance and engagement with school. Poverty and the loss of wider support services place further pressure on families and the schools working with them.
These challenges are particularly important when considering the Government’s stated ambition to improve outcomes for white working-class boys. Their educational experiences cannot be separated from the circumstances of the communities in which they grow up.
Around 18% of North East 16-to-24-year-olds are also not in education, employment or training (NEET), representing approximately 53,000 young people.
As Schools North East Director Chris Zarraga told delegates: “Intellectual honesty requires us to distinguish between a school problem and a problem landing in schools.”
A mission shaped by the North East
We welcome the Government’s focus on the North East. But having described Mission North East as ‘transformational’, it is reasonable to expect changes that go beyond school performance measures.
Almost twenty years ago, former Director Beccy Earnshaw developed the Great North Schools proposal: a North East Challenge bringing schools and local partners together to address the barriers facing our children. The programme came close to securing very significant DfE funding before being abandoned following a change of Government.
Mission North East must avoid repeating that experience.
We will continue to assess proposed reforms against our five Haldane tests, asking whether policies recognise local circumstances, are grounded in evidence, take a long-term approach, connect services and provide proportionate support.
We will also take what we heard from school leaders and speakers at the Summit into our ongoing policy and lobbying work. If Mission North East is to make a lasting difference, the people working directly with children and families across the region must help shape it.
Reflecting Schools North East’s longstanding principle of ‘Lead Not Plead’, Chris concluded: “Because talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not. Our mission is to change that.”
Learning beyond education
The Summit brought together speakers from different sectors to examine how the systems surrounding children influence their opportunities.
- Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS England, explored the importance of prevention, local decision-making and stronger collaboration between health and education. Read more here.
- Steve Cram, former World Champion and Olympic medallist, considered what policymakers can learn from elite sport about creating the conditions for talent to succeed. Read more here.
- Jonny Uttley, CEO of The Education Alliance, examined the need to move beyond traditional school improvement towards a wider approach to improving places and communities. Read more here.
Further sessions explored disadvantage, inclusion and the experiences of young people, with valuable contributions from Lord Sewell of Sanderstead CBE, Hannah Kitchen, Beccy Earnshaw, Katie Carr and Charlotte O’Regan.
A huge thank you to all our delegates, speakers, exhibitors and main sponsor The Key for making this year’s Summit possible. We hope to see you again at our upcoming Ofsted Update Events on 12 November in Newton Aycliffe, and 13 November in North Shields.