The seaside town of Hastings is South East England’s only Opportunity Area. From an early years perspective, it seems an odd choice for funding expressly designed to tackle social mobility. Children in Hastings achieve well in the EYFS, support for the early years sector is strong, and the local authority was placed in the top 10 per cent for early years in the Government’s social mobility index in 2017.
However, as children progress through school, the picture becomes bleaker. In 2017, the gap between disadvantaged primary school children in Hastings and advantaged children nationwide was 12 months. By the time children reached secondary school, the attainment gap was more than two years. Unsurprisingly, most of Hastings’ funding is focused on schools, with targets set on improving literacy, maths, mental health and resilience, broadening horizons and preparing young people for work.
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