Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 11, paragraph 22, point a
DfE should take a clearer whole-system approach by more clearly setting out how the range of its interventions come together, to help: understand how they individually and collectively support the attainment of disadvantaged children; ensure that objectives are aligned; and recognise and manage any gaps and trade-offs.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 02/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 11, paragraph 22, point b
DfE should take a clearer whole-system approach by using this work, alongside evidence of what works, to inform clear, evidence?based decisions on how it distributes, and increases or decreases, funding; as part of this, it should compare the value of certain interventions, such as investing more in early years compared with schools.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
Implemented
· 12/2025
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 11, paragraph 22, point c
DfE should take a clearer whole-system approach by setting out how it will more effectively engage with wider government to help develop a shared vision, robust joint risk assessment, clear responsibilities, and an understanding of how respective departmental priorities could be better integrated.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
Implemented
· 12/2025
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 12, paragraph 23, point d
To effectively oversee its interventions DfE should develop its understanding of the capacity and capability of schools and early years providers to understand and deliver the range of interventions.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
Implemented
· 02/2026
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 12, paragraph 23, point e
To effectively oversee its interventions DfE should monitor whether schools fund tutoring from their core funding after the planned end of the National Tutoring Programme, and then reflect on any further support it may need to provide to schools.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
Implemented
· 02/2026
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 12, paragraph 24, point f
To better understand the impact of its approach, DfE should set out the progress it expects to make in reducing the disadvantage attainment gap over the coming years, including what good would look like, so it can better understand where, for example, it may need to change its approach.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
Implemented
· 02/2026
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 12, paragraph 24, point g
To better understand the impact of its approach, DfE should broaden its performance measures and monitoring to assess both its regional progress narrowing the disadvantage attainment gap and the added value from its support for disadvantaged children, to present a complete assessment of all outcomes.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 02/2027
· Confirmed by NAO
Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 12, paragraph 24, point h
To better understand the impact of its approach, DfE should develop a research and evaluation strategy to build its evidence base to better understand how it should consider allocating funding across its various interventions.
Response position:
Accepted
Delivery:
In progress
· 12/2026
· Confirmed by NAO