A review of the opportunity areas programme aimed at tackling social mobility has revealed concerns that decisions are being too heavily dominated by the Department for Education.

Opportunity areas were set up to provide a “place-based” programme in 12 areas of the country where outcomes for children from deprived background was causing concern.

Each area has developed its own three-year plan through a local partnership board.

However a review of the programme published today has highlighted concerns among people involved in the first 12 schemes that the work was being “too heavily led by the DfE”.

The review, drawing on interviews with more than 200 people involved in opportunity areas, also found some concerns that the work - which is funded for three years - would not be sustainable.

And it said that some people voiced frustration at the pace of the progress being made.

The first six areas were announced in October 2016 by then education secretary Justine Greening and six more were added to the programme in January 2017.

The new report suggests the first 12 months were taken up producing plans.

It says that, by early 2018, all the areas involved were “ready or nearly ready” to deliver their plans.

Today’s review was carried out for the DfE by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).

It says that, while opportunity area stakeholders generally felt involved, “some stakeholders considered that delivery plan development had been driven too heavily by DfE and/or requested greater time for reflection and analysis of the data”.

The review has made a series of recommendations for the DfE to improve the programme.

These include:

• Extending the timeline of the programme to ensure “it has a realistic prospect of achieving cultural change”.
• Developing a “coherent strategy” for accessing national partners and programmes’ services for the opportunity areas.
• The DfE should ensure that regular and consistent messages about the aims and scope of the programme, new developments, progress and achievements are shared across opportunity areas.
• The DfE should support the sharing of information between areas so they can learn about what works, in what contexts and why.

• Ensure transparency about who is invited to join the partnership board and why.
• Provide administrative support to partnership boards and subgroups to achieve faster progress.

The NFER also said that, although concerns were raised about the time taken to deliver programmes, the evidence suggested that the systems established had ensured appropriate accountability arrangements and safeguards were in place.

The review also says that many stakeholders felt the opportunity areas would create a lasting legacy.

Children and families minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “The opportunity area programme is truly unique - it’s led and driven by the people who know the area best, and understand what motivates and influences their young people.

“I’ve seen for myself the passion and commitment of those involved, who are tackling deep-rooted issues like low school attendance, poor mental health or low confidence with reading and writing. All of these things hold people back from fulfilling their potential.

“This is just the beginning, and a chance to reflect on what we are doing to foster ambition in young people in these areas. Focusing on projects where we can make the greatest difference, our opportunity areas will help raise the aspirations and opportunities for children and young people.”

Earlier this year, former schools minister David Laws warned that opportunity areas would be hampered by the lack of time the project had available.

The first six areas chosen in 2016 were Blackpool, Derby, the North Yorkshire Coast, Norwich, Oldham and West Somerset.

The DfE then added Bradford, Doncaster, Fenland and East Cambridgeshire, Hastings, Ipswich and Stoke-on-Trent to the programme.

The review said each area produced a local plan with up to four priorities.

These included improving early language development, GCSE results, supporting young people from education into work, improving mental health and promoting essential life skills.