Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, responding to the Northern Powerhouse Partnership study warning that too many children in the North are not receiving the education they need, said:
“Our ambition as a country should be for every child, no matter where they are born and brought up, to lead happy, healthy and prosperous lives. As this report makes clear, there are far too many children in the North who are falling behind their contemporaries in the South.
“Closing the education gap by taking a cradle to adulthood approach, with a particular emphasis on improving early years, secondary school education and skills, must a top priority. The Northern Powerhouse agenda is a once in a lifetime opportunity for regenerating Northern regions and to succeed it must put children at its heart. If it does not it will have failed.”
