Government Offices have four main roles geared towards these objectives:
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Promoting and supporting Government policy on education, disseminating good practice
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Promoting and facilitating partnership based activities in support of the objectives
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Managing and administering delegated funds and DfES initiation
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Informing the development of national education policies and programmes.
Raising levels of educational attainment
Activities include disseminating good practice, challenging practitioners on their policy and practice as necessary, brokering local support for schools (e.g. education business links and support from other programmes) and securing commitment from other Government schemes such as Neighbourhood Renewal.
Widening participation in all levels of learning and education
Activities include encouraging providers to develop new ways of delivering learning for those who are in danger of dropping out of education and training, for those who have not undertaken study of any kind since leaving school, and encouraging the concept of lifelong learning for all.
Contributing to regional social inclusion
Activities include working with parents and young children to ensure that children can take full advantage of formal education, and that parents have skills to support their children in their education and for the world of work. We also work to maximise opportunities for communities to build and sustain their capacity to regenerate and prosper.
Ensuring appropriate attendance and behaviour
Activities include supporting efforts to reduce truancy and bad behaviour, brokering collaborative working relationship between all the agencies involved and disseminating effective practice.
Support Children’s Trust developments
Activities include supporting DfES officials in their reviews of progress in each Local Authority as they implement Children’s Trust working arrangements.
Improving the employability of individuals
Activities include increasing levels of education and skills attainment, including raising the levels of basic skills, ensuring new policies and programmes meet the region's needs, and relaying the views and experience of the region into the policy-making process, gathering the views and concerns of regional partners and identifying and encouraging good practice.
Improving the responsiveness of the regional education institutions
Activities include encouraging the provision of learning and training opportunities that in content, method of delivery and timing meet individuals' and employers' needs in ways that are sensitive to the economic and social needs of the region.
