A FIVE-YEAR plan to boost education standards in Bradford has been mostly scrapped due to budget pressures.

In January 2022, Councillors were told details of the Raising Attainment Strategy – a plan by Bradford Council to boost learning across all ages of the school system.

It would bring investment in helping preschool children prepare for reception, see work with primary schools to boost phonics; literacy and numeracy, a project to boost maths and English in secondary schools and a programme to tackle persistent absence.

But just a year later the same Councillors were told that much of this programme had been scrapped, with other parts unlikely to last beyond the Summer.

A report to Bradford Council’s Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee last week said: “The Raising Attainment Strategy was intended to be a five year plan.

“However, budget constraints have meant that much of the work has already ceased and most will end in July 2023.”

The committee heard that £687,000 had been removed from the Early Years Language for Learning programme as part of this year’s budget setting.

The primary school work had spent £260,000 on maths and £116,480 on English work – but the scheme would end this Summer.

£500,000 had been removed from the secondary school scheme due to budget cuts.

£500,000 had been committed to the scheme to tackle persistent absences, but this will only last until July.

Chair of the Committee Councillor Geoff Winnard (Cons, Bingley) said the scrapping of the projects was “disappointing” adding: “When you last came with this report we were quite positive, we felt it might have potential.

“Now you’re telling us most of the strategy is being stopped because of budgetary constraints.

“How was it decided which elements would be abandoned?”

Mariam Haque, Director of Children’s Services said some projects that had not yet begun never started, which was easier than cutting existing schemes.

Cllr Winnard asked if the decision of what to cut was made by officers or was a political decision.

She said: “When you are in a situation of budget constraints, officers are asked to put measures forward that can cut costs. You look at several areas and the risks if you withdraw one scheme or another, then a determination is made as to which risks are the least risky.”

Councillor Ralph Berry (Lab, Wibsey) said Ms Haque’s comments were “refreshingly honest” adding: “A lot of these had to be stopped because of the scale and impact of cuts to Councils.”

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) said: “Last year you were here telling us about all the amazing things you were going to do, but the Council had already agreed its budget setting at that point. I find it bizarre that report came to us.”