Education chiefs were today unveiling a new strategy to raise educational attainment across the district.

The strategy will focus on improving standards in all key areas, with a particular focus on English and maths, by providing targeted support for struggling schools and sharing best practice.

Bradford Council’s Education Improvement Strategy, developed following consultation with headteachers, governors and education providers, will see the authority provide a “tighter focus” on key issues to help reduce the attainment gap in the district.

Councillor Ralph Berry, the Council’s executive member for children’s services, said closing the gap was one of the key issues in the strategy.

He said work would include ensuring schools can find the support they need as soon as they need it, supporting bids for additional resources and sharing staff and specialist resources to help schools in need.

Coun Berry said: “We have really got to get on with this because of our rising youth population.

“It sets out some demanding targets, but we believe they are achievable and the council is committed to working in partnership with all those providing education to our children to ensure we can deliver them.”

The strategy acknowledges school leaders are the ones best-placed to meet the challenge, while the role of the Council will be to direct resources and expertise.

Kath Tunstall, strategic director of children’s services, said: “We have a collective ambition across all schools to deliver better outcomes for our children and young people.

“This strategy identifies priorities and targets that will help us achieve that and puts in place governance arrangements to both support and challenge the delivery of education across the district.

“Above all, our intention is to put children and young people at the heart of what we do so that the decisions we make and the direction we take provide them with the best education possible.”