The causes of regional and local inequities are complex, and reach across communities and systems, touching everything from transport to health provision, from employment opportunities to access to the arts.

But if we are genuinely serious about levelling up, education must be at the heart of the agenda. It is through the education system that we support our children and young people from the very earliest stages of their lives for the futures they will ultimately create.

It is to be welcomed, then, that the importance of educational outcomes is recognised in the latest proposals. The significance of strong local leadership, of building pride of place in communities, and of drawing together regional assets and expectations is also rightfully highlighted.

However, it is essential that children can access a rounded, rich and supportive education, one that recognises the diversity of their needs, experiences and contexts, and responds to local knowledge and networks. It is also essential that schools and teachers are given the support they need to provide for the most disadvantaged children and families, drawing on the rich insights they hold about the communities they serve. The proposals do not go nearly far enough in achieving this.

The proposal for development of Education Investment Areas aims to tackle literacy and numeracy outcomes in places where schools are seen to be poorly performing. Though we know that good outcomes in literacy and numeracy are critically important, the reality of what children and families require if they are to thrive extends far, far beyond this.

Children and families need support to flourish, from the very earliest years of their lives, and schools are often unfairly judged to be poorly performing, when we know they are, in fact, meeting expectations against a backdrop of persistent, regional, long-term deprivation. A focus on narrow outcomes and measures, and the application of top-down solutions to complex problems will not address these root causes.

A positive experience in the first years of a child’s life forms the foundations for future success, health and happiness. The importance of early years support for children and parents cannot be overstated – it is here that we provide the building blocks, so we must invest in meaningful support and development in this phase.

SHINE is a charity, based in Leeds, that knows about pride of place, that understands the rich and valuable assets to be found within schools and local communities, and we believe passionately that they need to be harnessed. We support work that brings together schools and community assets, based on locally led insights, so that children and future generations can thrive.

The proposals talk also about the need to recruit and train the best teachers to work in areas of disadvantage. We know from our experience that the commitment, passion and innovation of teachers is key to driving change for children and families. Incentives are welcome, but it should also be recognised that many teachers have a deep connection to the schools and geographies where they work, and to the children and families they serve.

Co-ordinated local service provision and decision making should involve schools and teachers as an integral part of the community.

Above all else, it must be recognised that substantial, well-targeted funding is key. SHINE has long called for a re-evaluation of the pupil premium – the money paid to schools for students who are identified to be disadvantaged – to account for the impacts of long-term disadvantage.

Schools serving communities with entrenched generational deprivation need extra funding to address these challenges, and they must be allowed to direct this support in the ways they understand best, in collaboration with the families they work with.

If levelling up is to be the once-in-a-generation meaningful change we need, then we must learn from past interventions, direct substantial new funding towards the areas that need it most, and build upon networks of local practice, leadership and community – including schools – to transform outcomes for generations to come.

Dr Helen Rafferty is Interim CEO of North of England education charity SHINE.

Good education is key to levelling up in Yorkshire - Dr Helen Rafferty