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Previous Process Evaluations

Previous Evaluations of Opportunity Areas Programme

There have been several evaluations of the Opportunity Areas programme to date, since its launch in 2017. These include a national evaluation commissioned by the Department for Education and lead by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), and locally led evaluations conducted within each Opportunity Area. Together, they offer valuable insights into how the programme was delivered, what worked well, and what lessons can inform future place-based approaches.

National Evaluation (Led by DfE & NatCen)

The DfE’s 2022 process evaluation, conducted by NatCen, provides valuable insights into the first four years of the Opportunity Areas across all 12 areas.

How did they do it?

Conducted between 2020 and 2021, this study involved three waves of qualitative fieldwork, including interviews and case studies across all Opportunity Areas. The evaluation focussed on delivery during the first four years, examining what worked well, and what challenges emerged, how the programme adapted to Covid-19, and how partnerships between ‘twinned’ areas functioned.

  • Wave 1 focussed on interviews with strategic stakeholders (Heads of Delivery), local programme managers, project leads, and beneficiaries, exploring programme delivery from Y1-3, local challenges, and Covid-19 impacts.
  • Wave 2 involved interviews and focus groups with local authority education leads, senior education and community leads, and beneficiaries, examining Y1-4 delivery, the place-based approach and sustainability.
  • Wave 3 concentrated on strategic stakeholders including partnership board chairs and twinning leads, discussing programme impacts, twinning arrangements and legacy.

Recruitment was facilitated by Heads of Delivery, who supported access to strategic and local stakeholders, project leads, and beneficiaries. Despite challenges posed by Covid-19 lockdowns and school closures, the evaluation conducted 162 interviews and 27 focus groups, gathering diverse perspectives from professionals, young people, and parents across the Opportunity Areas.

What did they find?

  • Strengths: The evaluation highlighted strong partnership boards that fostered collective decision-making and cross-sector collaboration. The place-based approach was praised for engaging local stakeholders and enabling tailored programmes. Increased collaboration across education settings and sectors was facilitated well by trusted OA delivery teams.
  • Challenges: Geographic barriers in rural and coastal areas, including transport and digital divides, limited engagement. Complex education landscapes made cultural shifts harder, while staff turnover restricted participation. Covid-19 forced rapid adaptation, with online delivery helping overcome some barriers, but limiting relationship-building.
  • Outcomes and Sustainability: Progress was reported in EY, primary and secondary, post-16 education, and wellbeing, though success varied across phases. Sustainability was uncertain for activities dependent on funding, with strategic stakeholders stressing the need for long-term impact measurement and addressing broader structural issues. The twinning approach was positively received for enhancing coordination and knowledge-sharing.
NatCen DfE (2022) Opportunity Areas Process Evaluation Research ReportDownload

Intervention-Level Evaluations

In addition to broader programme evaluations, the DfE conducted intervention-level evaluations focussed on five specific projects within the Opportunity Areas. These evaluations examined how each project was delivered, benefits and challenges encountered, and the perceived outcomes for participants and communities. The five projects evaluated were:

The summary report consolidates the main insights from these intervention-level evaluations.

Local Evaluations

Alongside the national work, most Opportunity Areas undertook their own evaluations to assess local impact and implementation. These evaluations commonly used interviews and focus groups to capture the experiences of young people, educators and community partners. These reports intended to highlight achievements and their enablers, perceived changes in outcomes by stakeholders, legacy and sustainability, and thinking around future projects. Some examples of evaluations include: