Education in England isn’t devolved to regional government. Not yet. But since Andy Burnham became prime minister in July, the government’s rewiring the state agenda has set out plans to shift power, funding and accountability from Whitehall to local and regional leaders. Mayoral strategic authorities (MSAs) can also now request powers over post-16 training. Given Burnham’s record as mayor, where he introduced a locally branded Greater Manchester Baccalaureate to steer young people into growth sectors, and the current direction of travel, we are witnessing a huge shift in where decisions are made. While this may prompt those working in schools or local government to ask what comes next and what this means for education more broadly, the focus shouldn’t solely be on who holds the powers. Instead, we should be looking at how the system works as a whole, and, given the growing role of MSAs, how it could work better for the young people who rely on it most. Children from low-income households start school 4.9 months behind their peers. By the end of secondary school, the gap widens to 19 months in most areas, its joint-highest level since 2013. That is not for lack of effort. Teachers, schools and organisations across the country all do extraordinary work to tackle disparity. But isolated effort cannot overcome barriers reinforced across the whole system. Opportunities Of course a young person’s opportunities are shaped by their school. But they are also shaped by their family and neighbourhood, early years’ provision, health, housing, transport, access to enrichment, further and higher education, skills’ provision and the jobs available in their local economy. Many of these are increasingly influenced by strategic authorities, but their jurisdictions don’t always match those of other agencies. The complexity of young people’s lives doesn’t currently respect geographical boundaries. While devolution has the potential for powerful influence in education, it is not a substitute for national change, and some things need national coordination. Nobody wants a fragmented system of qualifications that lack transferability. Not all areas are governed by an MSA and accelerated devolution in some places must not worsen inequalities between places, particularly when the attainment gap at the end of secondary school is 10.8 months in London and more than 19 months in other regions. So if devolution alone isn’t a panacea, where do we start? We need to assess how the system is resourced and how it’s connected. Closing the gaps demands shared accountability across every point where a young person interacts with the state. MSAs play a big part, with the potential to design policy with and for local people, drawing on communities’ strengths and meeting their specific needs. That’s why the Fair Education Alliance – a coalition of 300 organisations aiming to address educational inequity – is working in partnership with MSAs. Support across regions We combine our cross-sector membership with MSAs’ local insight and convening power to join up support systems in regions around the country. For example, in South Yorkshire, where Sheffield’s NEET rate sits in the top quintile nationally, we’re developing early, wraparound careers support for young people at higher risk of becoming NEET. In Liverpool City Region, where in many areas fewer than half of reception pupils from low-income backgrounds reach a good level of development, we’re co-designing locally rooted approaches to change that. And in the West Midlands, which has the highest rate of youth unemployment in the country, we’re helping young people who are NEET reconnect with education, employment and training. Partnerships take time to bear fruit, which is why we must invest in collaboration across all regions now. Regardless of who holds formal power, addressing the glaring disparities in our education system demands that we work more closely together: across organisations, outside silos. It also means being bold, embracing risk and recognising the shared power that we currently hold. Empowered MSAs could help, convening, connecting and co-designing with the people closest to the issues. But collaboration doesn’t happen by accident. If we’re to transform outcomes for our children and young people, we must advocate together for investment in the relationships and infrastructure – including responsible data sharing – that make joined-up working possible. Otherwise, more of the same produces more of the same. So whoever holds the levers, it is time to work differently, and to work together.