The focus of Excellence in Cities is on effective teaching and learning, school leadership, attendance and behaviour, including:
* Extended opportunities for gifted and talented pupils
* Opportunities for more pupils to set their sights at higher education through Aim Higher (previously called Excellence Challenge)
* 105 city learning centres - 95 are already open - to provide state-of-the-art information and communication technology ... School Leadership Incentive Grant
* Learning mentors: 3,800 will have been appointed in secondary and primary schools, working to help pupils who experience barriers to learning, by the end of next year
* Learning support units: in around 500 secondary and 60 primary schools.
Designed to tackle disaffected or disruptive pupils
* Innovative behaviour improvement programmes
