Pupil Premium – time for a rethink?
The education charity Teach First have produced a new report calling on government to rethink the current approach and increase and expand the pupil premium.
‘Rethinking pupil premium: A costed proposal for levelling up’ puts into context why it may be beneficial to rethink where the funding is placed and the business case for an enhanced pupil premium. Before the pandemic disadvantaged pupils, a great many of whom have SEND, were already significantly behind their peers. This cohort do not have access to the same opportunities, resources or connections as their peers. The report highlights that rather than additional funding being distributed evenly, it should be targeted at those areas serving the most disadvantaged children. This has been partially realised with the creation of the 55 ‘Education Investment Areas’. However, a more considered and targeted way to maximise impact would be to increase the pupil premium funding and to modify the eligibility criteria to reach more pupils.
The report proposes four recommendations:
- Align the early years pupil premium rate with the current primary school rate.
- Restore pupil premium rates to 2015-16 real-term levels for primary and secondary school pupils and guarantee that rates will continue to rise in line with inflation.
- Create a new pupil premium subcategory for primary and secondary schools: ‘persistently disadvantaged’ pupils who have been eligible for free school meals for 80% or more of their school life. Increase the rate of funding that they receive by at least 50%.
- Extend the pupil premium to include those aged between 16 and 19 in full-time education.
The comprehensive report includes full costings, a detailed business case and solid rationale for why specific areas have been identified for support and the impact this will have.
