Pupil Premium plus

The Pupil Premium Plus is additional funding to schools for children who were looked after. The school may be entitled to additional funding to support your child’s education if your child has been in care and this has stopped under one of the following criteria:

• Through a Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
• Through A Residence Order (RO)
• Through a Child Arrangement Order (CAO)

You may be aware that schools receive additional funding for children in receipt of Free School Meals which is called Pupil Premium Funding. These children are automatically identified to the school through the Local Authority. The government announced that they are extending this funding to provide additional income for schools to support children who have been adopted from care. This Pupil Premium Plus funding is currently £1900 per year per child.

Unfortunately, we are not advised on whether or not children have ever been in care and or adopted.  We therefore ask parents to let us know that they have adopted children from care so that the school can claim the funding available for the next financial year.

As this is a sensitive issue this notification is to allow you to make the choice whether or not you wish to disclose this information. All information received will be treated in strictest confidence.

This additional funding under the title of Post Looked After Arrangement, is only eligible for children who fit the criteria listed.  If your child fits any of the criteria listed and you are willing for this information to be included in a Department for Education (DfE) Statutory return, please contact the Headteacher giving the name and date of birth of the child concerned as soon as possible. You will then be contacted and asked to provide supporting evidence, i.e. the Adoption (Court) Order. In order to claim the funding for the next financial year the information will need to be included Census return that is sent to the DfE each JANUARY.

Pupil Premium Plus funding is not ring-fenced. It is designed to provide specific support to raise attainment and address the wider needs of children in this vulnerable group. National statistics show that children in care may face unique challenges and could struggle to keep up with their peers. It is vital that they are given the targeted support they need and the education they deserve to help them get on in life.

There is no obligation for you to share this information with us, but in doing so your child may be given additional support with their education.