Pupil Premium Plus

PP+

Examples of interventions that have been actioned through Pupil Premium Plus expenditure can be downloaded here: Intervention List EEF Toolkit - Primary and Secondary.pdf

You can also view the full teaching and learning toolkit from the Education Endowment Foundation here: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/teaching-learning-toolkit

Below are Q&A's around Pupil Premium Plus:

What is Pupil Premium Plus?

Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) for children in care is a government grant funded on a yearly basis to help raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and closing the gap with their peers.  PP+ is managed by the Virtual School Head who allocates the funding to schools to support individual education needs of children and young people in care as described in their Personal Education Plan (PEP).

How will Pupil Premium Plus be implemented in Halton?

Halton is operating an INDIVIDUAL CHILD NEEDS led model.  This means that:

  • The amount of PP+ that may be allocated will be dependent on the identified academic and educational needs of each child.

  • There may be a significant difference in PP+ allocated in each case.

  • Any PP+ funding allocated must be used for the specified child in care.

Who makes the decision about what the Pupil Premium Plus will be used for?

PP+ should be discussed at every PEP meeting so everyone involved in the PEP process should feel able to contribute.  However, it is ultimately for schools, via the Designated Teacher, to identify the specific interventions/support that the child requires to improve their educational outcomes.

Is the Pupil Premium Plus a one off payment?

Simple answer NO.

A request for Pupil Premium Plus funding can be made at every termly PEP as long as there is clear evidence as to why the funding is required and it is clearly linked to specific targets on the PEP.

What can the Pupil Premium Plus be used for?

PP+ can be used for any intervention that will have a positive impact on the educational outcomes of the child in care and close the attainment gap.  As each child will have their own specific individual needs, it is difficult to develop a definitive list of interventions.  However, the school should know what strategies, interventions and support would best suit the learning needs of the child.

Are there any things that Pupil Premium Plus cannot be used for?

Pupil Premium Plus will not be used to double fund or replace funding that should already have been allocated to the school and used by the school to support the child. 

For example (not an exhaustive list):

  • Support that should be identified through application of the Graduated Response to meet additional needs.

  • Interventions that the school provides to other learners but that have no link to the child in care's needs.

  • Services that should be provided via a statement of special educational needs or an Education Health Care Plan.

  • Other statutory work such as an assessment of educational needs or support from Health services.

  • Interventions for which the school's own funding already covers the cost.

  • Interventions that, as for any other child, the school would put in place if the need was identified.

  • Interventions where there is no cost for the school to deliver.

  • School trips, activities or enrichment lessons (e.g. music, drama classes) that do not support a specific target or have a measurable outcome.

  • Equipment and IT equipment unless it has been identified to support a specific target and has a measurable outcome.  Any appropriate request for laptop and iPads will be referred directly to the Virtual School to purchase.

  • Sports kits or uniforms.

In addition to this PP+ will not be allocated if:

  • The request for funding does not meet the core learning needs identified in the PEP;

  • The PEP does not meet the statutory requirements of being high quality, having effective SMART targets, robustly  tracked progress and evidence of identified and measured impact.

What about funding non-academic or pastoral interventions?

Funding will be provided for non-academic or pastoral interventions as long as they are in conjuction with academic interventions.  Enrichment activities and IT equipment WILL NOT be funded through PP+ where there is no link to a specific target with a measurable outcome.  However, if a specific piece of software is required to support the learning of the child in care then the Designated Teacher can have a discussion with the Virtual School Head about IT equipment.

How is the request for Pupil Premium Plus made and to whom?

A request for Pupil Premium Plus funding comes through a completed, high quality and effective PEP

The Designated Teacher must provide details of:

  • The specific targets that the Pupil Premium Plus funding is being used to support;

  • The intervention that will be put in place with the expected outcomes; and

  • The cost of the intervention being requested (with details of the hourly rate if applicable).

The impact of the Pupil Premium Plus intervention should then be reviewed the following term prior to a further request being made.

The Virtual School Head will review on a monthly basis all requests for Pupil Premium Plus and will make a decision regarding the allocation of funding.

Where there is a request that does not fulfil the criteria then a constructive dialogue will be held with the Designated Teacher to ensure that a mutually agreed request can be submitted.

Should a school wait for Pupil Premium Plus to be paid into the budget before providing support / intervention?

The simple answer is NO.

There is a strong presumption that schools will provide any agreed intervention that would be funded through the Pupil Premium Plus without delay, including not waiting for the money to be placed within the school's budget – as this has been based on the child's identified need.

If there are extenuating circumstances that mean that this cannot be done, then the Designated Teacher should contact the Virtual School Head to discuss this.

What happens if the Pupil Premium Plus intervention has not had any impact on the educational outcomes of the child in care?

The same intervention WILL NOT be funded again if it is found to have made no impact.  However, a different intervention can be requested in the new term's PEP - as long as the intervention can be evidenced and expected outcomes measured. 

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Contact us

Halton Virtual School

Halton Borough Council,
Rutland House Floor 1,
Halton Lea, Runcorn WA7 2GW

Email us:
virtual.school@halton.gov.uk

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