Funding is available to support the education of pupils who were previously looked-after by a local authority or other state care and were then adopted or left care on a Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangements Order. See Pupil premium: overview (GOV.UK) for current rates for eligible pupils.
Looked-After Children were also eligible for Pupil Premium, however, in 2013, the DfE introduced Pupil Premium Plus (PPP), for Looked-After and Previously Looked-After Children. This recognises the impact of trauma and loss in children’s lives and the key role of schools in supporting children who have had a difficult start in life. This money is sent direct to the school or academy who determine how it will be used to benefit the eligible children.
Schools are given Pupil Premium funding for children who now have, or have had Free School Meals in the last six years and children of people in the armed forces. This money is given straight to schools.
The school will receive the PPP funding from central government in the same way they do for pupil premium. In order for the school to receive this money, parents must self-declare that they have a Previously Looked-After Child. The school will then record this information on the October school census and receive the funding in the following financial year. If a child is not recorded as previously looked-after for the October census, then they will not receive the funding.
It is good practice to discuss with parents how the PPP could be best used to support their child, see:
PAC-UK – adoption and special guardianship support
How much is PPP?
The amount of PPP available for Previously Looked-After Children varies each year. See the current Pupil Premium Plus funding rates
How can my child’s school claim PPP?
Schools can claim PPP for Previously Looked-After Children who left care on an Adoption Order, Child Arrangements Order, or Special Guardianship Order.
You will need to self-declare your child’s eligibility for PPP by providing the school with proof of your child’s status (this could be a copy of the relevant court order or a letter from your child’s social worker). The school will record this on the autumn census, which takes place in October.
Who decides how PPP is spent?
It’s up to the school to decide how PP and PPP for Previously Looked-After Children is spent, although the DfE has states that it is good practice to consult parents and guardians when deciding. Some schools consult with individual parents and guardians, while others invite adopters and special guardians to consultations or task groups.
Schools must act transparently and publish details of their PPP spending on their websites. We strongly recommend that schools separate their Pupil Premium and Pupil Premium Plus spending, since the needs of the two groups are different.
They must be able to give good reasons for the decisions that they make and show that the money has raised attainment through:
- The performance tables which show how well young people who qualify for pupil premium are doing compared with other young people of their age.
- The Ofsted inspection framework - school inspectors focus on how well different groups of pupils are doing and in particular those who get the pupil premium.
- The reports for parents that schools have to publish online.