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<p>The pupil premium is additional funding, worth over £2.4 billion in the current
financial year, to help schools improve the progress and attainment of disadvantaged
pupils. Allocations to schools are based on the number of pupils on roll at the time
of the January school census who are currently registered for benefits-based free
school meals (FSM) or who have been registered at any point in the last 6 years (known
as ‘Ever 6 FSM’); or who are currently looked after, or have left local authority
care in England or Wales through adoption or other specified routes. In 2019-20, 27.3%
of all pupils in state-funded education in England attract pupil premium funding to
the schools they attend.</p><p>The department knows that a significant proportion
of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller of Irish Heritage (GRT) pupils qualify for the pupil
premium. In 2017-18, 41.1% of GRT pupils at the end of key stage 2 and 33.7% at the
end of key stage 4 were registered for FSM.</p><p>Nonetheless, the department is aware
that there are concerns that some GRT pupils from financially disadvantaged family
circumstances do not attract pupil premium funding to the schools they attend, because
their parents choose not to apply for those benefits that would qualify their children
for FSM. We encourage those parents who are eligible for qualifying benefits to take
up the offer of support, so that all available resources can be brought to bear in
improving the futures of all our young people.</p><p>It should also be noted that
the pupil premium is not ring-fenced funding and schools have flexibility over how
they use their allocations to address the needs of their pupils. This can include
the implementation of whole school approaches that will improve the progress and attainment
of all pupils, as well as being particularly beneficial for those pupils who are formally
classed as disadvantaged and attract pupil premium funding. We actively encourage
schools to adopt evidence-based approaches to their pupil premium spending, and to
look at the pupil premium guide recently produced by the Education Endowment Foundation
on how to maximise the impact of the funding. This information can be found at the
following link: <a href="https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/pupil-premium-guide/"
target="_blank">https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/pupil-premium-guide/</a>.</p><p>
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