Pupil Premium

Question

The experiences and barriers that looked-after children face do not disappear when they leave care through adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order, which can mean they experience poorer outcomes than children who have never been in care. In 2019, 41% of previously looked-after pupils reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths at key stage 2, which is lower than the 65% for non-looked-after children, but higher than that for looked-after children. Figures show that 47% of previously looked after children at the end of key stage 2 have a special educational need (SEN) identified, compared to 18% of non-looked after children. Attainment rates for children with a SEN are much lower. The higher prevalence of SEN amongst previously looked after children can partly explain the gap in attainment compared to non-looked after children at key stage 2.

Pupil premium plus funding (of £2,345 per child per financial year in 2021/22), is managed by the child’s school. The ‘Using Pupil Premium’ guidance supports school leaders to use their funding effectively and explains that schools must ensure they consider the specific needs of previously looked-after children, and is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pupil-premium-effective-use-and-accountability.

Statutory guidance for designated teachers includes information on both the use and management of the funding, including how they should involve the child’s parents or guardians in decisions affecting their child’s education, and is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/designated-teacher-for-looked-after-children. Further, schools are required to publish a pupil premium strategy each December, setting out how they intend to use the funding to support eligible pupils and the outcomes that were achieved in the previous academic year. The statement is an accountability tool for the benefit of parents, governors and trustees, where schools are required to demonstrate that spending decisions have been informed by evidence, and what challenges among eligible pupils they are seeking to address.

The Personal Education Plan is part of the wider care plan for looked-after children, as such they are not a statutory requirement for previously looked-after children. The additional support for previously looked-after children relies on self-declaration by adoptive parents and guardians and, whilst we have worked with the sector to encourage parents to declare, we respect their right to choose whether or not to declare their child’s previously looked-after status. Where additional needs are identified they should be addressed through the special educational needs support in schools or, where there is a higher level of need, in education and health care planning.