The government has announced that pupil premium rates will be increasing in the school year 2020/21, for the first time in five years. The increase is in line with inflation for this year at 1.8%.

The new rates will be as follows:

Free school meals

Schools will get £1,345 for every primary aged pupil (from £1,320) and £955 for every secondary aged pupil (from £935) that claim free school meals. 

Looked-after children and previously looked-after children

Schools will get £2,345 for every pupil who has left local authority care through adoption, a special guardianship order or a child arrangements order (from £2,300). Local authorities get the same amount for each child they are looking after; they must work with the school to decide how the money is used to support the child’s Personal Education Plan. 

NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said: “While the small increase to pupil premium funding is welcome, it will not be enough to reverse the real-term cuts that we have seen to this particular funding stream over recent years. We should remember that despite the small increase this year, it still represents a real-terms cut since the last increase in 2015/16. The country can afford to do more for the most vulnerable. It is certainly not job done on school funding.  

"It is also important to point out that this ‘increase’ is actually being paid for from the £2.6billion increase the government has already announced for 2020/21, and as such, it does not represent additional money for schools or disadvantaged pupils beyond what has already been announced.”  

Read more about the pupil premium rates and eligibility.

First published 05 February 2020