Pupil Premium funding: Maximising its impact
‘Pupil Premium’ funding is a government initiative implemented in 2011 to support schools in raising the attainment of pupils who face socio-economic disadvantage.
But how does it work? This page provides an overview of Pupil Premium funding, including the current rates, payment schedule, and accountability measures. It also offers guidance on how schools can effectively use this funding to enhance the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils.
Looking for an impactful way to spend your Pupil Premium funding?
Action Tutoring’s subsidised tuition works alongside your teaching, providing expert, targeted support that helps disadvantaged pupils make lasting progress.
What is Pupil Premium Funding?
Pupil Premium is additional funding provided by the UK government to schools, aimed specifically at improving the educational outcomes of pupils who are disadvantaged due to economic or social factors. This funding is intended to help close the attainment gap between these pupils and their more affluent peers.
Pupil Premium funding rates for 2026-2027
For the 2026-2027 financial year, the UK Government has allocated increased funding per eligible pupil. The rates are as follows:
- Primary-aged pupils (Reception to Year 6): £1,550 per pupil
- Secondary-aged pupils (Year 7 to Year 11): £1,100 per pupil
- Looked-after children (LAC) and children who have ceased to be looked after, including those under special guardianship orders: £2,690 per pupil
- Service children: £360 per pupil
These rates apply to pupils who are eligible for free school meals (FSM), those who have been eligible at any point in the last six years (Ever 6 FSM), and children who are or have been in local authority care.
Pupil Premium payment schedule
Payments will be sent to local authorities and maintained schools on:
- 30th June 2026
- 30th September 2026
- 31st December 2026
- 31st March 2027
Payments will be sent to academy trusts (and free schools) on:
- 8th July 2026
- 8th October 2026
- 9th January 2027
- 10th April 2027
Schools receive the funding directly and are responsible for deciding how to allocate it to maximise the impact on pupils who need it most.
Meeting Pupil Premium accountability and reporting standards
Schools are held to strict accountability standards for how they use Pupil Premium funding. This pressure comes from two primary areas:
1. External scrutiny (Ofsted and reporting)
- Ofsted Inspections specifically consider the effectiveness and impact of a school’s use of the funding.
- Schools are legally required to publish a Pupil Premium strategy statement annually on their website. This document must clearly outline how the funding will be spent, the rationale for those decisions, and the metrics used to measure the impact. (The Department for Education provides strategy templates to guide this process.)
Read how St Ursula’s Convent School achieved a ‘Strong Standard’ for Achievement.
2. Monitoring and impact
Schools are expected to continuously monitor the progress of every pupil receiving Pupil Premium support. This isn’t a “set and forget” strategy; schools must:
- Regularly assess and adjust their strategies as necessary.
- Ensure the funding is making a tangible difference.
The ultimate objective is not just spending the money, but demonstrably closing the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers, as proven by improved educational outcomes.
How can schools spend Pupil Premium funding?
The flexibility of Pupil Premium funding allows schools to tailor their spending to the specific needs of their pupils. It’s crucial that schools make evidence-based decisions that focus on proven strategies to enhance pupil outcomes. Here are some of the most effective ways schools can spend their Pupil Premium funding
1. High-quality teaching
Funding can be used to invest in the universal quality of instruction. This includes providing professional development for teachers, ensuring they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to deliver exceptional, high-quality teaching that meets the needs of all pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged.
2. Targeted academic support (intervention)
This tier is focused on specific interventions for identified pupils, and it is where high-impact tutoring comes into play. Investing in targeted support, such as one-to-one or small group tutoring, is a highly effective way to boost the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. Tutoring provides personalised attention that helps to address specific learning gaps, reinforce core classroom learning, and rapidly build confidence.
3. Wider interventions and resources
Beyond classroom teaching and targeted academic tutoring, schools can use funding to address barriers to learning that exist outside the curriculum.
- Pastoral support and wellbeing initiatives: Addressing the social and emotional needs of disadvantaged pupils is crucial for their ability to focus and learn. Funding can be used to provide mental health support, counselling services, or extracurricular activities that promote overall wellbeing and personal development .
- Parental engagement: When parents are actively engaged in their children’s education, it has a significant impact on pupil achievement. Schools can use the funding to develop stronger communication channels with parents, offer practical workshops, and actively involve them in their child’s learning journey.
- Targeted interventions and resources: Schools may purchase additional resources, including educational technology and specific literacy and numeracy programmes, that support pupil learning outside of standard classroom delivery.
Why invest your Pupil Premium funding in Action Tutoring?
Schools are under pressure to achieve many things, but here are two we can help with: closing the attainment gap for your disadvantaged pupils and providing clear, measurable proof of impact to Ofsted. Our programme is your most effective, evidence-led solution to meet both demands.
1. A proven, targeted intervention
Action Tutoring provides high-impact, small-group maths and English support, directly addressing the requirements of the DfE’s Tier 2 (Targeted Academic Support). By investing in our services, you ensure:
- Evidence-based strategy: You are using a strategy with a strong evidence base for closing the attainment gap, making your Pupil Premium strategy robust and defensible.
- Direct gaps addressed: Our structured workbooks and trained volunteers focus on diagnosing and fixing the specific maths and literacy gaps holding back your pupils.
2. Ease of implementation and reporting
Working with Action Tutoring simplifies the process of deployment and accountability:
- Managed delivery: We recruit, train, and manage the volunteers, reducing the administrative burden on your teaching staff.
- Focus on Pupil Premium: Our service is explicitly designed to serve pupils eligible for Pupil Premium funding, ensuring your spending is precisely targeted where it matters most.
- Measurable outcomes: We provide clear data on pupil progress, giving you the necessary evidence to fulfil your annual Pupil Premium strategy statement and demonstrate tangible educational outcomes to inspectors. .
By choosing Action Tutoring, you secure a reliable, high-quality partner dedicated to raising attainment and ensuring that every disadvantaged pupil in your school has the opportunity to succeed.
