Management Information Sheet
Pupil Premium Plus for Previously In Care Children 2023/24
This information sheet is for early years childcare providers, schools and families to explain about Pupil Premium Plus for previously in care children. Only schools or settings can apply with the funding going directly to the school or setting.
Following the announcement by the DfE in December 2020, the October census will now be used to calculate the Pupil Premium grant. For alternative provision and pupil referral units, the January census will still be used.
What is Pupil Premium Plus?
The Department for Education introduced the Pupil Premium Plus for previously in care children in 2013. They acknowledge the important role that schools play in supporting children who have experienced trauma, loss and a difficult start to life, which can have a lasting impact on the child throughout their education.
2023-2024 - Pupil Premium Plus is currently £2,530 per child, per year.
Who is Pupil Premium Plus for?
Pupil Premium Plus is available to claim for children from reception age to Year 11 in state funded education who have left the care of a local authority immediately prior to being adopted, through a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) or a Child Arrangement Order (CAO – formerly known as a Residence Order). From 1st April 2023, the Pupil Premium Plus grant eligibility has been extended to pupils who have been adopted from state care or equivalent from outside England and Wales.
Pupils must be attending either:
- An early years provider including nurseries, school nurseries and childminders.
- A local authority maintained or maintained special school.
- An academy or free school.
- A non-maintained special school, an independent school and other alternative provision (e.g. home education) where the place or provision is funded by the local authority.
Children who are educated at home or attend private schools are not currently eligible unless their placements are funded by the local authority.
Eligibility table
| Care Status | Eligible for Pupil Premium Plus? | Evidence that the child was formerly in care required? | Needs to self declare each year? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adopted | Yes | Yes | No - families only need to self declare again when their child starts at a new school. |
| Special Guardianship (previously in Care) |
Yes | Yes | |
| Special Guardianship (no time in care of local authority) |
No | No | No |
| Child Arrangement Order (Residence Order) |
Yes - where previously in care | Yes | No - see above |
| Adopted from outside England and Wales | Yes | No | No |
| Reunified with family | No | No | No |
How do you apply for the Pupil Premium Plus from Reception to Year 11?
Parents/Guardians must declare their child's adoptive, Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangement Order status directly to the school. The school or the setting will then record this on the October census return which will trigger the payment the following financial year.
Evidence must be provided to prove a child's previously in care status in case the school is audited, e.g. a copy of the adoption/special guardianship order, or a confirmation letter from the local authority which placed their child. Parents and guardians only need to declare their child's status again when the child changes school or setting.
How is payment made to schools?
Schools will receive £2,530 for each previously in care child recorded on the October census and this will be paid the following financial year. For example, for pupils recorded on the October 2023 school census, the Pupil Premium Plus funding is paid to schools from April 2024 to March 2025 (the 2024-25 financial year). Local authority-maintained schools will receive the funding from the local authority and academy schools will receive their funding straight from the ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency).
How can I share this information with families?
The Virtual School has produced a Pupil Premium Plus template letter that you can use to share information.
The pupil premium and other funding - Schools (norfolk.gov.uk)
What is the money for and who decides how it is spent?
It is up to each individual school how to spend the money. It is not ring-fenced for each child but can be used collectively to benefit previously in care children. Your school will have a designated teacher/person for previously in care children who will actively be involved in decisions for how Pupil Premium Plus funding is spent to support previously in care children. It is good practice to get parents'/guardians' views on their child's needs and to talk to them about how the Pupil Premium Plus funding is being used. Parents/guardians should contact the school to organise an informal discussion with the designated teacher/person. Within the Using Pupil Premium: Guidance for school leaders it states:
Previously looked-after children
Pupil premium funding based on the eligibility of previously looked-after children is part of your school's pupil premium allocation. The designated teacher has a key role in ensuring that the specific needs of previously looked-after children are reflected in how you use your pupil premium. Your designated teacher should:
- ensure adoptive parents and guardians are aware that they can declare their child eligible for pupil premium and work with them in deciding how the funding should be used
- consult the Virtual School Head on how to use the funding effectively, where appropriate
- be the main contact for queries about how pupil premium is being used to support previously looked-after children
Source: Using pupil premium: guidance for school leaders - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Early Years Pupil Premium
Early Years Pupil Premium was introduced in 2015 for early years settings. The funding is currently £343 per annum.
How do you apply for the Early Years Pupil Premium?
In Norfolk, initially providers will use the parent/carer claim form to collect the information needed to perform an eligibility check. This information is then transferred to the online system known as the Provider Portal via the funding module. The Norfolk Guidance on Early Years Pupil Premium can be found here: Early years pupil premium (EYPP) - Schools (norfolk.gov.uk)
The role of the Virtual School
Pupil Premium Plus is paid directly to the school and is not managed by the Virtual School. The Virtual School does have a responsibility for previously in care children to promote their educational achievement through the provision of information and advice to their parents, guardians, educators and others considered necessary. Please contact virtual.schoolspic@norfolk.gov.uk with any queries you may have.
Conditions of the grant can be found here: Pupil premium: allocations and conditions of grant 2022 to 2023- GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)