Publicly-funded schools in England get extra funding from the government to help them improve the attainment of their disadvantaged pupils.
Evidence shows that children from disadvantaged backgrounds:
- Generally face extra challenges in reaching their potential at school
- Often do not perform as well as their peers
The pupil premium grant is designed to allow schools to help disadvantaged pupils by improving their progress and the exam results they achieve.
Primary PE and Sport Premium is an initiative that aims to help increase and improve the PE and sporting opportunities for children. It was first provided in the 2013/14 academic year and the current government has pledged to continue this funding until 2020.
PE and Sport Premium funding is provided jointly by the Department for Education and Education and Skills Funding Agency. It has been allocated to primary school headteachers and is ring-fenced, meaning that it can only be spent on the provision of PE and sport in schools.
The Government believes that headteachers and school leaders should decide how to use the funding for PE and Sports in school. They are held accountable for the decisions they make through:
- The performance outcomes of all pupils compared with their peers;
- The Ofsted inspection framework, under which inspectors focus on the attainment of pupil groups, in particular in those areas where specific funding has been provided;
- The reports that schools are required to publish online for Parents.
COVID 19 Catch Up Premium
The COVID-19 catch-up funding must be used to close any attainment gaps caused by school closures and restrictions due to the pandemic.