Special funding for pupils in care set to double

Youngsters in care will attract £1,900 extra funding each for their school from next April under the “pupil premium plus” scheme.

This is an increase from the £900 per pupil currently allocated to them and children from low-income families through the pupil premium.

The Department for Education (DfE) says children will also qualify from their first day in care, making an extra 10,000 pupils eligible to receive the money and bringing the total above 50,000.

Currently youngsters need to have been looked after for six months or more before they qualify for pupil premium.

Children adopted from care and those who leave care under a special guardianship order or residence order will also receive education support cash for the first time via pupil premium plus, according to the DfE.

The department added that funding for the scheme was £40m in 2013/14 and will be £100m in 2014/15.

Children’s Minister Edward Timpson said: “Children in care face unique challenges at school and often struggle to keep up with their peers at both primary and secondary level. It’s vital that these vulnerable children are given the targeted support they need and the education they deserve to help them get on in life.”

A report for DfE, which examined outcomes for children looked after by local authorities continuously for at least 12 months, provisionally found 14.6 per cent of pupils in care achieved at least five A*s to Cs at GCSE including English and maths. This was compared to 58.1 per cent for “non-looked after” children.

The National Children’s Bureau welcomed the move, saying it has the potential to “really improve” the education of children who are in care.

Enver Solomon, director of evidence and impact at the Bureau, said: “The additional funding announced by the Department of Education represents a welcome commitment that the Government wants to make a real difference and help children in the care system achieve better outcomes.

“We know that children in care face multiple challenges at school and often struggle to do as well as their peers.

“Increasing the financial support through the pupil premium has the potential to really improve their education, and ultimately transform their life chances.

“However, it will need to be closely monitored to ensure that the money reaches the children it is intended for and that schools do not use it for other means.”

The original pupil premium is paid to schools for each child who is entitled to receive a free school meal.