premium Sum per student still to be decided

It is due to be rolled out in autumn 2011 with the exact sums involved still the subject of negotiations between the the Treasury and Department for Education.

Liberal Democrats have called for a budget of about 2.5bn annually for the scheme.

State schools currently receive 4,000 in direct funding for each pupil they take but under the new scheme this could increase to around 6,000 for each pupil they take on who is in receipt of free school meals.

All told it could involve a schools receiving as much as 50 per cent more funding when it comes to providing education of poorer pupils, with schools to be given control over how this money is spent.