Michael Gove has admitted that the Department for Education has had to make cuts in order to fund the £2.5bn pupil premium, reports have said. It isn't new money.
Some schools, Gove said, will be taking a cut in a funding redistribution to allow extra payments to schools taking additional pupils from the poorest homes. What pricked up our ears at CommCare, however, was his statement that some of the PP funding would come from within the DfE budget. As schools budgets are safeguarded, that means the cash must be flowing out of children's and family services, which is getting hit by a 12% cut.
At first glance, this seems unfair. Having said that, the pupil premium could potentially help those children and young people who often need support from social services.
Whether schools will step up to fill this supportive role, however, remains to be seen. Simply being in proximity of more well-off children won't be an automatic problem-solver.
Photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography
Some schools, Gove said, will be taking a cut in a funding redistribution to allow extra payments to schools taking additional pupils from the poorest homes. What pricked up our ears at CommCare, however, was his statement that some of the PP funding would come from within the DfE budget. As schools budgets are safeguarded, that means the cash must be flowing out of children's and family services, which is getting hit by a 12% cut.
At first glance, this seems unfair. Having said that, the pupil premium could potentially help those children and young people who often need support from social services.
Whether schools will step up to fill this supportive role, however, remains to be seen. Simply being in proximity of more well-off children won't be an automatic problem-solver.
Photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography
