One in three schools ‘using pupil premium funding to plug budget gaps’

More than a third of headteachers say they are using pupil premium funding meant for disadvantaged children to plug gaps in their school budget. Among school leaders surveyed, 34 per cent said pupil premium funding, which is allocated for disadvantaged pupils, is instead being used to help schools cover costs elsewhere. This is up on less than a quarter (23 per cent) of headteachers who, in 2019, said they were using the funding elsewhere. Primary school headteachers are among school leaders most likely to use pupil premium funding to plug budget gaps. Among those surveyed, 35 per cent of primary school leaders are using this funding elsewhere, compared with 28 per cent of secondary school headteachers. Read more.