September 2012
Featured in this insight: Education, Regulation
Survey finds pupil premium is 'failing to raise standards' in schools: A survey of 262 schools carried out by Ofsted, the official body for inspecting schools, has revealed that just one-in-ten schools questioned felt that the cash – worth £1.25 billion nationally – was having a “significant” effect on the quality of education.
Ofsted inspectors discovered that a third of schools were using the premium to pay for educational trips and residential visits – either in full or to subsidise them for students. In addition, one-in-six schools said that they had spent the money on uniforms and equipment.
More than forty percent used money from the pupil premium to pay for additional teaching assistants, despite claims that support staff did not significantly increase school performance.
A Department for Education spokesman said: "The pupil premium has only been in place for one year, but we welcome this early report by Ofsted and their recommendation that schools need to use the premium properly."
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