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Spending the pupil premium

Be clear on the purpose of the pupil premium funding, as well as how you must allocate funds and how to use the DfE's 'menu of approaches'. Find out about the extra considerations for looked-after and previously looked after children.

Updated
on 27 March 2025See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 4720
Contents
  1. Understand the purpose of the funding
  2. You must choose activities from the 'menu of approaches'
  3. Follow the 5-step approach to use funding effectively
  4. Extra considerations for the pupil premium plus and service premium
  5. MATs can pool their funding
  6. You don’t have to spend the entire amount in 1 financial year

Understand the purpose of the funding

You must use the pupil premium to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

The grant can be spent to benefit:

  • Eligible pupils registered at your school
  • Pupils who meet the funding criteria and who are registered at other state-funded schools – e.g. when hosting summer schools which welcome pupils from other schools

You can also spend it on:

  • Community services that benefit eligible pupils at your school
  • Supporting non-eligible pupils with identified needs, such as those who have or have had a social worker, or who act as a carer
  • Whole-class interventions which will also benefit non-disadvantaged pupils

This is explained in section 4 of the conditions of the grant 2025 to 2026.

You must choose activities from the 'menu of approaches'

You don't need to spend funding on