A report into funding for disadvantaged pupils by the public accounts select committee says “urgent steps” must be taken to roll out pupil premium best practice nationally.
Since the policy was introduced in 2011, the Department for Education (DfE) has invested around £6bn in schools through the pupil premium.
Schools are allowed to use the money how they deem fit in order to close the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.
But chair of the committee, Labour MP Meg Hillier, said the premium is not being used as well as it could be, and more must be done if its “potential is to be fully realised”.
“Figures show there has been some narrowing of the attainment gap but results have been uneven," Hillier said.
"More joined-up thinking is required. It is clearly in children’s best interests that weaker schools learn from successes elsewhere and new measures are needed to ensure this happens.
“Urgent steps must be taken to establish benchmarks for effectiveness and ensure best practice – where evidence shows pupil premium spending and implementation is working – is followed across the sector."
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