Weak leadership undermining pupil premium, warns Ofsted

The inspectorate’s The Pupil Premium: an update report looked at how 151 schools used the money, which is available for disadvantaged pupils including those eligible for free school meals and those in care, during 2013.

Schools judged to be "inadequate" overall were among those failing to use forensic targeting and tracking systems to ensure the money – worth £953 per primary school-aged child and £900 for secondary school pupils – was being used effectively.

In one inspection report, school leaders were criticised for not knowing how many pupils eligible for pupil premium money were at the “early stages of speaking English and new to the schools". This report added: “This makes it hard for leaders to plan precisely what they need to do to accelerate the progress of these pupils.”

Another problem highlighted by Ofsted was the failure of school leaders to share data about pupils’ progress with teachers.

However, schools judged to be "good" or "outstanding" in terms of overall effectiveness were succeeding in closing the attainment gap. In all 86 schools in these two categories, the attainment gap between pupils eligible for free school meals and their peers was closing – in 12 schools, there is now no difference in attainment between these two pupil groups.