Pupil Premium

The latest news, analysis, research and advice regarding disadvantaged pupils, including information on funding, free school meals and closing the attainment gap

Friday

30th Jan 2026

White disadvantaged girls see sharpest drop at GCSE
Leaders call for the government to set out targeted action amid fears that girls are being overlooked in the drive to improve white working-class pupils’ outcomes
Bad exam results
Exclusive

Saturday

24th Jan 2026

FSM students face new barriers to university - and schools need to react
Encouraging disadvantaged students to apply to university isn’t enough – we need to prepare them for online bullying and financial challenges, writes trust executive leader Keziah Featherstone
Girls on obstacle course

Tuesday

4th Nov 2025

How we’re getting disadvantaged boys more engaged in school
A new programme targeted at boys who are eligible for free school meals has resulted in improved attendance and behaviour at 17 United Learning schools. Ellen Peirson-Hagger hears what it involves
Boys group with mentor

Friday

31st Oct 2025

Are literacy challenges putting students off history?
The history curriculum is not equally accessible to all students, says Evelyn Waite – and that matters now more than ever
History book

Friday

17th Oct 2025

Most pupils in poverty missing out on free school meals
Free school meals eligibility is ‘no longer fit for purpose’ as a measure of pupil deprivation, EPI report warns
Majority of children in poverty miss out on free school meals

Thursday

9th Oct 2025

Inclusion ‘by design’: why it matters and how to do it
With the new Ofsted framework taking a broad view of inclusion, it’s even more important to make teaching inclusive ‘by design’ and not by accident, suggests Alex Quigley
Inclusive shapes

Friday

19th Sep 2025

7 in 10 primaries expect budget deficits as pupil numbers fall
Falling pupil rolls mean many schools are expecting to cut provision, such as reducing their curriculum offer, NFER research finds
Pennies falling from hands

Monday

9th Jun 2025

The FSM and pupil premium funding row explained
A DfE announcement on extending free school meals has sparked a political war of words. Tes digs into the numbers behind the conflict
Free school meals

Wednesday

4th Jun 2025

Free school meals expanded - but no extra pupil premium cash
DfE lifts the £7,400 income cap for accessing FSM – but this won’t result in more pupil premium cash for schools and it is unclear how many extra pupils will benefit
Free school meals expanded no extra pupil premium cash

Friday

30th May 2025

20 children’s books set in flats
In the move to diversify bookshelves, schools shouldn’t forget about representing different types of homes, writes Becka White, as she shares her list of recommendations
20 children’s books set in flats

Friday

23rd May 2025

Revealed: The ‘fundamental unfairness’ of exam marking reviews
Tes findings expose the ‘disincentives’ for deprived schools in pursuing reviews of GCSE and A-level exam marks, sparking calls for changes to the system
Exam marking unfairness bigger portion
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Thursday

22nd May 2025

Is this the way to close the early years attainment gap?
Boys eligible for free school meals aren’t reaching a good level of development as often as their peers, writes Sarah Charlton – but there are practices that can help
early years attainment gap gingerbread man