Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) for Children in care
Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) is provided by the Department for Education to improve the educational outcomes of children in care. The Conditions of Grant make clear that the Virtual School Head (VSH) is responsible for deciding how PP+ is allocated and
distributed, ensuring that funding is used effectively, transparently, and in the best interests of the whole cohort. Funding must be linked to raising attainment, accelerating progress, and removing barriers to learning. It cannot be used to fund services
that the local authority or school should provide as part of their core responsibilities.
Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) is additional educational funding provided to help children in care achieve their full potential. The funding is designed to remove barriers to learning, strengthen progress, and ensure that every child receives the support
they need to thrive.
How PP+ Funding Is Allocated
To balance individual support with wider strategic priorities, 50% of PP+ is allocated directly to schools. This portion must be used to meet the needs and targets identified in each child’s Personal Education Plan (PEP). Schools are expected to demonstrate
how their use of PP+ contributes to measurable improvements in educational outcomes and this must be outlined as part of the child's PErsonal Education Plan.
Examples of how schools might use their allocation include:
• Targeted academic interventions on in class support, such as tutoring, small-group teaching, or catch-up programmes
• Specialist assessments, including speech and language therapy or educational psychology
• Learning resources and structured programmes, such as literacy tools or assistive technology
• Social and emotional support, including mentoring, therapeutic input, or interventions that build confidence and engagement
Expected impact includes accelerated progress in core subjects, improved attendance, increased engagement in learning, and enhanced emotional wellbeing — all contributing to the child meeting the outcomes set out in their PEP.
The remaining 50% of PP+ is retained by the Virtual School, enabling the VSH to use funding strategically across the whole cohort. This ensures equity, responsiveness to emerging needs, and investment in high-quality provision that individual schools may not
be able to commission alone.
The Virtual School may use retained funding for in areas such as:
• Specialist or therapeutic services, such as trauma-informed support or educational psychology
• Training for schools and carers, including attachment-aware and trauma-responsive practice
• Enrichment and transition programmes, such as out of term time learning, cultural experiences, or post-16 preparation
• Targeted initiatives, for example literacy or numeracy projects, attendance support, or wellbeing programmes
• One-to-one tuition and mentoring, where personalised support is required beyond what schools can provide
Further information about Pupil Premium Plus can be found in the Pupil Premium Plus Conditions of Grant from the DfE :- Pupil Premium Grant