Pupil premium in wales

[Sunshine69]

really confused, ashamed that I feel we have let our little one down! We were totally unaware of Pupil Premium Plus for adopted children, what do we need to do, when and how? Have we missed this for ever as we did not know about it until now? Have we failed to secure this funding forever?

As long as the school knows your child is adopted, it will/should have been included on the school census returns and the school will be getting the funding.

If you're at all unsure, talk to the school.
We had to take in the adoption order for them to copy for their records.

If for some reason it is not yet being claimed they will be able to claim it at the next census point. For all I know they may be able to backdate it.

NB this all applies to England. Don't know if Wales has any differences.

THANKYOU, really trying to find out if it applies to Wales too, initially it didn't but that changed in 2014? I think but only found out about it last night!

It can't be backdated but it can be claimed at the next census as long as the school has a copy of the adoption certificate and registers them as adopted on their system.

Give them a ring next week and check they have the box ticked for it.

Does the school know your DCs are adopted? If so it would be very remiss of them not to have got the PPP (they get £1900 per year).

Yes they are very aware as were the local authority nursery they went too. So annoyed with ourselves that we had no idea about PPP.

If school has been receiving it can we ask how they have used the money? Our little one has meducal issue that has not been fully addressed by school either

Yes, you can ask them.

However, you could ask the other way round which may be more tactful, as in can DC's PPP money be used to help fund xxx that he/she needs?

I've definitely found that if you don't ask then you don't get!

However as you've only just found out about it, no harm in going in and saying I've just found out about PPP, can I just check, are you receiving it for DCs, and if so I was wondering what you've been using the money for.

You are a star!!!!! THANKYOU x why o why didn't LA tell us about this I feel like we have to rely on osmosis!

Every school has to publish on their website what they use their PP funding for. They do not have to tell you on an individual basis as the money is not ring fenced for children in that way.

Snowberry, that is true of the generic Ever6 PP funding, but the PP for LAC and former LAC (until recently known as the Pupil Premium Plus) should be spent on things above and beyond the school's universal offer which will raise the academic attainment of that particular child.

Other children may benefit from the PP spend; for example, social skills groups or counselling services which the school buys in; but the PP that LAC and former LAC attract should not be used to fund interventions the school are already running, such as literacy withdrawal groups or SATs booster classes. The generic/Ever6 PP however, can be.

Ofsted (and for LAC, the Virtual Head) will want to see evidence of how the PP money for LAC and former LAC is being spent to raise the attainment of the child who attracts it.

Systems are all Sadly only applicable on application and assessment's (if you don't know you do not get) this should be changed , should apply automatic on leaving care going direct too LA who would control and use money in conjunction with Extended PEP's , and support along side Adoption support fund would last until age 25 as apposed too the 3 year's after adoption support as it is at the moment, and cash can be used for the children leaving care as apposed too WHOLE school support. using After Adoption in conjunction with virtual head's and electronic PEP's.
Cash is there just needs too be used more efficiently.
£19m Adoption support fund. £200m Pupil premium plus (Both only on application)

Adoption support fund? Why o why do we not get info?

Agree, fasparent- I suspect that the remit of the virtual head is about to expand to include adopted children. Whilst I think this will present some logistical challenges for virtual schools, I agree that the system needs to be run more efficiently.

Having said that, I do anticipate some difficulty in giving powers to the VH when they do not hold the corporate parent role- the adoptive parents should have the final say. Whilst I suspect that in 90% of cases, the VH and adoptive parent(s) will agree on the best actions for the child (PP spend etc.), there will be times when they do not, and the VH's role is limited. I will be interested to see how this looks in practice, and how involved virtual schools will be in PEPs and PP spend for adopted children.

I also cannot see how the LA/VH can become involved in the education of a child whose parents have elected to keep the adoption private; so I imagine that there would still need to be some sort of self-referral/opt in process to access post adoption education support.

Some Adoptive Parent's are engaging with LA's in this type of engagement
VH are working in extending in engaging school's , teachers having too do
two inset training days, in trauma , attachment's, etc., Pep's being continued. helping support too be put in place as it is needed.
Department of education is involved and children's minister Edward Timpson are watching this innovation.
Google Gareth Marr Adoption train. or Adoption Social you can get involved strength in numbers.

The training programme delivered by Virtual schools for schools and designated teachers for LAC has really improved in the last few years, IMO; I also think there is a raised level of awareness amongst school staff of attachment issues and the effects of trauma on children. However, there is still a very, very long way to go!

Interesting that some models of post adoption education support are being trialled ATM; I know Windsor and Maidenhead have extended their support... Do you know of any others? I wonder how those VHs with small teams and a large number of LAC will offer extended support? Particularly when so many virtual schools are at risk from cuts.

I suspect that there will soon be an overhaul of the way the PP is distributed to LAC, so I wonder if this will include any changes for adopted children?

All very interesting.

We have two children with PP+ one has significant needs, the other non
but is used for whole school. Quite happy with this but would prefer if was used for other Adopted children who have a greater need of support and educational needs, but she would still have a Pep's in place too help identify any unforeseen needs. If the cash was in the same pot could be best used where needed.

The school should absolutely not be using your DD's PP for the whole school, fasparent. I know you say you're happy with this, but if you wanted to, you could challenge them. Ofsted certainly won't be happy.

Some schools seem to struggle with how to spend PP if the child has no obvious additional needs. They should think not about how to use the money to meet a child's needs, but how to use the money to ensure that the child is reaching their potential.

Apologies, I'm not an adopter, and you clearly know all of this- but I am concerned by schools who think that they can absorb the LAC and former LAC PP into the generic PP budget. They should not be dog this.

*doing this

Having said that, if they chose to pool the LAC And former LAC PP money, this would be a perfectly valid way of using the funds, as long as they could demonstrate how the intervention(s) had impacted on the attainment of all LAC and former LAC in the school. They may for example choose to buy in whole school trauma/attachment training or pay to employ a key member of staff.

Know this is in HAND tethersend is total out of order as is also a SEN school who have additional budgets allocated.
It was great too see the BBC highlighting the inadequate amount for Adoption Support fund. £19m . Thanks too supportive Adoptive parents from this Webb and other's speaking out .