NEWS: Government unclear on school funding use

As reported by CYP Now, NAO report reveals the DfE lacks insight into how funding for disadvantaged children’s education is spent and its impact

It estimates that the DfE spent £9.2bn last year to improve the attainment of disadvantaged children, but it does not know the full impact of almost half of its investment.

The department “recognises that it has limited evidence behind the disadvantage and deprivation elements of the national funding formula, which comprises almost half of its spend on supporting disadvantaged children’s attainment”, according to the report.

It highlights that 60% of disadvantaged children achieved the expected reading level at the end of primary school in 2022/23, compared with 78% for those not known to be disadvantaged.

Meanwhile, 25% of disadvantaged pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs in 2022/23, compared with 52% for those not known to be disadvantaged.

The DfE “has no evaluation strategy to address gaps in its understanding” of how to narrow the attainment gap, the NAO says, however authors minsters’ highlight plans for greater evaluation to be implemented.

While the research was carried out under the previous government, the DfE has recently announced that new early years minister Stephen Morgan’s portfolio will include responsibility for “use of research, science and evidence within the department”.

Researchers criticise a decision by DfE to remove funding from its National Tutoring Programme, which launched following the pandemic to reverse lost learning caused by national lockdowns.

From September, schools will be asked to fund tutoring support themselves despite “strong evidence behind the effectiveness of tutoring”.

The report also notes that “early years provision can support the attainment of disadvantaged children, but DfE spends comparatively less on pupil premium for early years than for schools”.

In a series of recommendations to the government, the NAO calls for the DfE to “more clearly” set out how funded interventions come together “to help disadvantaged children” and to “understand how they individually and collectively support their attainment”.

Responding to the report, a DfE spokesperson said: “We will deliver real change by integrating childcare and early years into the wider education system as a national priority, delivering free breakfast clubs in every primary school and by developing an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty.

“This government is fully focused on supporting the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children, learning from the past and drawing from the NAO’s findings and recommendations.”