From April 2014, schools in England can receive the Pupil Premium Plus for children adopted from care, or who left care under a Special Guardianship Order on or after 30 December 2005. Schools can also claim the Pupil Premium for children who left care under a Residence Order on or after 14 October 1991.
The Pupil Premium Plus is to help schools raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and is available to those from Reception to Year 11. The Government has extended the coverage of the Pupil Premium in recognition of the traumatic experiences adopted children may have experienced in early life.
To enable a child’s school to claim the allowance, parents should inform the school about their child and provide supporting evidence, for example, show the school a photocopy of the Adoption Order (with sensitive information concealed). Parents must self-declare before 16 January 2014 which is the date schools complete the annual School Census. This will then trigger the payment of the Pupil Premium to the school from April 2014.
For more information and an FAQ on the Pupil Premium Plus, please visit First4Adoption’s website or speak to one of their advisers direct on 0300 222 0022.
First4Adoption is the national gateway information service for adoption, and is run by Coram, Coram Children’s Legal Centre and Adoption UK. First4Adoption is funded and supported by the Department for Education.