The Welsh Liberal Democrats have welcomed the news that the Liberal Democrats’ flagship Pupil Premium policy has been judged to be closing the attainment gap between richer and poorer pupils in England.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats successfully negotiated a Welsh equivalent, the Pupil Deprivation Grant (PDG), in successive Welsh budget negotiations with the Welsh Government. As a result, this year schools have received £918 per pupil on free school meals, to help close the attainment gap and break the link between poverty and underachievement.
According to a report by Ofsted, the attainment gap between free school meal children and their peers was closing in all schools in England judged by them to be good or outstanding for overall effectiveness.
The Welsh Government has not yet confirmed whether PDG funding will continue at the higher £918 level for future years, or whether it will drop to the original £450 per pupil originally negotiated by the Welsh Lib Dems. This has created uncertainty, leaving schools unable to plan for the longer term and create lasting effective projects.
Aled Roberts AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Minister, said:
“Teachers across Wales have told me that the Pupil Deprivation Grant has made a huge difference in their schools. We’ve found many examples of this money being put to good use in Welsh schools, helping to boost the performance of some of our poorest pupils. One school even said that the attainment gap between the richest and poorest children had gone as a result of this funding.
“There is no doubt that this funding is having a positive effect on the attainment of pupils from more disadvantaged backgrounds. However, schools are in an uncertain position because this funding has not been guaranteed for future years by the Welsh Labour Government. Schools need to be able to plan for the longer term, and should not be left in limbo with regards to this crucial funding being in place for future years.
”All the research shows that intervening early is crucial in improving the future life chances of children. This is why the Welsh Lib Dems want this scheme extended to pupils under 5 years old, so they too can take advantage of this money and give these children the targeted support that they so often need.
“The Welsh Liberal Democrats fought for the Pupil Deprivation Grant because we want to eradicate the attainment gap between rich and poor pupils, giving our children the best start in life. The Welsh Government needs to give schools in Wales certainty that this level of funding will continue in the future, to ensure that our poorest children carry on receiving this vital support to get on in life.“
