Cash for best schools to take poor pupils

13 April 2012

Top state schools will get extra cash to teach more working-class children in a scheme which received enthusiastic backing today from the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

A government review is now considering a "pupil premium" to break the monopoly the middle class has on the best teaching by encouraging the most popular schools to take a larger share of their pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Many leading state comprehensives and grammars are dominated by children from affluent families who can afford to buy expensive homes nearby.

Even by the age of five a huge gap has emerged between school results for children from the poorest homes and those from wealthier families. Only 189 teenagers entitled to free school meals achieved three As at A-level last year.

Ministers are thought to be lukewarm about the idea but the Government's new social mobility champion Alan Milburn has backed the principle.

A Whitehall review of school finance is considering pupil premiums as one possible option for reform.

Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg said he wanted the funding which is allocated to one million disadvantaged children raised to the levels enjoyed by private school pupils and for class sizes to be cut from 30 to 15 for infants in primary schools. Mr Clegg said: "The enormous gap that still exists in Britain today between the performance of our most disadvantaged children and those from richer families is an outrage.

"Our pupil premium will help to get extra money to the schools with the children who really need extra support. This will fund longer school days, smaller class sizes, reading and maths recovery, and attracting the best teachers — all policies which we know can make a real difference."

In a speech for the Conservatives, shadow schools secretary Michael Gove said the current social class gap "a standing disgrace".

The Surrey Heath MP said: "While free school meal pupils make up 13 per cent of the school population they make up just over one per cent of those getting the best grades."

The Conservatives would introduce pay reforms to make teaching a more attractive career.

Mr Gove added: "Our plans would mean that schools which attract more pupils from disadvantaged homes would secure more funding. And our plans for greater school freedom mean those schools will be able to pay a premium to attract the best teachers."

Exclusion rates could be tackled by encouraging greater numbers of black men into teaching, Mayor Boris Johnsonsaid today. He said they would give "Barack Obama-style inspiration" for children with a lack of drive and ambition.

Black pupils make up about 80 per cent of the 1,420 pupils in London who are permanently excluded each year and many end up getting sucked into a life of gang culture and crime, he said.

How the scheme could work

Extra funding — perhaps £3,000 per child — would be allocated to about one million children from the most deprived families in England.

State school headteachers would compete to give places to the most disadvantaged pupils to win the extra cash.

Pupils eligible for free school meals would benefit. About 13 per cent of children fall into this category.

The money is likely to be sent directly to state schools, bypassing local councils.

The scheme would require funding cuts elsewhere. Some have suggested scrapping the ContactPoint database of every child, and reforming tax credits.

Parents could not use the funding to top up private school fees, as has been proposed under previous voucher schemes.

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