Don’t miss out on the Pupil Premium!

That’s the message to parents or guardians if their adopted child was formally a ‘looked after child’ and adopted on or after 30 December 2005.

From April 2014, schools will be able to claim the Pupil Premium for children adopted from care, or who left care under a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) on or after 30 December 2005.  Schools can also claim the Pupil Premium for children who left care under a Residence Order (RO) on or after 14 October 1991.

The Pupil Premium is additional funding given to schools so that they can support their disadvantaged pupils and close the achievement gap between them and their peers. The Government has extended the coverage of the Pupil Premium in recognition of the traumatic experiences many adopted children have endured in their early lives and a realisation that their needs do not change overnight.

To ensure schools receive the Pupil Premium for adopted children, and those who are the subject of a SGO and RO, parents and guardians will need to inform the school about their child’s circumstances and provide supporting evidence, for example, the Adoption (Court) Order in time for the school to record the child’s status on the School Census (completed by schools on 16 January 2014). This forms part of the Government’s adoption reform programme.

Alison Barker, service manager for adoption at Plymouth City Council said: “ This is  fantastic news for young people who are adopted or are looked after under a Special Guardianship or Residence Order to be able to receive funding from their school to help them educationally, emotionally and socially. To ensure your child receives this support parents and carers need to inform the school before 16 January 2014.”

The Department for Education is considering a range of information that will help to inform thinking in relation to post-adoption support.  This new data item  – which is provided by you on a voluntary basis will help improve understanding in this area. Schools are aware that this is a particularly sensitive data item and will treat it confidentially and ensure that they comply with their responsibilities with respect to the Data Protection Act when processing this data.

If you would like further information, please contact Plymouth Virtual School for Children in Care on 306750 or email virtualschoolteam@plymouth.gov.uk or visit www.adoptforplymouth.co.uk for more details on the pupil premium and what it means for your child.