A child or young person who is Previously Looked After is eligible for Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) funding of £2,630 for the academic year 2025–2026. This funding is paid directly to the educational setting the child or young person attends, not to the Virtual School.
The Department for Education (DfE) allocates this funding based on data submitted by the school in its census return. Schools may require a copy of the Adoption, Special Guardianship, Residence, or Child Arrangement Order, or a letter from the Local Authority that issued the order.
The school is responsible for managing the funding and deciding how it is spent. It should be used to improve the educational attainment and progress of Previously Looked After Children (PLAC) and to narrow the gap between them and their peers.
PP+ funding should support pupils to reach their full potential. This can be achieved in a number of ways, such as:
- Narrowing the attainment gap
- Supporting academic progress and achievement
- Addressing identified learning needs
- Providing targeted educational interventions
- Providing direct interventions to support Social, Emotional and Mental Health issues
For more information, visit the official guidance:
Additional information for schools can be found here:
Further statutory guidance is available in the Designated Teacher for Looked-After and Previously Looked-After Children (DfE, February 2018) statutory guidance (February 2018) (GOV.UK)