Children with Free School Meals are Being Let Down in Hertfordshire schools In Spite of the Pupil Premium

A recent report to the Education and Skills Cabinet Panel on the Standards and Quality in Hertfordshire Schools shows that at Key Stages 2 and 4 children with free schools meals are achieving far lower results than their fellow pupils. The figures are damning. At key stage 2 , 24% fewer children with free school meals made the expected progress in English and Mathematics, 7% worse than the national average and significantly worse when compared with similar authorities. At Key stage 4 it's the same story. Only one third of pupils with free school meals achieved the expected progress from Key Stage 2 to 4, 11% worse than the national average. Last year Hertfordshire Schools received £16 million pounds of additional Pupil Premium funding specifically to improve the education of disadvantaged children.

"This is totally disappointing" commented County Cllr Mark Watkin, opposition spokesperson for Education and Children Services. "these children are already the most disadvantaged members of our community and they are being badly let down by schools. It is clear that in too many schools the Pupil Premium has just been absorbed into general expenditure and is not being used for the purpose that it was set up. It is crucial that the County uses its influence to change this as matter of top priority."