Following on from last month’s Draft Budget, Education
Secretary has announced that
funding for Pupil Development Grant (PDG) – Access will be
doubled from £1.7m in 2018-19 to £3.5 million in 2019-20.
The PDG-Access fund offers parents up to £125 and also
covers equipment for activities within the curriculum, such
as design and technology.
Parents can also access funding for equipment for out of
school hours trips, including outdoor learning.
Looked-after children and learners eligible for free school
meals can receive funding if they are entering reception
class in primary school, year 7 in secondary school or aged
4 or 11 in special schools, special needs resource bases or
pupil referral units.
The £3.5m boost for PDG-Access brings overall funding for
the Pupil Development Grant to £97m in 2019-20.
Described as “invaluable” by schools, the PDG gives greater
support to learners eligible for free school meals (eFSM)
and Looked After Children (LAC). It is intended to overcome
additional barriers that prevent learners from
disadvantaged backgrounds achieving their full potential.
said:
“Breaking the cycle of disadvantage and poverty is
critical to the long term well-being and success of our
children and central to our National Mission for
Education.
“Figures released this week show that at Key Stage 2 and
3 the attainment gap between pupils from disadvantaged
backgrounds and their peers is the narrowest we have seen
in 10 years.
“This should be welcomed but we now have to make sure
that we keep finding new ways of overcoming barriers to
learning.
“That’s why we have doubled financial support to learners
in the Foundation Phase and extended the PDG to cover
early years learners, those in pupil referral units and
learners who are educated other than at school.
“With the additional money we’re investing in PDG-Access,
even more pupils will be able to access opportunities,
either in or outside of school. I encourage parents to
take full advantage of this and to keep applying to their
local council for funding.”
Finding new ways of helping parents with the cost of school
uniforms will be one of the issues addressed by a
consultation to be published later this month.
