Disadvantage: our position | National Governance Association

NGA recognises poverty as one of the most prominent links to educational disadvantage, and we support the DfE’s free school meal (FSM) and pupil premium initiatives as means to supporting pupils from families with less money.

However, NGA are of the view that a wider definition is needed, with the aim of highlighting pupil groups that are statistically more likely to experience educational disadvantage, beyond the pupil premium measure. These pupil groups include:

Children living in poverty - those in receipt of pupil premium and others who are not eligible
Vulnerability - a child on a child protection plan, child in need plan, an early help plan, accessing the youth offending service, a looked after child or a young carer
SEND (special educational needs and disability) – in particular SEN support
Certain ethnic minoritised groups
Those experiencing or struggling with low wellbeing, emotional and/or mental health problems

NGA acknowledge the attainment gap as an important starting point when measuring and tackling disadvantage. However, we recognise that higher rates of exclusion, challenges with mental health and poor attendance are also symptomatic of educational disadvantage.

Free school meals

It is NGA’s view that every child should have access to hot, nutritious school meals. The current measure for free school meal (FSM) excludes the 900,000 children in England, currently growing up in poverty.

NGA are calling for an expansion to FSM eligibility to include all children from families who are in receipt of Universal Credit.

Pupil premium

NGA supports the pupil premium initiative to help improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. However, we are concerned that its value in 2023-24 is over 11% lower in real terms than it was in 2014-15, despite schools facing rising costs and increasing responsibilities.

We are calling for the government to increase pupil premium to at least its previous level in real terms and consider additional funding targeted at persistently disadvantaged pupils and extended to those with child protection plans.