Improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged children

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 31 Oct 2024 Closed: 16 May 2025 Parliament page
The attainment gap sees disadvantaged children, on average, perform less well than their peers, affecting their future life chances. Government has a strategic objective to narrow the gap. The Department for Education (DfE) defines 2.1 million, or 27%, of children in state-funded schools as disadvantaged, based on registered eligibility for … Read more
8 Recommendations
21 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Letter
1 Event
Activity timeline 5 events
16 May
2025
Report published
7 Mar
2025
Report published
4 Feb
2025
Correspondence
13 Jan
2025
Oral evidence
13 Jan
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
13 Jan 2025
View on parliament.uk
Improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged children
Juliet Chua CB · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Susan Acland-Hood · The Department for Education Tony Foot · Department for Education
Title HC No. Published Items Response
13th Report - Improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged c… HC 365 7 Mar 2025 29 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
5 Conclusion Acknowledged
13th Report - Improving educationa…
Provide greater clarity on supporting schools to make effective evidence-based funding decisions.
The Department supports schools in making effective local decisions, but there remains variability in practice, performance and how schools use evidence. The Department provides support to schools and other providers to help them effectively target their funding for disadvantaged children. … Read more
Government Response
The government outlined its existing support for evidence-based decisions through the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and its promotion of EEF evidence. It committed to continuing to monitor how schools use evidence and working with the EEF to consider how to improve schools' capability in using the pupil premium effectively.
HM Treasury
View details
20 Conclusion Acknowledged
13th Report - Improving educationa…
Department acknowledges schools may divert disadvantage funding but relies on accountability for good choices.
The Department told us that schools valued the freedom to choose how they managed their budgets but said this did not mean a lack of accountability for spending. It described understanding that schools, particularly poorer performers, may divert funding for … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation and the department is reviewing options to improve reporting arrangements for the pupil premium grant, including potential digital solutions by Academic Year 2027-28.
HM Treasury
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 29 of 8 classified
Accepted 20
Acknowledged 2
Deferred 4
Rejected 3
Total 8 recs + 21 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
4 Feb 2025 To committee Letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Education relating to the oral evidence session held on 13 January 2025 for the inquiry into Improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged children, 27 January 2025
Parliament page