Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Acknowledged
Provide greater clarity on supporting schools to make effective evidence-based funding decisions.
Conclusion
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. This support includes a menu of evidence–based approaches for Pupil Premium, and guidance signposting the work of the Education Endowment Foundation. The Department recognises there are differences in how schools consider available evidence, and then the approaches they take to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children. It feels that schools make good use of this but also accepts it must develop the evidence base for interventions beyond pupil premium. With only 70% of school leaders saying they use Education Endowment Foundation evidence to 5 develop plans for spending pupil premium, there is clearly huge scope for improvement, and the Department acknowledges that this figure should be closer to 100%. recommendation The Department should provide greater clarity on how it supports schools, early years providers, local authorities and academy trusts to make effective evidence–based decisions. This should include setting out how it will capture and share good practice and monitor differences.
Government Response Summary
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.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. school and 16-19 sectors principally through its grant funding of the EEF, the designated What Works Centre for education. Following its re-endowment in 2022, the EEF’s work is funded to at least 2032. The EEF’s core purpose is to be the independent arbiter of evidence on effective practice in raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. It does this by funding rigorous trials of teaching and learning interventions; assessing the findings from these trials – including their impact on disadvantaged pupils – as well as other high-quality research studies worldwide; and distilling and communicating evidence to the sector in ways that drive the adoption of proven approaches. The department actively promotes the EEF’s evidence to frontline decision makers in various ways – notably through published guidance and wider communications on effective use of the pupil premium; and via DfE-led school and early years teaching and leadership development programmes, which are underpinned by EEF evidence on effective practice in teaching, learning and education management. The department will continue to monitor how schools use evidence of what works in developing their pupil premium strategies and is considering how to target support to improve schools’ use of the pupil premium. Recent survey data shows school leaders find implementation and evaluation to be the most challenging aspects of developing and delivering effective pupil premium strategies. The department will work with the EEF to consider how best to build schools’ capability and confidence to benefit their disadvantaged pupils. The department continues to work with EEF as evidence partner for the Stronger Practice Hubs programme to strengthen understanding of evidence informed practice and grow the evidence base of what works in Early Years settings.