If a school's Pupil Premium children fail, then it will “more likely than not" be judged to be failing as a whole, the deputy prime minister has warned.
Nick Clegg revealed that Ofsted will be providing him with regular reports on the effect that the funding is having on the ground in schools. He said that inspectors will be “looking forensically" at how well Pupil Premium children do in schools.
In a speech last month, he said: “The message should be clear. If a school's Pupil Premium population are failing – more likely than not – the whole school will be judged to be failing. At that point, the inspections will become more frequent and Ofsted will take a much closer interest in how that school's Pupil Premium is being spent."
Mr Clegg said schools were free to decide how to spend the money, but added: “We will be watching what you achieve."
Mr Clegg announced a new cash award for schools which have done the most to boost the performance of their poorest pupils. The top 50 schools will be recognised with prizes of up to £10,000.
He also praised the 2,100 schools which applied to run Pupil Premium summer schools this year. Up to 70,000 11-year-olds are expected to attend one.
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