Coventry Virtual School - guidance and support

What is it?

Pupil Premium Plus is additional government funding provided to help improve the educational outcomes of children in care. The funding recognises the specific challenges faced by looked after children and aims to help close the attainment gap between them and their peers.

Where does it come from?

The Department for Education (DfE) provides PP+ funding to all local authorities. The funding is held and distributed by the Virtual School Headteacher (VSH), who is responsible for making decisions about how the funding is used to improve outcomes for looked after children in education.

Need help or have a query?

If you have a question about PP+ funding or want to discuss potential uses for a specific pupil, please contact your Virtual School link professional, or Coventry Virtual School at: virtualschool@coventry.gov.uk.

We are here to support schools to use PP+ effectively and ensure every child in care can achieve their full potential.

Allocation

How is PP+ allocated?

At Coventry Virtual School, we allocate PP+ funding to schools with eligible pupils—excluding independent schools—following the submission of a high-quality Personal Education Plan (PEP). The PEP must include:

• A clear explanation of how the PP+ will be used to support the pupil.
• SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) targets related to the pupil’s needs.
• A clear link between the pupil’s educational targets and the proposed PP+ spend.

Schools will only receive the funding once they have submitted a completed and quality-assured PEP by the termly deadline, and have clearly evidenced:

• The planned use of the PP+ funding.
• How this support is tailored to the child’s individual needs.
• A commitment to reviewing the impact of the spend at the next PEP meeting.

The Virtual School does not automatically transfer PP+ funding each term—it is allocated based on the evidence presented in the PEP and is linked to individual progress, support strategies, and impact.

Who makes the decision on PP+ spend?

While PP+ is allocated to support individual children, the decision on how it is spent rests with the Virtual School Headteacher. Coventry Virtual School works closely with schools and partners to ensure the funding is used effectively and in the best interests of each child, with clear evidence of impact via the review section of the PEP.

What can PP+ be used for?

PP+ should be used to support the educational progress and achievement of children in care. It must not be used to replace or subsidise a school’s statutory duties. This includes the school’s responsibility to implement a graduated approach to meet special educational needs (SEND) in line with the SEND Code of Practice.

It is important to note that Coventry Virtual School does not provide, deliver, or fund education. The responsibility for delivering high-quality, inclusive education lies solely with the school. PP+ funding is designed to provide additional and targeted support to enhance outcomes—not to replace what schools should already be doing as part of their universal and targeted offer.

PP+ can be used for:

• 1:1 academic tuition
• Literacy or numeracy interventions
• Social, emotional, and mental health support (e.g., ELSA, mentoring, counselling)
• Curriculum enrichment activities
• Transition support
• Resources that remove barriers to learning (e.g., equipment, technology, or access to online learning tools)
• Targeted support with attendance or behaviour
• Support for post-16 transition planning and careers education

Schools may consider pooling PP+ funding to support a group or whole cohort of children in care within their school through a specific intervention, or to provide whole school training where they have identified a need. Schools should discuss this option with their Virtual School link professional.

This list provides examples of how PP+ can be used, but it is not exhaustive. The key requirement is that funding must be used to address needs identified within the PEP.

All spend must be evidence-based, clearly linked to targets, and designed to make a measurable difference to the pupil’s progress and engagement in education.

Monitoring and impact

Each term, during the PEP review:

• The impact of the PP+ spend must be reviewed.
• The school must report on the progress made against the SMART targets.
• If the spend has not had the desired impact, adjustments should be made to ensure the child receives the right support.

The Virtual School monitors the use and impact of all PP+ funding through the PEP quality assurance process and ongoing engagement with schools.

PEP moderation ensures that PP+ is being used purposefully and impactfully. Where there are concerns about how PP+ has been used, or if a child is not making progress despite PP+ support, the Virtual School will arrange a meeting with the school (or will attend the next PEP meeting) to review the provision and agree next steps.