The EEF Guide to the Early Years Pupil Premium
Published
What is the Early Years Pupil Premium?
The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) has one aim: to improve outcomes for children from lower-income families from 9 months upwards. As of April 2026, the Department for Education (DfE) has increased funding for the EYPP to £655 per eligible child per year, following uplifts in 2024 and 2025.
A child’s family income shouldn’t be a barrier to their achievement and wellbeing in the early years. Early years settings (including childminders, nurseries and schools) can use this increased funding to help every child to flourish.
Why it matters
The early years lay the foundations for a child’s future.
High-quality early education and care not only support academic success but also lead to better health and employment outcomes later in life.
We know that the learning gap between children from lower-income families and their peers is already 4.9 months, on average, by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The gap continues to widen throughout primary and secondary school.
The additional EYPP funding gives settings a valuable opportunity to narrow the learning gap in the early years through evidence-informed approaches including professional development programmesA programme is a package of support, including professional development, that helps early years educators to improve particular areas of practice and children’s outcomes..
Early intervention – before these gaps grow – is crucial to ensuring every child gets a fair start.
That’s a cause to unite everyone in the early years.
What is an Early Years Pupil Premium strategy?
Your EYPP strategy is about boosting the outcomes of children from lower-income families so you can narrow the learning gap. Your setting probably includes other children who are experiencing socio-economic disadvantage, beyond those who are eligible for the EYPP. Your strategy can meet their needs as well.
An EYPP strategy is not about lengthy written plans and lots of data. Instead, you can set about developing your strategy by reflecting and thinking as a team. Your focus will be improving the outcomes and life chances of children from lower-income families. Leaders and managers can bring a sense of direction to this thinking, to ensure they use EYPP funding effectively. This involves:
- Thoughtful planning to develop a shared vision;
- Taking action and developing the quality of practice;
- Encouraging and supporting teams and checking the planned changes are happening; and
- Checking the changes are having the desired impact and sustaining them long term.
With the government’s school-based nursery programme expected to increase the number of nursery-aged children in schools, many school leaders will now be applying for both EYPP and Pupil Premium. We recommend that you develop both strategies together so that you can achieve the most impact.
Read our Guide to the Pupil Premium to find out more.