Three tips for leading an Early Years Pupil Premium strategy

The uplift to Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) funding is a great opportunity for the whole sector. It encourages us to focus our attention and resources on closing the learning gap between children experiencing socio-economic disadvantage and their peers.

While developing and sustaining an EYPP strategy is an investment of time and energy in an already stretched sector, it is time well spent. That’s because thoughtful investment of EYPP can drive lasting improvements to practice and maximise the chances that each child will benefit.

So, what do leaders need to know about planning and sustaining an EYPP strategy? Here are three tips to consider:

1. It’sa process, not a ‘one-off’ event. An EYPP strategy should be flexible and adapt to the needs of your setting and children. It is not about lengthy written plans or collecting lots of data.
2. Leadership and teamwork are key for making changes to practice that stick. Teamwork is a traditional strength of the sector - where childminders, teachers and managers work alongside their teams to develop quality practice.
3. It is worthwhile spending some EYPP tofree up time for planning and collaboration.

Our EYPP guidance includes a step-by-step approach which outlines a flexible process for developing and sustaining your strategy. The process draws on traditional strengths and features of practice in early years settings. For example, building close relationships with parents and discussing their child’s development, or conversations between leaders and educators about the quality of practice.

However, some settings may need to spend some EYPP to facilitate some of the activities described within the process – and this is a worthwhile use of the funding. What that looks like in practice will depend on the context of your setting, and amount of EYPP you receive. For example:

• Accessing support: A pre-school lead uses EYPP for staff cover so that he can take up an offer of support with planning an EYPP strategy from his local Stronger Practice Hub.

• Taking time to plan, monitor, and sustain: A nursery manager uses a small amount of EYPP on staff cover so she has regular time for professional discussions and coaching her team.

• Working with others: A group of childminders pool a small amount of their EYPP funding to cover their time working together on a joint approach to their EYPP strategies.

Visit our Guide to Early Years Pupil Premium.