Education Endowment Foundation:Schools identify low literacy skills and poor attendance as the biggest challenges to disadvantaged pupils’ attainment

Low literacy skills, poor attendance, and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) and wellbeing needs are the most frequently cited barriers to attainment for socio-economically disadvantaged pupils, according to a new analysis of schools’ Pupil Premium statements⁽¹⁾.

Initial findings from the research, conducted by Verian, have been released alongside the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)’s updated Guide to the Pupil Premium – a digital-first resource designed to help schools maximise the impact of their Pupil Premium spending.

The analysis looked at 1,255 published Pupil Premium strategy statements from schools across England. The research, which looked at what schools cited as the biggest barriers to attainment for their disadvantaged pupils, found that:

• 83% cited challenges linked to literacy attainment
• 78% highlighted attendance issues
• 74% identified SEMH and wellbeing as key barriers to learning

The Pupil Premium is a government grant provided to schools to support the education of pupils from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Around 2.2 million pupils – or just under a quarter (24%) of primary and secondary pupils – in England are currently eligible.

The aim of the funding is to raise the attainment of children and young people growing up in poverty and reduce the persistent attainment gap between this group of pupils and their peers. The latest data from the Education Policy Institute shows that this gap is already 4.7 months by the end of Reception and widens to 19.1 months by the end of secondary school⁽²⁾.

To help school leaders make the most of their Pupil Premium and tackle some of the barriers identified by schools, the EEF has today launched an enhanced version of its Guide to the Pupil Premium. First published in 2021, the guide is free to access and grounded in the best available evidence.

Notably, Verian’s analysis also found that 92% of schools referenced EEF evidence – such as this guide – in shaping their Pupil Premium approach.

The updated guide offers practical, step-by-step support for developing and implementing an effective Pupil Premium strategy. Features include:

• A fully interactive digital format, hosted on a single webpage
• A clear five-step process to build an effective strategy
• Case studies, videos, and insights from school leaders across the country
• Practical implementation tools, such as a governor discussion guide

The guide encourages schools to think about a tiered approach to spending, and recommends they focus their Pupil Premium spending in three key areas:

1. High-quality teaching. Activities that build teacher knowledge and expertise. This could include high-quality professional development or funding additional time for mentoring early career teachers.
2. Targeted academic support. Focused support to meet the individual needs of eligible pupils. This could include tutoring programmes, or structured literacy interventions. EEF’s Promising Programmes, referenced in the guide, outlines programmes that have shown promising results on pupil attainment when evaluated.
3. Wider strategies. Interventions to address non-academic barriers to learning. This could include strategies to address low attendance rates, such as providing transport to school. It could also include extra-curricular activities, like sports and arts clubs.

The guide is filled with insights directly from school leaders on their own experiences. There are also practical tools to support the implementation of a Pupil Premium strategy, as well as a discussion guide for school governors.

The EEF is encouraging schools to use the updated guide when reviewing or refining their Pupil Premium strategy before the end of the year. By grounding decisions in evidence and strategic planning, schools can ensure the funding delivers the greatest possible impact for their pupils.