Television celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver’s fight to get the government to make sure new academies and free schools don’t serve junk food to their pupils has been backed by Liberal Democrat MP Julian Huppert.

Julian raised the issue with Education Minister, Michael Gove after he received a letter from Jamie and an email from a resident both expressing their concerns.

He has also signed a Commons’ Early Day Motion welcoming Jamie’s campaign and calling on Mr Gove to change the law to make academies and free schools serve food that meets nutritional regulations.

Julian said: “It is vital that our children receive good, nutritional meals, not only to promote healthy living now but also to teach them how to eat well for the future.

“We have children across the country who are obese because of poor diets and lack of exercise. We cannot afford to take any chances that this problem will be compounded by poor nutritional standards in our schools when we have introduced laws to protect against it.

“All schools teaching our children should be bound by the regulations put in place to safeguard the health of pupils in their care; there should be no exceptions.”

Mr Gove told Julian: “Free schools and new academies which have been set up from September 2010 are not required to comply with the school food standards.

“Studies by the School Food Trust now provide good evidence of the benefits of a balanced meal on pupils’ concentration, behaviour and ability to learn. Given this evidence we expect that free schools and academies will still want to promote healthy eating and good nutrition through the provision of high quality lunch services.

“We have asked the School Food Trust to survey the quality of food in a sample of academies in response to concerns raised by Jamie Oliver and we expect the trust to report to us within the next few months.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced on Monday that there will be up to £10million of additional support for Pupil Premium children who leave primary school without Level 4 literacy – the expected level.

In a keynote speech to teachers and school leaders, he said that the Education Endowment Foundation will be awarding the money to pilot projects to help disadvantaged pupils make the transition from primary to secondary school. The money will be targeted at struggling Year 7s from deprived homes.

“How can a child start secondary school unable to read with confidence?” declared Nick. “That is a basic building block of a good education and no child should begin the race so far behind the starting line. We need to do everything we can to help these children through this transition to get them up to speed.

“That is a responsibility the government takes extremely seriously. And I can confirm that the Education Endowment Foundation will shortly be inviting groups of local schools, in the areas that suffer most with this problem, to bid for extra funds for struggling Year 7s from deprived homes to help them get their reading and writing up to scratch. Extra ‘catch up cash’, if you like.

“We envisage that schools will want to use it for small catch up classes, or one-to-one tuition, or vouchers for literacy tuition that parents can spend. We will run a proper evaluation, sharing what works with all schools not just those areas taking part in these pilots. It’s likely this kind of targeted support is the best way to crack this problem – next year we’ll know.

“Of course, we hope as few pupils as possible need it, thanks to the Pupil Premium. And I know primary and secondary schools up and down the country are determined to make this work.

“Some are using the money for breakfast clubs; homework clubs; or to provide one-to-one-tuition. Some are funding counselling services, so troubled kids are in the right place, emotionally, to learn. Some are using it for educational visits to places like museums: the sort of experiences middle class children take for granted but poorer child might rarely enjoy.”

Nick also announced that he wants to “strike a deal between the Coalition government and our schools and teachers. Teachers who help these children unlock the doors that otherwise hold them back … they are the key to an open and fair society … the key to the opportunity Britain I am determined we build.”

The best teachers will be offered incentives to work in schools that have large numbers of disadvantaged pupils. The government will ask the School Teachers Review Body to look at giving other schools the same flexibility Academies currently have to use pay to hold on to the best teachers.

Also, from next year, there will be Pupil Premium Awards for the 50 schools that do the best to boost the performance of their poorest pupils and narrow the gap – with cash prizes of up to £10,000 for the best of the best.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg delivered the speech ‘Delivering Education’s Progressive Promise: Using the Pupil Premium to Change Lives’ on 14 May 2012:

Over the last two years, since the election, I have learnt many things. Nothing teaches you as much about your own priorities, your own values as governing at a time when money is tight and choices need to be made as well as governing in coalition where you have to make compromises too.

There are the things we have to do, like cutting the deficit to keep the economy safe. There are the opportunities we cannot miss, like cleaning up the relationship between politicians and the media; reforming party funding; modernising the House of Lords.

And then there are the goals that drive us; the actions we hope will define our time in office. I am in this government to play my part in rescuing and reforming the economy and creating sustainable growth for all. But we are not going to miss our chance to make Britain a better, fairer place too.

For me, nothing illustrates that better than our Pupil Premium: extra money for the most disadvantaged children in our schools. How can it be that in a modern, open society like ours a child’s destiny is still determined by their background? How can it be that, despite all the promise on a four or five year old’s first day at school, despite the passion and dedication of their teachers, too often you can plot that child’s path just by asking how much their parents earn?

If their parents are poor, by the time they start primary school they’re more likely to be behind the other children; they’re more likely to leave it unable to read and write properly; they’re much less likely to go on to get five good GSCEs; far less likely to take their A’ levels.

And, as for the top universities and the best jobs? Look in your average classroom and around one in five children are on free school meals. Look at your average Oxbridge lecture hall and that drops to 1 in 100. And we must never forget that this gap between poorer and richer children hurts everyone. Every parent knows that, when a handful of children can’t keep up, it holds back the whole class. And when they can’t fulfil their potential, it costs the whole country too. On one estimate, if these children could make the most of their abilities, if we brought the low performers just up to the average, by 2050 we could increase GDP by an estimated £140bn.

***

The odds can be beaten. It’s happening right here – New North Academy – where you’re working hard to close the gap and seeing real progress. It’s happening in great schools up and down the country. There are now 440 secondary schools – one in five – where disadvantaged pupils are doing better in their GCSEs than the national average for all children. A new generation of high poverty, high performance schools – with high expectations to match. Yes, they are in the minority, but a minority that proves the power of ambition, leadership, great teachers: a ‘sky’s the limit’ approach.

And that is what the Pupil Premium is for: to equip every school to support pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, to help us build a more socially mobile Britain where ability trumps privilege, where effort trumps connections, where sharp elbows don’t automatically get you to the front.

It’s not the only tool in the Coalition’s box. We’re intervening at every stage of a child’s educational journey, from when they’re very young – for example, increasing early years education for two year olds in households feeling the squeeze as well as increasing it for all 3 and 4 year olds – to when they make the transition to adulthood, opening up internships and work experience placements. Giving employers cash bonuses to take on the young and unemployed. Providing disadvantaged university students with more financial support than before. Ensuring – through our income tax changes – that when you start your working life you keep more of the money you earn.

But, for me, the Pupil Premium remains the most important lever we have – and it’s in your hands.

***

It’s an idea I first came across in the Netherlands ten years ago when I was working as an MEP looking into different education systems across Europe. And it has travelled with me ever since: from a modest think tank pamphlet, to the Coalition Agreement, to the funding statements of thousands of schools across the country.
And, now, extra help, directly delivered to that one child who deserves the best their future can offer and, for so long, could only expect the worst.

Last year the Pupil Premium was worth an extra £488 for pupils on Free School Meals and looked after children. This year it’s increased to £600 and been extended to children who have been eligible for Free School Meals at any time in the last six years. Despite an unprecedented squeeze on public spending this year the Pupil Premium will be worth £1.25bn in total, doubling to £2.5bn by the end of the Parliament.

So we’ve made the case for the Pupil Premium. We’ve won the battle to get it properly funded. Today I want to talk about how we make it a success. Because we now have a once in a generation chance: get this right and we make good on education’s progressive promise: to give every child the chance to go as far as their abilities and effort can carry them. And we’ll achieve something else of lasting importance: we’ll prove that teachers do best when Whitehall steps out of the way.

To that end, I want to strike a deal between the Coalition government and our schools and teachers: we’ll give you the cash; we’ll give you the freedom; we’ll reward and celebrate your success. But in return, we want you to redouble your efforts to close the gap between your poorer pupils and everyone else. We won’t be telling you what to do, but we will be watching what you achieve.

***

I’ve talked about the money so let me say a word about freedom and rewards. The Coalition has no desire to micromanage schools. We all remember the worst excesses of that approach: in the year before the election, just reading all of the email guidance from Whitehall would have taken teachers as long as working through The Complete Works of Shakespeare – twice.

This Government’s approach is different. We don’t want reams of Whitehall diktat to strangle creativity or kill innovation.

Since we announced the Pupil Premium, I’ve been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm from the profession. Take Pupil Premium summer schools which, starting this year, will help disadvantaged pupils make the transition from primary to secondary. We were told teachers wouldn’t want to run them; pupils wouldn’t want to go. Yet we’ve been inundated with applications from schools – around 2100, and counting.

As many as 70,000 11 year olds could attend – 7 out of every eligible 10.

So there is a great deal of excitement out there. Before I come on to the ways different schools are embracing the Pupil Premium. I would just like to pause on this transition period, this critical, make-or-break jump from primary school to secondary school. Because what happens then matters massively.

One minute a child is taught in one classroom, by one teacher; a big fish in a little pond. The next they’re in a huge school, further from home full of children they don’t know; teachers they don’t recognise; subjects they’ve never done.

That upheaval can be extremely traumatic, not to mention the worry and guilt parents suffer. And poorer children can find it even harder: often they’re already low in confidence and struggling academically. American research actually shows that, during that crucial summer middle income pupils get a bit better at reading, while poorer pupils get worse.

How can a child start secondary school unable to read with confidence? That is a basic building block of a good education and no child should begin the race so far behind the starting line. We need to do everything we can to help these children through this transition to get them up to speed.

That is a responsibility the Government takes extremely seriously. And I can confirm today that the Education Endowment Foundation will shortly be inviting groups of local schools in the areas that suffer most with this problem to bid for extra funds for struggling Year 7s, from deprived homes to help them get their reading and writing up to scratch. Extra “catch up cash”, if you like.

The support will be for pupil premium pupils who leave primary school without Level 4 literacy – the expected level. And we envisage that schools will want to use it for small catch up classes, or one-to-one tuition, or vouchers for literacy tuition that parents can spend. We’ll run a proper evaluation, sharing what works with all schools not just those areas taking part in these pilots. It’s likely this kind of targeted support is the best way to crack this problem – next year we’ll know.

Of course, we hope as few pupils as possible need it, thanks to the Pupil Premium. And I know primary and secondary schools up and down the country are determined to make this work. Some are using the money for breakfast clubs; homework clubs; or to provide one-to-one-tuition. Some are funding counselling services, so troubled kids are in the right place, emotionally, to learn. Some are using it for educational visits to places like museums: the sort of experiences middle class children take for granted but poorer child might rarely enjoy – and I know that’s an approach you take here.

Others are paying for extra staff to take disengaged or disruptive children out of class when they switch off or play up or to work directly with children who don’t have English as a first language and need extra help with reading and writing. Some are consulting directly with parents on how to spend it. All the evidence shows that, when parents play a part in their children’s learning those children do better. When mothers and fathers understand how to support what happens in the classroom. When they can pass their insights onto the professionals too.

Many of the best schools already create this kind of partnership. But, where it doesn’t happen, the Pupil Premium creates a new way to bring parents in to start a meaningful conversation that can last for that child’s entire school life.

Of course, some approaches will be more effective than others and schools will want to learn from each other. That’s why we’ve created the Education Endowment Foundation: to fund research and collect the evidence of what works and to ensure it is spread through the system.

And we need teachers to help in this effort too – they’re the real experts. One idea I’m keen on, and I’m looking at, is giving more teachers the chance to do some proper research with universities. When an individual teacher excels at breaking this link between poverty and educational failure they’ll help maybe 5, 10, 15 pupils. But if we can turn their real life successes into hard research, into lessons that can be shared we can massively multiply the benefits – helping thousands of pupils. And, in the process, we can build new links between state schools and universities too.

***

And, wherever we see success, we’re going to celebrate it. Raising the status of helping the poorest children to lead a culture shift to get the best teachers into the most challenging schools.

We all know the difference great teachers make – from our own experiences and the evidence too. That’s why, over the weekend, I was extremely disturbed to hear that, according to one survey around a third of teachers said they don’t feel respected as professionals. Yet teachers make the most profoundly valuable contribution to our society. And I want to take this opportunity, on behalf of everyone, to thank them for the life changing job they do.
When all the odds are stacked against a child – hardship, low confidence, parents who can’t cope – its teachers who step in and make the difference, teachers who go above and beyond the call of duty, day in, day out to give those families hope, teachers who help these children unlock the doors that otherwise hold them back.

Our teachers are the key to an open and fair society; the key to the opportunity Britain I am determined we build.

I’m pleased to announce that the government, in partnership with the Times Educational Supplement will, from next year, be introducing awards for the top-50 schools who have done the most to boost the performance of their poorest pupils and to narrow the gap with their better off peers. That success will be up in lights in the performance tables. They’ll win publicity, acclaim and cash too – cash prizes of up to £10,000 for the best of the best. And this isn’t just about glitz and glamour.
We want every aspiring new teacher to see working with disadvantaged children as a crucial step to the top. An essential part of a successful and fulfilling career.

That’s why the revised professional qualification for headship will, from September Contain a module devoted to “closing the gap”. It’s why, under the Teaching Leaders and Future Leaders Programmes when teachers take up posts in disadvantaged schools, when they make a break through with their pupils, they don’t just get job satisfaction they have a better chance of fast-tracking through the ranks.

I’m delighted that some of our National Leaders of Education, some of our best heads, who themselves run outstanding schools and help others to improve, are looking specifically at expanding the role they play, and the role teaching schools play in narrowing the attainment gap in underperforming schools. And of course, pay matters here too. Academies already have the freedom to use pay to hold on to the best teachers – something they can use their Pupil Premium for. And we are asking the School Teachers Review Body to look at giving other schools the same flexibility, giving excellent teachers every reason to apply their talents in challenging schools.

***

So money, freedom, rewards. Take it; use it as you see fit. But know that you will be held accountable for what you achieve. Schools cannot just absorb this money and spend it on other things. And we are putting a lot of government muscle behind making sure this investment gets results. We’ve already introduced tougher standards for primary schools to ensure every child fulfils their potential and we have been clear that persistent failure will have consequences.

But schools need to know that, in assessing their performance OFSTED will be looking forensically at how well their Pupil Premium pupils do. Inspectors are already being instructed to look closely at how schools are spending the money and to what effect, with plans to publish a survey early next year. And, because OFSTED understands the priority I attach to this issue, it will be providing me with regular reports detailing the progress schools are making in closing the attainment gap.

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 spent.

There’s only one freedom we’re not giving schools: the freedom to fail. This is a major change. We are saying, unlike ever before, that school excellence is not simply about great overall results. The best schools must be engines of social mobility too.

That’s my vision for schools. I know that’s your vision too. And I know that, together, we can make this a success. I know that we can make Britain a place where, when a teacher looks out at their class on the first day of term when they look down the list of names and addresses it is impossible to guess how the different children will do.

Because each child will have every opportunity ahead of them. Each will fly as high as their talents can take them.

Thank you.

Earlier today, the Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg emailed Liberal Democrat Party Members describing the Liberal Democrat plans to deliver a fairer deal for the most disadvantaged children in our schools.

A copy of the email is below:

Dear Les,

For me, nothing better illustrates the Liberal Democrat mission to make Britain a fairer place than our Pupil Premium: extra money for the most disadvantaged children in our schools.

We are letting schools decide the best way to spend this money. I want to strike a deal with our schools and teachers: we’ll give you the cash, the freedom, and we’ll reward and celebrate your success. But in return, we want you to redouble your efforts to close the gap between your poorer pupils and everyone else. We won’t be telling you what to do; but we will be watching what you achieve.

It is shameful that, despite all the promise on a four or five year old’s first day at school, or the passion of their teachers, you can all too often plot that child’s path just by asking how much their parents earn.

The £2.5billion Pupil Premium was one of the four pledges on the front page of our manifesto. And now, with Liberal Democrats in government, schools are using the money for things like breakfast clubs; homework clubs; or to provide one-to-one-tuition. These are the sort of experiences many middle class children take for granted but a poorer child might rarely enjoy.

Yesterday I visited a fantastic primary school to see how they are spending their Pupil Premium, highlight our new Summer Schools to ease the transition from primary to secondary, and to set out our plans to reward teachers and hold schools to account.

The Pupil Premium shows that, in tough times, we are implementing Liberal Democrat values and prioritising help for those pupils who need it most.

Best wishes,

Nick Clegg MP
Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Deputy Prime Minister

PS Click here to find out how much money your local school will receive from the Liberal Democrats’ Pupil Premium.

(Click here to play video)

Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Leeds North West Greg Mulholland was among a group of politicians, teachers and school children at a parliamentary launch of the British Red Cross’s Pupil, Citizen, Lifesaver initiative in Westminster.

The British Red Cross is campaigning for first aid and humanitarian education to be given a secure place on the national curriculum to equip young people with the skills to help in the event of emergencies ranging from the collapse of a friend to the aftermath of an earthquake.

Pupils were joined by British Red Cross staff to showcase their skills and encourage MPs to back the campaign. The youngsters have undergone basic first aid courses and are now peer-educators training teachers and classmates.

While 83% of Britain’s teachers and 98 per cent of parents want first aid to become part of the curriculum, just 18 per cent of primary schools in the UK offer pupils the chance to learn these skills. The British Red Cross is hoping the Government’s planned curriculum review can change that.

Greg Mulholland MP said:

“Learning life-saving skills and humanitarian education can only benefit young people, helping to create a generation of responsible and respectful young people.

“Research has shown 98 per cent of parents believe first aid should be taught in schools, which is why, as a long time supporter of the work of the Red Cross, I am backing this British Red Cross campaign.

“Their ongoing efforts to equip children and young people with quality first aid training are praiseworthy, and I encourage colleagues to join me in supporting this campaign.”

Sir Nicholas Young, British Red Cross chief executive, said the event had helped to put calls for curriculum reform on the map:

“The review must not slip down the political agenda. As we wait for further details on the Government’s plans we’re encouraging anyone passionate about education to take part in our e-campaign and ask their local MP to pledge their support.

“Together we can raise awareness and gather support to ensure first and humanitarian principles are securely placed in a new national curriculum which is fit for the 21st century.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg delivered the speech ‘Delivering Education’s Progressive Promise: Using the Pupil Premium to Change Lives’ on 14 May 2012.

Draft text is below:

Over the last two years, since the election, I have learnt many things. Nothing teaches you as much about your own priorities, your own values as governing at a time when money is tight and choices need to be made as well as governing in coalition where you have to make compromises too.

There are the things we have to do, like cutting the deficit to keep the economy safe. There are the opportunities we cannot miss, like cleaning up the relationship between politicians and the media; reforming party funding; modernising the House of Lords.

And then there are the goals that drive us; the actions we hope will define our time in office. I am in this government to play my part in rescuing and reforming the economy and creating sustainable growth for all. But we are not going to miss our chance to make Britain a better, fairer place too.

For me, nothing illustrates that better than our Pupil Premium: extra money for the most disadvantaged children in our schools. How can it be that in a modern, open society like ours a child’s destiny is still determined by their background? How can it be that, despite all the promise on a four or five year old’s first day at school, despite the passion and dedication of their teachers, too often you can plot that child’s path just by asking how much their parents earn?

If their parents are poor, by the time they start primary school they’re more likely to be behind the other children; they’re more likely to leave it unable to read and write properly; they’re much less likely to go on to get five good GSCEs; far less likely to take their A’ levels.

And, as for the top universities and the best jobs? Look in your average classroom and around one in five children are on free school meals. Look at your average Oxbridge lecture hall and that drops to 1 in 100. And we must never forget that this gap between poorer and richer children hurts everyone. Every parent knows that, when a handful of children can’t keep up, it holds back the whole class. And when they can’t fulfil their potential, it costs the whole country too. On one estimate, if these children could make the most of their abilities, if we brought the low performers just up to the average, by 2050 we could increase GDP by an estimated £140bn. (more…)

Secondary schools and disadvantaged pupils are set to benefit from a £50million summer schools fund this summer according toLiberakl Democrat MP, Norman Baker, who is encouraging schools to apply for funding.

The announcement comes as part of the government’s £2.5billion pupil premium which provides dedicated money which follows pupils who receive free school dinners through their school years.

The targeted funding will provide each school that applies with £500 per eligible pupil and head teachers will be able use the money to design and run summer schools, targeting pupils who will benefit the most. The funding applies to pupils who are making the transition to secondary school and provides the funds for them to take part in a two-week summer school to help with the transition. The funding could be used for activities such as:

• Transitional activities to help familiarise pupils with their new environment. Activities could include meeting teachers, having a tour of the school or learning more about their new curriculum.

• Additional intensive support in English and mathematics to enable pupils who need it to make progress in these key areas before they start the secondary curriculum, both as catch up and preparation for the new term.

• Wider enrichment activities such as arts, music and sports activities, trips to theatres and museums, visits to local higher education institutions and employers etc.

Schools that want to apply for funding can find further information at the Department for Education’s prolog website. The closing date is the 30th of April.

Norman says:

“It is incredibly unfair that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds tend not to do as well as their peers and we must try to change that to give them the education opportunities they deserve. Evidence shows that the transition to secondary school is a particularly tough time as struggling pupils can fall further behind. The summer school fund will specifically target this by providing further support to complement the existing induction arrangements and I would certainly encourage local schools to grasp this opportunity with both hands.”

On Monday 2 April 2012, the £1billion Youth Contract will start. The Youth Contract was announced last year by Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg to tackle youth unemployment.

The Youth Contract aims to ensure that all jobless young people are earning or learning again before long-term damage is done.

In North East Lincolnshire 2,200 18 to 24-year olds are currently in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance and would stand to benefit from the Youth Contract.

The Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new work places for 18 to 24-year olds into work over the next three years. This includes 160,000 wage subsidies and 250,000 new work experience placements.

A new programme to will help 16 and 17-year olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs).

This will help the most disengaged of the NEETs in North East Lincolnshire to get back to school or college, onto an apprenticeship or into a job with training.

In addition, there will be at least 20,000 more incentive payments to encourage employers to take on young apprentices in England.

Local Liberal Democrat, Les Bonner said:

“In these difficult times Liberal Democrats are doing the right thing and making sure we help those who need it most.

“If young people are out of work, the consequences of that will be felt for a long time afterwards. We have to ensure that the young people of today do not have a false start to their careers.

“The Youth Contract will help those who need it most through advice, support and training and by giving people in North East Lincolnshire the experience necessary to be successful in the work place.

“While we’re clearing up the economic mess that Labour left behind, the Coalition Government is ensuring that our children do not bear the consequences of Labour’s mistakes.

“As a Liberal Democrat, I am proud that the Coalition Government is doing the right thing to prevent another lost generation.”

Commenting further, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:

`“Youth unemployment is a slow-burn social disaster and an economic waste.

“We can’t lose the skills and talent of our young people – right when we need them most. We need the next generation to help us build a new economy.

“The aim of the Youth Contract is to get every unemployed young person earning or learning again before long-term damage is done, giving them the skills for a lifetime of work.

“This is a £1billion package and it will get young people into proper, lasting jobs.”

Liberal Democrat MP David Ward has welcomed the opening of a £50million summer schools programme, announced by the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, last September. The fund is designed to help up to 100,000 of the most disadvantaged pupils with the transition from primary to secondary school.

Under the scheme head teachers will be able to design and run summer schools, targeting pupils who will benefit the most. The funding could be used for activities such as:

• Transitional activities to help familiarise pupils with their new environment. Activities could include meeting teachers, having a tour of the school or learning more about their new curriculum.

• Additional intensive support in English and mathematics to enable pupils who need it to make progress in these key areas before they start the secondary curriculum, both as catch up and preparation for the new term.

• Wider enrichment activities such as arts, music and sports activities, trips to theatres and museums, visits to local higher education institutions and employers etc.

Commenting, David said:

“Social background should not be the deciding factor in a child’s success in our schools. In a fair society it is a government’s responsibility to close the gulf in achievement between the poorest children and their classmates.

“Evidence shows that disadvantaged children can slip further behind as they move into secondary school. That is why the Coalition Government is doing the right thing by helping heads and governors to build on their own induction arrangements and give these children an extra hand.

“The Liberal Democrats’ commitment to the most disadvantaged children doesn’t stop there. As well as this £50m fund, we are making significant extra funding available through the Pupil Premium.

“This will help schools tackle the inequalities that have been a part of our schools for far too long. In Bradford that means that this year, disadvantaged children will finally be getting the extra support they need to succeed thanks to an extra £16.2 million.”

Ofsted research shows performance can take a significant dip when pupils transfer from primary to secondary schools, especially among those from disadvantaged backgrounds. From today, secondary schools can sign up for £500 for every disadvantaged pupil taking part in a two-week summer school. The money applies to all pupils transferring in to Year 7 who are on Free School Meals or have been in care for six months or more.

Head teachers can apply for summer school funding by clicking here https://www.prolog.co.uk/summerschoolsregistration/register.xhtml.

The Government has allocated £1.25 billion additional funding in 2012/13 for disadvantaged children through the Pupil Premium, and has pledged to increase this to £2.5 billion by 2014-15.

£50 million summer schools fund to help the most disadvantaged pupils opens today. The money will help up to 100,000 pupils making the transition from primary to secondary school, a time when Ofsted research shows performance can take a significant dip.

From today, secondary schools can sign up for £500 for every disadvantaged pupil taking part in a two-week summer school. The money applies to all pupils transferring in to Year 7 who are on Free School Meals or have been in care for six months or more.

Headteacher will be able to design and run summer schools, targeting pupils who will benefit the most. The funding could be used for activities such as:

• Transitional activities such as meeting teachers, having a tour of the school or learning more about their new curriculum, to build on schools’ own induction arrangements. This will help pupils familiarise themselves with their new environment and give them a flying start.

• Additional intensive support in English and mathematics to enable pupils who need it to make progress in these key areas before the start of the autumn term, both as catch up and preparation for the secondary curriculum.

• Wider enrichment activities such as arts, music and sports activities, trips to theatres and museums, visits to local higher
education institutions and employers etc.

Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said:

As any parent knows, the move from primary to secondary school can sometimes be tough. For those who struggle to make the jump, there can be a dip in performance that can last for years. We know that those who struggle most are often among the poorest in society, but we also know that just two weeks’ activities and education can help them at this tricky time in their lives.

Summer schools will give some of the most disadvantaged pupils the chance to swim rather than sink in those first critical weeks of secondary school. We want every child to succeed, regardless of their background, and this is a crucial part of the coalition Government’s commitment to making this happen.

Liberal Democrat Children’s Minister Sarah Teather said:

For too long social background has been a deciding factor in a child’s achievement and future prospects. In a fair society, it is the coalition Government’s responsibility to close the gulf in achievement between the poorest children and their classmates.

Evidence shows that disadvantaged children can slip further behind as they move into secondary school, so we know that heads and governors will be keen to build on their own induction arrangements and support these children.

As well as this £50m fund, we are making significant extra funding available through the Pupil Premium. This will help schools tackle the inequalities that have been a part of our educational system for far too long. Thousands of children will finally be getting the extra support they need to succeed.

Secondary schools can opt in by providing a few key pieces of information, such as how many pupils they expect to attend and how long they will run the school for, in a web form available on the DfE website. Applications must be submitted by 30 April 2012.

Schools will receive confirmation of their funding allocation in May, with half of the funding paid in advance to allow schools to book activities, if they choose to do so. Summer schools will run between July and August and schools will be contacted in September to find out how the summer schools went and paid the remaining funding.

Schools will be free to ask third parties, such as voluntary groups, to run the summer schools for them or work together with other schools if they wish to do so, for example, to help provide sporting or cultural opportunities, or where they do not have significant numbers of disadvantaged pupils.