Issue - meetings

To provide the Committee with information about the use and decision making around  the Looked After Children Pupil Premium.

At the previous meeting the Committee had requested some feedback on the how the Looked after Children Pupil Premium Grant is used and the involvement of the young person in deciding how this grant will be spent on them.  The Committee noted that the council is responsible for distributing the grant and have decided   to do this on a term basis [600 a term over 3 terms].  The schools will then decide and record on the PEP how they will be spending this funding on the child/ young person inc are attending their school.  Members noted that t school has to spend this grant otherwise it will be returned back to the DFE.  Members further noted that the remaining £100 left over from the yearly £1900, provided by the LACPPG, is spent by the Virtual School on books, materials, and activities to boost LAC attainment.

The Committee were provided with some case studies to provide a guide on the types of activities the PPG can be spent on and the impact this has

 Members learnt that the Virtual School is highly regarded service with an innovative and creative approach to motivate and support LAC to achieve and do well at school.  In terms of monitoring the PEPs and agreement of LACPPG spend, the head of the Virtual School advised that she would look   closely at the PEPs to ensure that there is consistent consultation with the young person, foster carer and social worker when deciding the spending of this funding.

The Chair also thought it would be assuring for the Committee to receive a report on how the LAC PPG is spent by schools and how the remainder of the funding, following termly allocation to schools, is spent by the Virtual school.