| Abstract: |
Pupil Premium Plus Post-16 (PP+ Post-16) was introduced in October 2021 as a pilot that aimed to address the gap in funding to support educational outcomes for children looked after (CLA) from the age of 16. Funding was provided to 30 pilot local authorities in 2021, before being extended to a further 28 local authorities in 2022 and rolled out nationally to all local authorities in England in September 2023. For the purposes of the evaluation, these three groups of local authorities are referred to as Cohort 1, Cohort 2 and Cohort 3 respectively. The funding is managed by Virtual School Heads (VSHs) and can be used to provide individual or cohort level support to CLA and care leavers (CLs) at post-16. The funding aims to improve educational outcomes, in particular the attendance, retention, and attainment of this cohort, and enable them to have sustained involvement in education, employment and training (EET). VSHs should take account of the statutory guidance 'Promoting the education of looked-after and previously looked-after children' when using the funding. Since its introduction in 2021, the purpose of PP+ Post-16 has widened from providing funding to CLA and CLs in general further education (FE) colleges, to providing funding for all CLA and CLs at post-16 including those in FE colleges, sixth forms, apprenticeships, secure estates, and those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The funding calculation and allocation of PP+ Post-16 means that there are different levels of funding across the 3 Cohorts. Individual VSs also have different levels of pre-existing post-16 staffing capacity and provision. This evaluation consisted of an exploratory study of the use of the funding and considered early evidence about progress towards the outcomes in the Theory of Change (ToC). A full list of evaluation questions is set out in Annex 1 of the evaluation report. |