School funding to disadvantaged pupils ‘slashed by nearly half a billion’

Rising inflation means cash is down by £340 for primary children and £241.50 for secondary pupils

(Getty Images)

Funding intended to boost the academic performance of the UK’s most disadvantaged children has been cut in real terms by nearly half a billion pounds in seven years, it is claimed.

Anti-Brexit campaign group Best for Britain published figures showing that since 2015, pupil premium funding for primary and secondary-age schoolchildren has fallen by more than £467m, when accounting for inflation.

The pupil premium system, which is additional to main school funding, was set up in 2011 to fund initiatives to support disadvantaged children.