New to Leading and Understanding Pupil Premium

ASCL HQ, Leicester

Everything you need to lead pupil premium with confidence from day one.

You've been handed the pupil premium lead role. Now what?

This one-day course is for colleagues with little or no experience of leading pupil premium in primary and secondary schools.
Marc Rowland and Tiff Harris bring a wealth of expertise to the day, guiding you from the foundations of what pupil premium is and how it is funded through to strategic leadership.

The day draws on the latest research on disadvantage and inclusion, and colleagues will explore recent government policy and inspection, and where pupil premium sits within this.

The final session of the day is where theory becomes practice. Colleagues will leave with a strong pupil premium strategy, clear next steps for implementation and the confidence to lead from day one.

Participants will:

understand what pupil premium is, how it is funded and what the funding should be used for
explore current policy, inspection frameworks, performance measures and the latest research on disadvantage
understand key data and accountability measures and how to use both to inform a strong pupil premium strategy
develop clarity on your role and the confidence to lead on pupil premium in your school
leave with a completed pupil premium strategy document, written and ready to go

Feedback from previous event
“In over 20 years of teaching, this was one of the most engaging and meaningful PD sessions I have ever attended.”
(Delegate, June 2026)

Speaker

Tiffnie Harris

Data, Disadvantage and Primary Specialist

Marc Rowland

Pupil Premium and Vulnerable Learners Adviser, Unity Schools Partnership

Fees

ASCL member: £265+ VAT
Non-member: £280+ VAT

Programme

ASCL reserves the right to amend the programme should circumstances dictate.

9.00am			Registration and refreshments

9.15am			Welcome, introductions and aims of the day

9.30am			Session 1: Basic principles in understanding pupil premium, including what pupil premium is and useful research.

10.30am			Refreshment break

10.45am			Session 2: Making sense of data and policy, including Ofsted inspection, performance measures, the Schools White Paper, Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, and the Curriculum and Assessment Review.

11.45am			Discussion and Q&A

12.00pm			Lunch

12.40pm			Session 3: Funding and school improvement planning. This session will also focus on leadership.

1.40pm			Refreshment break

2.00pm			Session 4: Your Pupil Premium Strategy: What it is, expectations and implications, how to write a good strategy document. Delegates will leave with a completed pupil premium strategy document and clear next steps on how to successfully implement this and lead on it.

3.00pm			Discussion and Q&A

3.15pm			Close

Suitable for

Relevant for all levels of leadership in primary and secondary schools but who know very little about the pupil premium and want to start with the very basics. This would be a good course to attend before the ASCL Leading Effective Disadvantage Programme.