ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the historical and policy background to the introduction of the Pupil Premium policy, showing how it has evolved from previous attempts to direct funds to help the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The Pupil Premium policy is described, in terms of its aims – to reduce segregation as well as the poverty attainment gap – and the amounts involved and how many pupils are affected. The chapter then summarises some of the previous studies that have tried to assess the impact of the policy, and why they all have serious limitations.
