Disadvantage: our position | National Governance Association

NGA recognises poverty as one of the most prominent links to educational disadvantage, and we support the DfE’s free school meal (FSM) and pupil premium initiatives as means to supporting pupils from families with less money. We also advocate for other policy responses which reduce poverty levels, such as the removal of the two-child benefit cap.

However, NGA are of the view that a wider definition of disadvantage is needed than just poverty, in order to highlight pupil groups that are statistically more likely to experience educational disadvantage beyond the pupil premium measure. These pupil groups include:

Children living in poverty - those in receipt of pupil premium and others who are not eligible

Vulnerability - a child on a child protection plan, child in need plan, an early help plan, accessing the youth offending service, a looked after child or a young carer

SEND (special educational needs and disability) – in particular SEN support

Certain ethnic minoritised groups

Those experiencing or struggling with low wellbeing, emotional and/or mental health problems

NGA acknowledge the attainment gap as an important starting point when measuring and tackling disadvantage. However, we recognise that higher rates of exclusion, challenges with mental health and poor attendance are also symptomatic of educational disadvantage.

Free school meals

It is NGA’s view that every child should have access to hot, nutritious school meals. We welcome the government’s decision to extend free school meals eligibility to all children in families receiving universal credit from September 2026, and recognise the benefit it will bring to hundreds of thousands more pupils currently experiencing poverty and food insecurity. Any expansion in eligibility should be accompanied by sufficient funding to ensure it is deliverable. We also support the auto-enrolment of pupils for free school meals, so all eligible pupils are able to receive them.

Pupil premium

NGA supports the pupil premium initiative to help improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. However, we are concerned that its value has gradually fallen in real terms despite schools facing rising costs and increasing responsibilities. We are calling for the government to protect the real-terms value of pupil premium and consider opportunities to extend eligibility to other disadvantaged pupils.