A council has welcomed new government funding that will bring improvements to early years education and support the development of children from more deprived backgrounds.
From April 2025, the Government increased the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) to £655 per child, a 45 per cent uplift intended to improve outcomes for children in low-income families.
Now, Durham County Council is one of 10 local authorities to benefit from an additional EYPP boost of up to £363 per child as part of a national test and learn programme, bringing the total funding up to £1,018 per child per year.
Through the programme, the local authority will identify barriers faced by families and providers, simplify EYPP claims and payment processes, and work with the Department for Education (DOE) to help design improvements to the system.
Plus, the council will receive £50,000 to support administration and analytical work and will share its data so that an independent evaluation can be carried out.
It is hoped the programme will assess the different ways providers are making the most of the increased funding which could be through staff training, resources, or activities, to improve take-up and effective use of the support.
Cllr Cathy Hunt, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “We are delighted to be part of the new test and learn programme which will greatly support our targeted work ensuring that children within our county have the best start in life.
“This boost in funding will mean that we can provide low-income families and disadvantaged children even more of a helping hand so they can flourish and build a future.”
The local authority will be able to access the additional EYPP funding from September.
