Research School Network: Common pitfalls when using Pupil Premium and how to avoid them Common pitfalls when using Pupil Premium and how to avoid them

As school leaders, we all want to make the very best use of our Pupil Premium funding. It’s a vital tool in helping us support disadvantaged pupils and close attainment gaps that remain stubbornly wide. The new EEF Digital Pupil Premium Guidance gives us a strong evidence base to work from, but putting this into practice isn’t always straightforward. There are some common pitfalls that schools can often fall into when developing their strategy. Here we are going to reflect on a few of these below, along with how we might avoid them.


1. Spreading ourselves too thin

Pitfall number one I’ve seen is trying to do too much at once. We want to provide every possible intervention, club, and support programme. But the EEF’s guidance is clear: ​“do fewer things better.” A small number of carefully chosen, well-implemented strategies will nearly always have more impact than a scattergun approach. The new guidance advises us to ​“prioritise a small number of challenges that are most relevant to your pupils and context” to avoid diluting impact.


2. Unclear implementation

The guidance highlights the importance of ​“detailed planning for how chosen activities will be implemented, resourced, and monitored,” not just what will be chosen Without training, clear responsibility, and follow-up, tracking and reviewing even the best evidence-based programme can fail. Implementation guidance reminds us that exploring the needs and approaches, preparing the implementation, delivering through monitoring and sustaining whilst reviewing are just as important as the choice of strategy itself.


3. Disconnecting interventions from classroom practice

Targeted interventions, like small-group tuition, are powerful when they’re connected to what’s happening in the classroom. If they operate alone, pupils can get a mixed message. That’s why strong links between classroom teachers and intervention staff matter. Consistency helps pupils apply what they’ve learned and makes the extra support stick. Highlighting the key to long-term effectiveness, the guidance explains that ​“targeted support should be closely aligned with classroom teaching.”



4. Overlooking wider barriers

Sometimes we’re so focused on academic progress that we forget the bigger picture. Attendance, behaviour, wellbeing, and parental engagement all affect learning. If pupils aren’t in school regularly, or if home learning isn’t supported, then even the best teaching won’t close the gap. Tackling these wider issues is not a distraction, it’s a crucial part of an effective Pupil Premium strategy. To ensure sustained effectiveness, the guidance stresses that ​“targeted support should be closely aligned with classroom teaching.”



5. Failing to review and adapt

Finally, strategies can easily become fixed. We roll over the same approaches each year, even when the evidence of impact is weak. Building in regular review points, and being brave enough to stop things that aren’t working, is a healthy part of the process.


None of this is easy. But by being aware of these pitfalls, and by drawing on resources like the EEF’s updated Pupil Premium guidance, we can give ourselves the best chance of making the funding matter for the pupils who need it most.