Ealing Lib Dem councillors moved a motion at the December council meeting welcoming the £5 million extra investment in schools across Ealing this year as a result of the Coalition Government delivering on the 2010 General election pledge by the Liberal Democrats to introduce a pupil premium to help the most disadvantaged pupils.
Unfortunately, the education system is failing far too many pupils who leave school without the knowledge and skills to be successful. Furthermore, the family background of a child is still a huge determinating factor in their life chances, with pupils from poor families three times less likely to achieve five good GCSEs than their more well off classmates.
Entitlement to Free School Meals is used as an indicator of numbers of poorer pupils in an area, and figures in Ealing are higher than the national average with 23% of children in primary schools and 26% at higher school.
Nigel Bakhai is a Governor at Greenfields Childrens Centre in Southall
Education is the best way to end the under achievement of disadvantaged pupils by supporting children all the way from early years straight through to secondary school. That is why I am pleased that the Lib Dems in Government have ensured that every school in Ealing will now receive £488 for every child on Free School Meals. Next year the Pupil Premium will rise to £600 per pupil.
For your information, I have included a list of the extra investment from the pupil premium in local schools across Elthorne ward:
| School Name | 2011-12 Allocation | 2012-13 DfE Indicative Allocation |
| St John’s Primary | £62,464 | £104,400 |
| St Mark’s Primary | £30,256 | £49,800 |
| Oaklands Primary | £62,464 | £91,800 |
| St Joseph’s Primary | £19,520 | £36,600 |
| Elthorne Park High | £78,568 | £148,200 |
| Total Elthorne | £253,272 | £430,800 |
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