Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2016 to Question 37377, what assessment she has made of the implications of the findings of Ofsted in its report of the inspection of Audenshaw School Academy Trust that approximately £120,000 of pupil premium funding was not spent on pupils for whom that funding was intended on the progress of those pupils; and what estimate she has made of the number of pupils at that school so affected.

The conditions of grant for the pupil premium make clear that its purpose is to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. School leaders are best placed to decide how to spend the pupil premium in line with this policy and the needs of their pupils.

It is for schools to commission pupil premium reviews and act upon the recommendations. The recommendations should inform their development of an improved strategy for raising the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and spending their pupil premium funding.

The Department has not seen the pupil premium report which Ofsted asked the school to commission. However, having reviewed the Ofsted report, and information from the school’s auditors, we have not identified any grounds for further action.

The Hon. Member, Andrew Gwynne, has met the Regional Schools Commissioner for Lancashire and West Yorkshire, Vicky Beer, on a number of occasions to discuss his concerns about Audenshaw School Academy Trust and contact is ongoing.