OnDemand: The National Pupil Premium Event 2026
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You can watch all the insights, key sessions, and expert discussions from The National Pupil Premium Event 2026 by purchasing our OnDemand Event. Access full recordings of every session, including presentations from leading industry speakers, and watch at your own pace.
Benefits of OnDemand:
- Watch on your own schedule – no need to clear your calendar or worry about time zones
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- Get instant access after purchase to expert insights and curated content, perfect for industry professionals who want high-value content OnDemand
2026 Overview
This financial year, schools across England will receive increased funding to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of background. With the requirement for schools to update their Pupil Premium strategy statement once a year, close scrutiny is paid to how funding is being spent, and the impact of investment of narrowing the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils.
But what initiatives and interventions are working? And how should schools make evidence-based decisions that focus on enhancing pupil outcomes? As the number of pupils eligible for premium funding continues to grow, ensuring that initiatives and spend are tailored to the specific needs of the pupil is crucial to close the gap.
The National Pupil Premium Conference 2026 explored the latest guidance and strategies for maximising the impact of Pupil Premium funding and shared best practice case studies covering key issues such as effective monitoring and evaluation, integrating holistic approaches into the curriculum, and improving attendance of pupil premium students.
2026 Strategic Partner
2026 Agenda
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Professor Nadia Siddiqui, School of Education, Durham University
Keynote: Pupil Premium in 2026: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments
- Exploring the latest national data on educational disadvantage, including trends across regions and pupil groups
- Reviewing robust evidence on what works best for disadvantaged pupils, including high-quality teaching, targeted academic support and wider strategies
- Discussing how to avoid compliance-driven approaches and instead embed Pupil Premium within coherent school improvement planning.
- Setting out long term priorities and focusing on long-term impact, equity and improved life chances for disadvantaged pupils
Charlotte O’Regan, Senior Schools Engagement Manager, The Sutton Trust
Keynote: Tracking and Monitoring Progress of Pupil Premium Initiatives
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Reality before rhetoric – understanding disadvantage through lived experience, not written intent
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From data points to lived stories – using data to reveal patterns and need, not just outcomes
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From individual ownership to collective responsibility – making disadvantage a shared leadership and professional priority
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From policy to practice in the classroom – focusing impact where high‑quality teaching makes the difference
Lisa Morphet FCCT, Director for Pupil Premium, The Mercian Trust
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Key Supporter Session
Case Study: Closing the Reading Gap: Why Reading Matters – Proving Impact with Reading Plus
- The current landscape – closing the reading gap and why reading matters as the gateway to the whole curriculum.
- Discover how Reading Plus supports children eligible for pupil premium to make measurable, sustained progress in reading through a personalised, adaptive approach.
- Review school-based evidence showing improvements in reading comprehension, fluency and vocabulary, enabling pupils to access greater curriculum depth and challenge.
- Explore how embedding Reading Plus within a whole-school literacy strategy supports consistency, engagement and impact for all learners.
- Consider how providing pupils with appropriately pitched challenge and targeted support builds confidence, resilience and independence, helping pupils achieve their full potential.
Nick Mills, Reading Development Consultant, Daisy Education
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Case Keynote: Mobilising a Pupil Premium Strategy to Secure Real Impact for Individual Pupils
- Knowing your pupils and their families well
- Poverty proofing the school experience for all
- Developing an evidence-informed, dynamic strategy with effective implementation practices
Jane Elsworth, Director and Deputy Headteacher, Huntington Research School
Questions and Answers
Case Study: Using Pupil Premium Plus Effectively: The ‘School A’ & Surrey Virtual School Project
Stacey McCabe, Deputy Headteacher, Surrey Virtual School
Questions and Answers
Lunch Break
Keynote: Utilise Leadership Coaching Techniques to Create a Cohesive Pupil Premium Strategy
An experienced leadership coach will share a blueprint and questions to help your team create a highly effective, cross-remit Pupil Premium strategy. The model will help you to:
- Build on what you already know and what you learn from other speakers in today’s conference
- Analyse strategies, assess risks, and apply a cost-benefit analysis
- Select the best strategies to include in your Pupil Premium Strategy and your School Development Plan
Jonathan Ferstenberg, School Improvement Partner and Leadership Coach, Bespoke School and Leadership Development
Case Study: Engaging all Staff in Pupil Premium Strategy Implementation
- Aligning CPD with Pupil Premium priorities to create a workforce that centres inclusion in everything they do
- Creating clear ownership and accountability so all staff understand their role in supporting disadvantaged pupils, not just designated leads
- Strategies for building staff confidence in adaptive teaching
- Sustaining improvement in high-turnover environments
Jenn Sills, Deputy Director, Gloucestershire Research School
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Case Study: Implementing Effective Teaching Techniques to Improve the Academic Achievement
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Why many Pupil Premium strategies fail at classroom level
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Building literacy and disciplinary writing across KS3 and KS4
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Embedding curriculum and assessment alignment from Year 7 onwards
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Developing a whole-department model that improved outcomes from 35% to 64% Grade 4+
Daniel Bull-Mittens, ECT Mentor and Head of History, United Learning
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Case Study: Beyond Interventions: Building a System Where Belonging Drives Attendance
- Where we started: the challenges, assumptions and gaps in our original approach
- What changed: the key shifts in thinking, spend and systems that made the difference
- What it looks like now: real pupil examples
- Where we’re heading: belonging is at the heart of decision making
Rahila Naguthney, Assistant Headteacher (Behaviour & Attendance), Deputy DSL, Queen Mary’s Grammar School
Nicola Youngman, Assistant Headteacher, SENDCo and Pupil Premium Lead, Queen Mary’s Grammar School
Questions and Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Professor Nadia Siddiqui, School of Education, Durham University (CONFIRMED)
Conference Close
Pricing Options
OnDemand
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2026 Speakers
Professor Nadia Siddiqui
Professor in the School of Education
Durham University
Charlotte O’Regan
Senior Schools Engagement Manager
The Sutton Trust
Lisa Morphet FCCT
Director for Pupil Premium
The Mercian Trust
Nick Mills
Reading Development Consultant
Daisy Education
Jane Elsworth
Director and Deputy Headteacher
Huntington Research School
Stacey McCabe
Deputy Headteacher
Surrey Virtual School
Jonathan Ferstenberg
School Improvement Partner and Leadership Coach
Bespoke School and Leadership Development
Jenn Sills
Deputy Director
Gloucestershire Research School
Daniel Bull-Mittens
ECT Mentor and Head of History
United Learning
Rahila Naguthney
Assistant Headteacher (Behaviour & Attendance) and Deputy DSL
Queen Mary’s Grammar School
Nicola Youngman
Assistant Headteacher, SENDCo and Pupil Premium Lead
Queen Mary’s Grammar School
Testimonials
Fantastic experience. It is a great way to upskill or review PP knowledge and understanding and review own practice. Easy links to current research and resources all in one place
Really useful pupil premium tools and strategies were shared, which I will now develop and take forward into my own setting
What a great event with inspirational speakers who are practicing professionals in education! Being able to relate to real experiences and how they have overcome barriers within their own settings really gives you food for thought and a way to truly reflect on your own practice. This was a really useful conference
Really enjoyed hearing from the experts in this field
A superbly informative event with quality talks and lots of ‘take away’ points for action
