£5m for Newport Pupil Development

The Welsh Labour Government has awarded £5 million for disadvantaged children in Newport through the newly renamed Pupil Development Grant (PDG).

The grant was previously named the Pupil Deprivation Grant, but with its new name it will be extended to help even more pupils than before. The money, which will be available from April, will include funding to double the grant to £600 per eligible child in nursery and reception classes. This support will also be extended to children whose education happens outside of a school setting.

The new funds allocated to Newport are about giving every child the opportunity to succeed. The old PDG did make good progress on breaking the link between poverty and attainment. However, we need to recognise there is more that can be done, but this is a good start.

The small but significant change in the grant name reflects the emphasis on learner progression alongside the work to reduce the attainment gap.