Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP): Making Every Penny Count
Improving outcomes for children who need it most
In every early years setting, there are children who may need a little extra support to thrive.
The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) is there to help you do just that - providing additional funding to make a real, lasting difference to children’s learning, development and wellbeing.
But EYPP isn’t just about funding. It’s about being intentional, reflective and ambitious in how support is planned and delivered.
What is EYPP - and why does it matter?
EYPP gives providers extra funding for eligible children so that support can be tailored to their individual needs.
Used well, it can help to:
Narrow gaps in development and attainment
Strengthen communication, language and early social skills
Enhance the overall quality of provision
At its best, EYPP supports thoughtful, evidence‑informed decisions that improve outcomes - not just for individual children, but across the whole setting.
Turning funding into impact
The most effective use of EYPP isn’t about isolated interventions - it’s about embedding high-quality practice.
The Education Endowment Foundation highlights that, in the early years, the strongest approaches include:
High-quality, adult–child interactions
A strong focus on communication and language
Ongoing professional development for staff
These approaches are most powerful when they are part of everyday practice - consistent, meaningful and responsive to children’s needs.
What does effective EYPP use look like in practice?
Here are some examples of how settings may use EYPP to make a difference.
1. Strengthening communication through daily interactions
Scenario: A nursery identifies that several children eligible for EYPP have delayed speech and language.
Solution: They might use funding to:
Train staff in sustained shared thinking and quality questioning
Introduce small-group language sessions alongside everyday interactions
Build in more storytelling, singing and conversation-rich routines
Impact: Children become more confident communicators, with noticeable improvements in vocabulary and engagement.
2. Investing in staff development to raise quality
Scenario: A setting uses EYPP to fund targeted Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for staff on early language and child development.
Solution: The setting might:
Access evidence-informed training
Build in time for reflection and coaching
Share learning across the team to improve consistency
Impact: Practice improves across the whole setting - benefiting all children, particularly those at risk of disadvantage.
3. Supporting social and emotional development
Scenario: A child eligible for EYPP finds transitions and social interactions challenging.
Solution: The setting might:
Use funding to introduce consistent routines and purchase visual support software/subscription
Allocate additional time for a key person to develop strong, secure relationships
Create small-group opportunities to practise turn-taking and communication
Impact: The child shows greater confidence, improved emotional regulation and increased participation in play.
4. Enhancing the learning environment
Scenario: A setting identifies that some children need more opportunities for talk and exploration.
Solution: They might use EYPP to:
Develop communication-friendly spaces
Introduce open-ended resources that encourage discussion and curiosity
Create cosy areas for shared reading and conversation
Impact: Children engage more deeply in play, with richer language and stronger interactions.
Supporting families is part of the picture
Identifying eligible children is key. Providers play an important role in:
Having sensitive, supportive conversations with families
Encouraging completion of eligibility forms
Ensuring no child misses out on the support they are entitled to
Small conversations can lead to significant opportunities.
EYPP and Ofsted: focusing on impact
Ofsted places strong emphasis on:
How well leaders understand their cohort
How additional funding is used to support those who need it most
The difference that funding makes to children’s outcomes
Inspectors will want to see that EYPP is:
Carefully planned
Used purposefully
Regularly reviewed for impact
In short, it’s not about how much is spent, but rather the difference it makes.
Making it count: key reflections for your setting
Take a moment to reflect:
Do we know which children are eligible for EYPP?
How are we using the funding and why?
Is our approach informed by evidence of what works?
Can we clearly describe the impact on children’s learning and development?
Access support around EYPP eligibility
Children may be eligible for EYPP if they meet one or more of the following criteria:
Their parent or carer receives certain qualifying benefits
They are, or have been, looked after by the local authority
They have left care through adoption, special guardianship, or a child arrangements order
Providers can support families by sensitively discussing eligibility and encouraging them to complete the relevant declaration forms.
Find out more about EYPP eligibility for children in Birmingham
Final thoughts
EYPP is a valuable opportunity to make a meaningful difference, especially when it is used thoughtfully and strategically.
By focusing on high-quality interactions, strong communication, and ongoing staff development, settings can ensure this funding has a lasting impact, helping every child feel supported, included, and able to thrive.
Finally, be sure to explore the Education Endowment Foundation EYPP Myth Buster, part of ‘The EEF Guide to the Early Years Pupil Premium’.
Further reading and resources
Effective Use of EYPP: A Resource for Early Years Providers: This resource, created by HEART Midlands Early Years Stronger Practice Hub, can be used as a guide, a scaffold for discussion with staff or stakeholders, or simply as a knowledge-builder as part of your own professional development.
Experiences of the early years pupil premium: DfE report on the experiences of the EYPP as part of the study of early education and development (SEED).
Stephnie Kettle – Quality, Impact & Outcomes Officer, Birmingham City Council Early Years & Childcare Service
My role with Birmingham City Council’s Early Years & Childcare Service centres on championing the best start for Birmingham’s children.
I work collaboratively with colleagues and partners to continuously improve children’s outcomes, focusing on developing smoother early years transitions, using data to narrow the attainment gap, and leading on the implementation of strategies to enhance workforce quality and sufficiency across the city.
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