24-school academy trust “using EHCP and pupil premium cash to fund its central topslice,” union says chain has admittedThe DfE: scene of protests yesterday. An academy trust, which is facing a huge campaign of protest over its financial management, has been taking pupil premium (PP) and special needs funding meant for pupils to pay for its central operations, a union has stated. The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) has been including PP and Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) money in its “topslice” calculations, according to the National Education Union. UPDATE: The trust responded, late afternoon on Wednesday, to say: "Regarding your query on EHCP and Pupil Premium funding, the Trust has several pupils eligible for additional funding. I asked whether ATLP could say, given the above, whether all of the money that it receives for EHCP and PP pupils is spent on support for these specific pupils.

Source: The Guardian January 28, 2026 12:06 UTC