The government must “reverse” its controversial pupil premium funding shift “immediately”, after it emerged that the change - described by some as a “stealth cut” - will cost schools £90 million, headteachers have said.

Yesterday the Department for Education finally revealed the true financial impact of its decision to calculate pupil premium allocations for 2021-22 based on a census from last October, and not in January - when more children would have been eligible for the cash.

It estimated the “overall impact” of the change would amount to “approximately £90 million”.

DfE: Pupil premium ‘stealth cut’ will cost schools £90m

Nick Gibb: Schools ‘won’t lose out over pupil premium change’

Background: Teachers ‘sickened’ as DfE delays cash for poor pupils

The admission came after schools minister Nick Gibb claimed individual schools would not lose funding “as a direct consequence” of the census date shift.

Now heads are calling on the DfE to “reverse” the change “immediately”, arguing there is “no justification” for the move.

Pupil premium funding change ‘will deny children vital support’

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union the NAHT, said: “This data shows that the government’s previous claims that schools would not lose out as a consequence of the changes to pupil premium this year were, at best, disingenuous.

“The stark reality is that we now know that the change to how the pupil premium is allocated has led to a £90 million stealth cut to school budgets. Worse still, it means over 60,000 pupils won’t get the vital support they should have been entitled to this year.

“There is simply no justification for this change, and the government must reverse this decision immediately. A failure to so will completely undermine its claims to be ‘levelling up’ and ‘leaving no child behind’.

“It is hard to think of a worse possible time for the government to be withholding support for tens of thousands of disadvantaged pupils.”

Kate Green, Labour’s shadow education secretary, has also described the policy shift as a “stealth cut”, arguing that the Conservative Party has “neglected children through this pandemic”.

Following the publication of the estimated cost to school budgets, a Department for Education spokesperson said: “Pupil premium funding has risen for the majority of schools, to more than £2.5 billion overall this year - an increase of £60 million compared to last year. Combined with our ambitious long-term education recovery plan, this will ensure disadvantaged children are supported.

“Using the October census for pupil premium allocation means schools will now know their full budget earlier in the year, helping them to plan ahead. Any pupil who became eligible after the October census will attract funding in the following financial year.

“We are committed to ensuring all children have access to good quality education, no matter their background.”