Pupil Premium
What is the Pupil Premium grant?
Pupil Premium is an allocation of funding from the Government that is given separately to the main school budget. The government provide this money to help school address the current national underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers. The funding is to ensure that provision is in place for those disadvantaged children who need it most.
The Pupil Premium grant was introduced in April 2011 and is allocated to schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years. Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after recently and children of Service personnel.
Since the introduction of Free School Meals for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, these children may miss out on this additional funding. We do encourage parents to complete a form if they think they may be eligible, even if they do not need to claim a free meal.
What is the difference between Pupil Premium and Free School Meals (FSM)
Pupil Premium Grant: The pupil premium is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers.
Free School Meals: this is one aspect of support available to families of lower income. Free School Meals is part of the Pupil Premium Grant
A child may be eligible to receive the Pupil Premium Grant/Free School Meals if the parent receives any of the following Income Support:
- Income Support
- Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
- Child Tax Credit Only (with income up to £16,190) with no element of Working Tax Credit
- National Asylum Seekers Support
- Guarantee Element of the State Pension Credit
- Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
- Universal Credit (income dependent)
Why has it been introduced?
The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) and their more affluent peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most. Other groups that may also be able to access Pupil Premium are children who have been ‘looked after’ (LAC), Adopted and children of Service Personnel. Whilst schools are free to spend the Pupil Premium as they see fit, we are required to publish online information about how we have used the Premium.
Pupil Premium Strategy Statement 2022-2025
Pupil Premium Strategy Statement 2021-2022
Catch Up Premium Plan & Review 2020-2021
