Pupil Premium

What is pupil premium?

Introduced in 2011, the pupil premium is a sum of money given to schools each year by the Government to improve the attainment of disadvantaged children. The pupil premium is intended to directly benefit the children who are eligible, helping to narrow the gap between them and their classmates.  This is based on research showing that children from low-income families perform less well at school than their peers. It can help overcome challenges such as poor language and communication skills, lack of confidence and issues with attendance and punctuality.

Schools do have to show that they are using their pupil premium fund appropriately. This is measured through Ofsted inspections and annual performance tables showing the progress made by children who are eligible for pupil premium.

In addition, we have to publish details online, including how much money we have been allocated, how we intend to spend it, how we spent the previous year’s allocation and how it made a difference to the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.

Each school is required to produce a 3 year Pupil Premium strategy document. You can read the school’s personalised strategy below.

Who qualifies for pupil premium?

Children qualify for free school meals – and accordingly pupil premium – if you receive any of the following benefits:

   • Universal credit (provided you have a net income of £7400 or less)
   • Income-Support
   • Income-based jobseekers’ allowance
   • Income-related employment and support allowance
   • Support under Part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
   • The guaranteed element of state pension credit
   • Child tax credit, provided that you are not also entitled to working tax credit and have an annual gross income of £16,190 or less

These benefits have now been rolled into a single benefit, called Universal Credit. Universal Credit is being rolled out, with an expected completion date of March 2022. All pupils who were eligible for free school meals up to April 2018 will continue to receive free school meals during this period. Once Universal Credit is fully rolled out, any existing claimants who no longer meet the eligibility criteria will still qualify for free school meals until the end of their current stage of education (i.e. primary or secondary).

Children who are or have been in care, and children who have a parent who is or was in the armed forces, are also entitled to pupil premium.

Schools are responsible for recording the children who are eligible for pupil premium in their annual school census – you don’t have to do anything yourself, other than making sure you return any paperwork that relates to the benefits you receive or your child’s entitlement to free school meals.

If your child qualifies for free school meals, it’s important that you tell us – even if they’re in Reception or KS1 and receive universal school meals for infant pupils, or are in KS2 and take a packed lunch – as this enables us to claim pupil premium.