What is Pupil Premium funding?

Introduced in 2011, the pupil premium funding is a sum of money given to schools each year by the Government to improve the attainment of disadvantaged children. This is based on research showing that children from low income families perform less well at school than their peers.

Often, children who are entitled to pupil premium face challenges such as poor language and communication skills, lack of confidence and issues with attendance and punctuality. The pupil premium grant is intended to directly benefit the children who are eligible, helping to narrow the gap between them and their peers.

How to claim Pupil Premium funding

All children who currently qualify for free school meals based on their family circumstances are entitled to pupil premium. This applies 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

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.

In addition, pupils who have qualified for free school meals on the above grounds in the past, but are no longer eligible, continue to receive pupil premium for the next six years.

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 or has at any point in the past six years, it’s important that you tell their school – 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 them to claim pupil premium.

If your family doesn't quite meet the criteria, but you are finding it more difficult at home, please speak Mrs Price or a member of staff,  we can help you! We work closely with the local church and food bank, we can signpost you to other organisations who might be able to help. With the current cost of living, families are experiencing an increasing amount of financial strain, please don't forget we are here to help in any way we can.

Is your child eligible? 

A child’s family circumstances are taken into account when determining whether or not they qualify for free school meals. To be eligible, they must be receiving one or more of the following benefits:

• Income support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-based Employment and Support Allowance
• Support as a result of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit (If a household is earning less than £7,400 per year.)

Children can be eligible for the pupil premium for a variety of reasons. These include their family circumstances, such as their income or occupations, and whether or not they’re in care. If a child is eligible, a school will receive the necessary amount of funding for each child per school year.

• Primary schools receive £1345 for each pupil that is currently eligible for free school meals based on their family income.
• Primary schools receive £1345 for every pupil that has previously received free school meals based on their family income. Pupils are eligible for funding for six years since they last received a free school meal.
• All schools receive £2345 for every pupil that is currently in some form of care.
• All schools receive £2345 for every pupil that has previously been in some form of care and has since been adopted or placed into a child guardianship order.
• All schools will receive £310 for every pupil that has a parent currently serving in the armed forces, or receiving a pension from the Ministry of Defence

If you would like to read our Pupil Premium Statement, you will find it below.