What’s the purpose of pupil premium funding?

Publicly-funded schools in England get extra funding from the government to help them improve the attainment of their disadvantaged pupils. The pupil premium grant is designed to allow schools to help disadvantaged pupils by improving their progress and academic outcomes.

Schools decide which ways of spending this money would have the greatest impact on removing barriers to learning and supporting these groups. The school Governors challenge the school to ensure we use the money to the best advantage of these children and an allocated Governor evaluates the work being undertaken and its impact. The school may use the funding on whole school initiatives, targeted interventions or wider support.

How much money does the school get?

Schools get pupil premium funding based on the number of pupils they have in the January census each year from the following groups.   

Benefits Related Free School Meals                                                                                 

Schools get £1,385 for every primary age pupil who claims free school meals, or who has claimed free school meals in the last 6 years.

Your child/ren is eligible 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

Looked-after and Previously Looked After Children                                                         

Schools get £2,530 for every pupil who has left local authority care through adoption, a special guardianship order or child arrangements order.

Local authorities get the same amount for each child they are looking after; they must work with the school to decide how the money is used to support the child’s Personal Education Plan.

Service Premium                                                                                                                

The service premium is not part of the pupil premium as the rules to attract the service premium are different.

Schools get £340 for every pupil with a parent who:

• is serving in HM Forces
• has retired on a pension from the Ministry of Defence                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

This funding is to help with pastoral support.

Academically Able Pupils                                                                                                               

The pupil premium is not based on ability. Research shows that the most academically able pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are most at risk of under-performing. Schools should focus on these pupils just as much as pupils with low results.

This link explains Government policy.