Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium grant is funding provided to Schools to help all pupils reach their full potential, regardless of their background or financial situation. Pupils may be eligible if they:

• Are registered for free school meals;
• Have been registered for free school meals at any point since May 2010;
• Have been in care / have parents in the armed forces.

Your child may be eligible for free school meals if you receive any of the following:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit Child Tax Credit (as long as you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on Universal Credit

In addition, Schools must provide free school meals to all pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. This is known as universal infant free school meals.

School meals are a good way to ensure that your child eats well at lunchtime, and they can also save you time and money. Claiming free school meals also helps the School. We get extra funding, known as the ‘Pupil premium’, for every eligible pupil who is registered.

In the 2020 to 2021 financial year, Schools will receive the following funding for each child registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years:  £1,345 for pupils in Reception to Year 6.

Schools will also receive £2,345 for each pupil identified in the spring school census as having left local-authority care because of 1 of the following:

• Adoption;
• a special guardianship order;
• a child arrangements order;
• a residence order.

If a pupil has been registered as eligible for free school meals and has also left local authority care for any of the reasons above, they will attract the £1,900 rate.

Children who have been in local-authority care for one day or more also attract £1,900 of Pupil Premium funding. Funding for these pupils is managed by the Virtual School Head (VSH) in the local authority that looks after the child.

The pupil premium is not used to pay for School meals. Schools use the funding to improve the attainment of pupils who are eligible. You will find more information about how we use our pupil premium funding on our website.

The more eligible pupils that are registered for free school meals, the more funding the School receives. Registering does not mean your child has to take up free school meals if they don’t want to. You should still register for free school meals even if: 

• Your child already receives universal infant free school meals;
• You would rather your child had a different meal, such as a packed lunch.

Contact the School if you have any questions about free school meals, please speak to the School Office.

If you do not have access to a computer to complete your application please come into School and use our facilities – we can even help you complete the forms!

The Government’s website has information about who is eligible for free school meals, as well as information on how to apply.  

You can also read further information about the pupil premium at the following link: Pupil Premium funding and accountability for Schools