The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying gaps in attainment between these groups of students and their peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.
We publish a report for parents and governors each year which sets out:
- how we spent Pupil Premium funding in the last school year
- the impact of the funding on closing the gap between Pupil Premium and non-Pupil Premium students
- our plans for spending Pupil Premium funding in the current school year
Students are eligible to receive this funding if they have:
- been eligible for a free school meal at any point within the last six years (FSM or Ever 6)
- a parent currently or previously serving in the Armed Forces
- been in local authority care for one day or more or left authority care because of one of the following: adoption; a special guardianship; or a child arrangement order (Pupil Premium Plus)
The grant for each student is:
- FSM and Ever 6 - £1,385 for Years 5/6 or £985 for Years 7-11
- Armed Forces - £320
- Pupil Premium Plus - £2,410
You can apply for free school meals if you or your child receive any of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, provided you/they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of £16,190 or less
- Working Tax Credit 'run-on' - the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit - in England, if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
We regularly update our records to make sure we have an accurate account of each school's population. If you are unsure if you are entitled to free school meals, we can check for you using the confidential Eligibility Checking Service. If your circumstances change then please let us know as soon as possible.