What is the Pupil Premium? The National Picture

The Pupil Premium was introduced by the Government in April 2011. It was designed to give additional money to support schools in raising the attainment of children who receive free school meals, children whose parents serve in the Armed Forces and those children in local authority care. These groups of children have been identified nationally as achieving at a lower level than children from less disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Where does the money come from?

Pupil Premium is allocated to schools based on the number of children who are currently known to be eligible for Free School Meals, whose parents serve in the Armed Forces and children who have been looked after in local authority care continuously for more than six months.

The purpose of the Pupil Premium is to help schools to provide targeted support for vulnerable children- not necessarily just children who qualify for FSM.

“It is for schools to decide how the Pupil Premium, allocated to schools…. is spent, since they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their responsibility.

^{(Source – DfE website)}

The funding is therefore given to schools to spend as they think best, although there is a requirement to publish online how this money is spent.

Please read the information below which gives details of our Pupil Premium Grant and how we allocate the funding.