Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium is an allocation of money that is given to schools to specifically assist children who fall into at least one of the following groups:

• They are currently eligible for free school meals (FSM)
• They have been eligible within the last six years for FSM
• They have been identified as a Looked after Child (LAC)

The amount that each school receives for pupils within these groups is £1050 per student. This money is specifically designed to help us to raise the achievement level of the students in these groups who have previously been identified as being disadvantaged through economic hardship. Looked After Children and previously looked after children are allocated £2570. We also receive a premium for students whose parents are currently serving in the armed forces. This is currently £340 per student per year.
Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils, and schools do not have to spend pupil premium so that it solely benefits pupils who meet the funding criteria. It can be used:

• To support other pupils with identified needs, such as those who have or have had a social worker, or who act as a carer 
• For whole class interventions which will also benefit non-disadvantaged pupils 

A tiered approach

Evidence suggests that pupil premium spending is most effective when schools use a tiered approach, targeting spending across the following 3 areas below but focusing on teaching quality - investing in learning and development for teachers.

Teaching

Training and professional development for all staff to improve the impact of teaching and learning for pupils.

Academic support

Schools should decide on the main issues stopping their pupils from succeeding at school and use the pupil premium to buy extra help.

Wider approaches

This may include non-academic use of the pupil premium such as:

• School breakfast clubs
• Music lessons for disadvantaged pupils
• Help with the cost of educational trips or visits.
• Speech and language therapy

Schools may find using the pupil premium in this way helps to:

• Increase pupils’ confidence and resilience
• Encourage pupils to be more aspirational
• Benefit non-eligible pupils