Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium is allocated to pupils from low-income families who are currently known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM). The premium is provided in order to support these pupils in reaching their potential. Pupil premium funding is also given to the school for those children who have received FSM within the last 6 years, service children, children who are within the care of the local authority, adopted or receive special guardianship.

The Government have deployed a fixed amount of money to schools per pupil, based on the number of pupils registered for free school meals or who qualify for any of the above. The Government do not dictate how schools should spend this money but are clear that schools need to employ strategies that they know will support pupils to increase their attainment, and ‘narrow the gap’

Pupil premium funding must be used for purposes which supporting closing of the attainment gap between eligible and non-eligible pupils. Examples of the uses of the pupil premium in Spencer Academies Trust schools include:

  • Additional one-to-one and small-group support for eligible children
  • Funding extra teaching assistants to work with classes
  • Supporting delivery of catch-up and booster sessions before and after school
  • Running a breakfast club to improve attendance
  • Funding additional help such as speech and language therapy or family community support

 

The free school meal eligibility form can be accessed . Completing the eligibility criteria allows an application to be made on behalf of parents who believe that their child may have the right to pupil premium funding.