The Government believes that Pupil Premium (PP) funding, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the underlying inequalities between children who are eligible for free school meals (FSM), or who have been eligible in the last 6 years, and their peers.
The use of the term ‘Pupil Premium’ refers to those students who attract government pupil premium funding; students claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and students in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route.
Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months and for those students who are the children of either currently serving member of HM forces, or who have retired on a pension from the Ministry of Defence. This ‘Service Premium’ is not classed as Pupil Premium but is allocated to help with pastoral support.
The Pupil Premium (PP) and Service Premium for the Academic year 2023- 2024 currently stands at:
- £1035 for every secondary age student who claims free school meals or who has claimed free school meals in the last 6 years
- £2,530 for every student who is within local authority care
- £2,530 for every student who has left local authority care through adoption, a special guardianship order or child arrangements order
- £335 for every child of either a serving member of HM forces or retired on a pension from the MOD
The Pupil Premium funding is used to help fund a range of educational benefits for students across the school such as targeted small group interventions, additional pastoral support, or inclusion in school activities such as extra-curricular clubs, school trips and music lessons.
It is a requirement for the academic year 2023-24 that the school publishes both how the money was spent in 2022-23 and how it is going to be spent in the coming year 2024-25.