Introduced in April 2011, the Pupil Premium is a government initiative that provides additional funding for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.  Research shows that students from disadvantaged backgrounds underachieve compared to their peers. The premium is therefore provided in order to reduce the attainment gap and support these students in achieving their maximum potential.

The premium is allocated to schools to work with students who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years.  Funding is also received for students who have been in local authority care for more than six months, are adopted or under special guardianship, and students who are children of service personnel.  Students who are in any of these three categories are referred to as ‘disadvantaged’.

The government is not instructing schools on how they should spend this money.  However, it is clear that strategies to support students in raising their achievement and attainment will need to be employed and schools will be accountable for this. Funding can potentially be used for 1:1 tuition, educational visits, or resources and equipment. Please understand that every funding decision is made on a case by case basis, taking into account the priorities and progress of each student before contributions can be made. The current contribution that the Pupil Premium budget will allow us to provide for individual requests will be up to 1/3 of total costs.

If you feel that your circumstances may mean that your child could qualify for the Pupil Premium Fund/Free School Meals, please apply via the GCC online portal.  https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.

If you have any other queries about the Pupil Premium, do not hesitate to contact the school through the usual means of communication.