What is Pupil Premium?

Pupil Premium is an allocation of funding from the Government that is given separately to the main school budget.  The government provide this money to help the school address the current national underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers. The funding is to ensure that provision is in place for those disadvantaged children who need it most. Pupil Premium is allocated to schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’). There is also an allocation for children who are “Looked After”, adopted or children of service personnel.

The range of provision the school is using may include:

• Small group or 1:1 work with an experienced teacher or teaching assistant that is focused on closing gaps in learning
• Booster groups and interventions to accelerate progress and ensuring pupils achieve at least age-related expectations
• Resources aimed at raising standards, particularly in reading, mathematics and phonics.
• Extra-curricular enrichment (e.g. trips, learning a musical instrument and clubs)
• Emotional literacy support to promote emotional wellbeing and resilience which in turn impacts learning

Free School Meals

All children in Reception, Y1 or Y2 are now entitled to the universal free school meals initiative meaning that all children in these year groups have a delicious and healthy meal every day in school, free of charge. This is different to Pupil Premium and we would still urge parents to complete a Free School Meals application as their child may still be eligible for the Pupil Premium Grant helping us to further support their child’s development and learning.

Parents or carers who think their child may be eligible for Pupil Premium should either contact the school office for more information or follow this link ‘Cambridgeshire FSM' in order to apply online or complete the form below. For more information please see Free School Meals Explained by Cambridgeshire County Council or contact them directly: 

Education Welfare Benefits Team

Email: ewb.fsm@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01223 703 200

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply for Pupil Premium Funding if you receive any of the benefits listed below:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 a year (as of April 2018)

Children who are in care or have been in care for 1 day or more, and are subsequently adopted or subject to a Special Guardianship / Child Arrangement order are also eligible. There is also a Service Pupil Premium allocated to pupils of families who serve in the Forces.

Pupil Premium Strategy  

All schools are required to publish their Pupil Premium Strategy. This sets out how we intend to spend our allocation to address barriers to learning and the rationale behind our decisions. The Pupil Premium is a government initiative that targets additional money for children who need more support in school. The government uses the number of children on free school meals as an indicator of the level of deprivation that may impact education. It should be noted that the strategies facilitated by the introduction of the Pupil Premium are planned for the academic year (September - August) whereas the allocation is received for a financial year (April - March).

We have identified areas where children receiving pupil premium may require additional support. These include:

1. ‘Narrowing the gap’ in the attainment of pupils eligible for Pupil Premium. 
2. Supporting pupils in their self-organisation skills, resilience and determination. Ensuring pupils are able to work independently and with confidence. 
3. Supporting behavioural, social and emotional problems.
4. Providing enrichment opportunities within and outside school.    

Pupil Premium Statement