The Purpose of Pupil Premium

Publicly-funded schools in England get extra funding from the government to help them improve the attainment of their disadvantaged pupils.

Evidence shows that children from disadvantaged backgrounds:

• generally face extra challenges in reaching their potential at school
• often do not perform as well as their peers

The Pupil Premium grant is designed to allow schools to help disadvantaged pupils by improving their progress and the exam results they achieve.

 

How do schools spend the Pupil Premium?

Schools are allowed to spend their Pupil Premium funding in whatever ways they see fit. This is because teachers and educational leaders are the most qualified at identifying what their pupils need most. However, the government advises that schools carefully plan their spending and ensure that the funding is not simply absorbed into the mainstream school budget. They are encouraged to ensure that spending is carefully targeted to increase the achievements of their disadvantaged pupils. Research has continued to show that if spent in the correct ways, Pupil Premium funding can help to increase the academic ability of underprivileged children; particularly in core subjects such as Maths and English.

Some of the most common ways that schools can spend their funding include:

• Hiring teaching assistants that can provide additional support during lessons.
• Investing in technology and resources that will benefit a child’s learning such as computers and tablets.
• Providing additional one-to-one tutoring for core subjects such as English and Maths.
• Paying for English lessons for pupils that speak a different language at home.
• Funding school trips for children who otherwise would not be able to afford them.
• Providing transportation for children who live far away from school to increase attendance.
• Paying for school equipment and uniforms for disadvantaged children.
• Providing children with extra tuition that can help to support them at home such as cooking lessons.
• Funding anger management sessions for children that struggle with their behaviour.
• Paying for counselling or family support sessions for children that have a difficult time at home.
• Organising extra-curricular activities such as music, drama and sports clubs.
• Providing support for children who require speech and language therapy.

The Pupil Premium can increase the educational quality that a school can provide to their disadvantaged pupils. More often than not, other members of the school community will also benefit from the investments made with the Pupil Premium funding. For example, teachers will be able to spend more one-to-one time with children in class due to the additional support of a teaching assistant.

 

How Does my Child Receive Pupil Premium (which includes free school meals)?

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 at state schools in England automatically get free school meals. However, parents and guardians are encouraged to apply for free school meals when they enrol their child in school, as this can help their child’s school to attract additional Pupil Premium funding to support learning.

From Year 3 onwards, children whose parents are getting any of the following are entitled to free school meals:

• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods).
• Income Support (IS).
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA).
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (IRESA).
• The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit.
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, that does not exceed £16,190).
• Working Tax Credit run-on  (the payment you get for a further 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit).

 

How To Apply for Pupil Premium for my Child / Children.

Apply through the Devon Citizens Portal. This is the quickest and easiest way to apply and will result in you getting an instant decision. Alternatively, call the Education Helpline on 0345 155 1019.

 

If you have ideas about how the Pupil Premium (Government money for pupils entitled to Free School Meals) funding can be spent, please let us know.  

You can find more data about Southmead on the Government website.

Service Pupil Premium - Money for pupils from Military Families – by Ian Cheeseman, Unit Welfare Officer, RMB Chivenor.
Each military child is allocated £300. The money is used by schools to cover a range of benefits including staffing, training and pastoral support. Southmead takes advice from organisations such as Service Children in State Schools to ensure we deliver “Best Practice”.
Spending plans are posted on the school website and discussed at Chivenor Parish meetings held at RMB Chivenor throughout the year and will be attended by Mr Nick Plumb on behalf of the school. Records are kept of all expenditure and this is regularly reviewed.
Families are welcome to contribute ideas for how the money could be spent to help their child and are asked to do so in writing. The key things parents have requested so far are:- financial support for clubs, music tuition, trips, residential, homework and uniform. If you have ideas which you feel would benefit your child or the wider school community please contact the school office.