Pupil Premium

What is Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium Grant is additional government funding provided to schools to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in England.

The grant also provides support for children from service families through the Service Pupil Premium (SPP).

How is funding allocated to schools?

Pupil Premium funding is allocated based on the number of pupils who:

• are currently eligible for Free School Meals (FSM)
• have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point during the last six years (known as Ever 6 FSM)
• are, or have previously been, looked after by a local authority
• were adopted from care or left care under a Special Guardianship Order, Child Arrangements Order or Residence Order
• were in state care outside England and Wales and have since been adopted

Is your child eligible for Free School Meals?

Your child may be eligible for Free School Meals if you receive one of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit, provided your household income meets the current eligibility threshold
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Child Tax Credit (provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and your annual income does not exceed the current threshold)
• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
• The Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

If you think your child may be eligible, please contact the school office for further information or assistance with an application.

Even if your child receives Universal Infant Free School Meals, it is still important to apply if you are eligible, as this may secure additional funding for the school to support your child's education.

How should the funding be spent?

Pupil Premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils. Schools are not required to spend the funding solely on pupils who attract the grant, provided that the spending is focused on improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

Funding may be used:

• to support other pupils with identified needs, including those who have or have previously had a social worker
• to support young carers
• for whole-class or whole-school approaches that benefit disadvantaged pupils alongside their peers

Schools should focus their spending on three key areas:

1. High-quality teaching – including staff training and professional development.
2. Targeted academic support – including small-group interventions and tutoring.
3. Wider strategies – including support for attendance, behaviour, wellbeing and social and emotional development.

Pupil Premium Strategy

Please refer to our Pupil Premium Strategy Statement (available at the top of this page) for details of how funding is allocated and the impact it is having on pupils' outcomes at St Joseph's.

---