Pupil premium is additional funding provided to schools for supporting more disadvantaged pupils to ensure they benefit from the same opportunities as all other children. There are three categories of children that qualify for pupil premium:
- Children who are eligible for free school meals (FSM)
- Looked after children
- Armed forces children
Pupil premium funding has been used to provide the respective children with appropriate support to make the expected progress in their learning.
The additional support includes one or more of the following:
- Working with the teaching assistant/teacher in class.
- Receiving extra support and intervention by a teacher and or teaching assistant out of and within core lessons.
- Participation in other intervention programmes identified and organised by the SENDCo and Inclusion Lead eg spelling or reading programmes.
The respective children’s progress and attainment is tracked and monitored carefully to ensure they achieve their full potential.
Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of 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 - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.
Your child may also get free school meals if you get any of these benefits and your child is both:
- younger than the compulsory age for starting school
- in full-time education
If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll remain eligible until they finish the phase of schooling (primary or secondary) they’re in on 31 March 2022.
You can apply for free school meals via this website link:
https://www.swindon.gov.uk/schoolmeals
Government guidance on Pupil Premium funding and accountability for schools can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and-alternative-provision-settings