The pupil premium is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England. It's designed to help disadvantaged pupils of all abilities perform better, and close the gap between them and their peers. 

The funding is allocated to schools based on the number of:

• Students in receipt of free school meals at any point in the last 6 years (Ever 6 FSM) 
• Looked After Children (LAC), adopted or special guardianship 
• Students who have left care through adoption or another formal route such as a Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangement Order 
• Service children

School leaders are best placed to assess their pupils’ needs and use the funding to improve attainment, drawing on evidence of effective practice. It is up to school leaders to decide how to spend the pupil premium.

Evidence suggests that pupil premium spending is most effective when schools use a tiered approach, targeting spending across 3 areas, with a particular focus on teaching.

1. Teaching

Investing in high-quality teaching, for example:

• training and professional development for teachers
• recruitment and retention
• support for teachers early in their careers

2. Targeted academic support

Additional support for some pupils focussed on their specific needs, for example:

• one-to-one tuition
• small group tuition
• speech and language therapy

3. Wider approaches

Support for non-academic issues that impact success in school, such as attendance, behaviour and social and emotional challenges, for example:

• school breakfast clubs
• counselling to support emotional health and wellbeing
• help with the cost of educational trips or visits

If you think you may be entitled to Free School Meals, please click here for further information. Even if your child already receives a free school meal because they are in Reception or Key Stage 1, your application will generate additional funding for school which can then be used to support your child.