What is the pupil premium?

The pupil premium is a sum of money given to schools each year to support:

• Raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities to reach their potential
• Children and young people with parents in the regular armed forces.

Why do schools receive this?

Research shows that children who are in low income families do less well than those who are not. They sometimes face challenges such as poor language skills, less family support and issues with attendance and punctuality. The extra funding is intended to directly benefit those pupils who are eligible.

Your child is eligible if he or she:

• Has qualified for free school meals at any point in the last six years
• Has been looked after under local authority care for more than one day, been adopted from care or has left care
• Has a parent in the regular armed forces.

How is it spent?

Academies can choose how to spend the money for the educational benefit of the pupils of the academy. All academies are accountable for how they spend the money and Ofsted will report on the attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils who attract the pupil premium during an inspection.