Pupil Premium
Pupil premium is additional funding given to publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers.
The Government allocates an additional amount of money known as the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding. They believe it is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their less disadvantaged peers by ensuring that funding intended to narrow the attainment gap reaches the pupils who need it most. Schools are obliged to report annually on how they spend this money and what impact it has on pupil progress.
The Pupil Premium Grant is additional funding which comes from the Government to support some families. This grant must be spent to support eligible children both socially and academically and it is the school’s decision where this is best spent to improve educational outcomes. This money can be used to support Pupil Premium children by funding school trips, added expenses for families etc. Like most schools, we use this funding to provide additional staffing hours, extra provision and opportunities for pupils.
Pupil Premium funding is awarded through the following criteria:
- To children who are eligible for free school meals or have been registered at any time in the past 6 years.
- Children who have been in local authority care for 1 day or more in England and Wales, have been adopted from care in England or Wales or have left care under a special guardianship order or residence order in England or Wales.
- Children of Forces Families.
Is my child eligible for free school meals?
Your child may be eligible for free school meals if you are in receipt of 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)
The Difference Between Free School Meals (PP) and Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM)
Free School Meals are different from the government funding scheme known as Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM). Universal Infant Free School Meals entitles children in Reception through to Year 2 to have a free school meal but who might not be eligible for pupil premium funding. If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 and is eligible for free school meals according to the criteria mentioned, you should still register because we will then receive the extra pupil premium funding.
Does my child have to eat the free school meals?
No. Pupils who are registered for free school meals do not have to eat them. If you are eligible but want your child to have packed lunches, you should still register because the school will receive the funding which can support your child in other ways.
Springdale will be using Online Free School Meals (OFSM) to administer our free school meal provision.
OFSM provides a simple online form for the Parent/Carer to fill out, it then automates the entire process by which an application can be made and a decision notified.
By using this system Parents and Carers will benefit from:
- Offers a faster, simpler, easier and more convenient application process
- Delivers speedier notification of benefit entitlement
- Removes the need for paper proof of benefit
- Enables applications to be made in privacy via mobile phone, tablet, PC, internet-enabled TV or console
- Reduces application errors through computer assisted form validation
- Removes the need for reapplication whilst eligibility continues
- Removes stigma as face-to-face meetings no longer needed for application
- Saves time and money
To apply for Free School Meals please click on the link below:
Online Free School Meal Application Form
You can view our current and previous academic year Pupil Premium Action plans by clicking on the links below. All reports are also available upon request from the school office.
Pupil Premium Action Plan 2020-2021