Pupil Premium – why is it so important?

What is Pupil Premium?

The pupil premium grant is a government scheme covering all state-funded schools in England. The pupil premium grant is additional funding given to the school for those students who qualify, to improve the attainment of disadvantaged children and to support their learning and development.

The Government believes that the pupil premium grant is the best way to address underlying inequalities and to improve attainment of students from lower income families. The extra financial support is aimed to help disadvantaged students have the same opportunities for educational achievement as their peers.

Does your child qualify for pupil premium?

Parents/carers who are in receipt of any of the following welfare benefits qualify for the pupil premium grant:

  • 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)

Free School Meals

The most common reason a student receives pupil premium funding is because a parent is registered as receiving a benefit that entitles them to free school meals. This is not the same as receiving a free school meal for your child in early years and KS1.

It is very important that parents make their school aware that their child is eligible for free school meals, as it will automatically allow the school to receive extra funding that will help improve their child’s education.

Our pupils who receive a free school meal receive a daily allowance of £2.20 in our dining hall towards their lunch.

Children with no recourse to public funds (NRPF)

If you do not qualify for most benefits, (‘no recourse to public funds’) your child may still be eligible for free school meals. Please review the following link and then contact the school or local authority if you think that this applies to you.

NRPF Details

How much is the pupil premium grant in 2024/25?

  • Secondary schools get £1,050 for every eligible student
  • Schools receive £2,570 for children who are looked after by the local authority as defined in the Children Act 1989 as one who is in the care of, or provided with accommodation by, an English local authority and for those children who have ceased to be looked after by a local authority because of adoption, a special guardianship order, or child arrangements order.

How is pupil premium spent?

Schools can choose how to spend their pupil premium funding, as they are best placed to identify what would be of most benefit to the children who are eligible. The pupil premium has to be used by the school to enhance the individual learning of the qualifying student.

Common ways in which Hebburn Comprehensive School spend their funding are:

  • Extra one-to-one or small group support within classrooms
  • Running catch up sessions for those who need extra help
  • Providing extra tuition.
  • Providing music enrichment.
  • Investing in resources that boost learning.

Often, all of the children in a class will reap some benefits from how the school chooses to spend their pupil premium. Research shows that the fund does help to narrow gaps between disadvantaged children and their classmates, particularly in English and Maths.

How are schools held accountable?

The Ofsted Inspection Framework ensures that their inspectors focus on the attainment of vulnerable students and in particular those who attract the Pupil Premium grant.

How do I apply?

You only need to apply once, and the funding is then given for the entire period of time your child attends our school. Please complete your application as soon as possible via the following link and we will check eligibility via South Tyneside Local Authority DWP Team – https://forms.office.com/e/jj9HYPLyM4

If you need any support with the application, please contact the school and a member of staff will be happy to help.