Pupil Premium
The Government introduced ‘Pupil Premium’ in 2011. The ‘Pupil Premium’ is additional funding paid to schools to support their eligible pupils to reduce the difference in attainment and progress between these pupils and their peers.
Pupil Premium pupils are pupils that have been recorded as eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any point in the last six years (Ever 6 FSM) or pupils in care who have been continuously looked after for more than six months by the local authority (Looked After Child- LAC). The funding for the financial year 2022-23 is £1385 per pupil. For Looked After Children; or children who have ceased to be looked after by a local authority in England and Wales because of adoption, a special guardianship order, a child arrangement order or a residence order; the funding is £2345 per pupil.
The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers by ensuring that funding to tackle any disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most. We urge parents to register their child as eligible for FSM if applicable, to ensure school can receive maximum funding.
Schools have the freedom to spend the Pupil Premium, in a way they think will best support the raising of attainment and progress. Schools are accountable to the DfE who will include the achievements in their performance tables.