Pupil Premium
Background
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.
Mainstream and non-mainstream settings receive additional funding for each child that is registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.
An allocation is also made for looked after children who:
- have been looked after for one day or more
- are adopted from care on or after 30 December 2005
- leave care under a Special Guardianship Order or a Residence Order
The government believes that headteachers and school leaders should decide how to use Pupil Premium. We are held accountable for the decisions we make through:
- the performance tables which show the performance of disadvantaged pupils compared with their peers;
- the Ofsted inspection framework, where inspectors focus on the attainment of pupil groups, and in particular those who attract the pupil premium;
- requiring schools to publish details online each year of how they are using the pupil premium and the impact it is having on pupil achievement.
The funding is allocated for each financial year, but the information published online should refer to the academic year, as this is how parents and the general public understand the school year. Whilst the grant allocation is made on the basis of financial years, schools both plan teaching and other support and conduct assessments over the academic year.
Read more about the Pupil Premium on the gov.uk website (external link).