Pupil Premium Funding
Key Information
Pupil Premium Funding
What is Pupil Premium?
Pupil Premium is extra money that comes into our budget to help us make a positive difference to the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils. All schools are entitled to Pupil Premium. It is calculated by the number of pupils we have who are or were eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years or who are identified as looked after by a Local Authority (children in care or foster care).
Please read the information below which gives details of our Pupil Premium Grant and how we allocate the funding.
Why is Pupil Premium Important?
Nationally, there is a strong link between economic disadvantage and poor achievement in schools. Across the country there is a significant gap between the progress made by pupils eligible for free school meals and those who are not eligible. There are many reasons why this gap exists. Pupil Premium is given to schools to help us try to close this gap. It is important because it enables us to counteract the disadvantages that poverty imposes on children. It ensures we can put the support in place to help every child in our school thrive and fully master each stage of the curriculum.
Who is eligible?
Do any of the following apply to you?
- You receive Child Tax Credits (but not Working Tax Credit) and your gross annual family income is less than £16,190.
- You receive Income support.
- You receive Income Based Jobseekers Allowance. (Contributions Based Jobseekers allowance is not a qualifying benefit.)
- You receive Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
- You receive a Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit.
- You are an Asylum Seeker and receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS).
If so, you are eligible to claim Free School Meals and your child will receive the Pupil Premium Funding to help with their individual needs in school.
It is vital for parents to register their child as eligible for FSM so that Iver Village Infant School receives their maximum Pupil Premium entitlement.
We are aware that there a number of parents that do not take up the opportunity for their children to receive free school meals. This could be for a number of reasons which may include that their children prefer packed lunch or that they feel their child may somehow be stigmatised by receiving free school meals.
We would firstly like to reassure parents that receiving free school meals is a completely confidential matter and children who receive free school meals receive exactly the same dinner as a child who is not receiving free school meals. Secondly, your child does not have to have the school dinner provided and can carry on with their usual arrangement.
The school and your child benefit hugely in receiving the Pupil Premium funding.
Please speak to Mrs Major in the school office if you need assistance in registering for Free School Meals.