Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium and Early Years Pupil Premium is additional funding for schools in England to raise the attainment of children and close the gap between groups of children.

Which children are entitled to Pupil Premium?

Pupil Premium is additional government funding provided to schools to help improve the attainment and wellbeing of disadvantaged pupils. A child may be entitled to Pupil Premium if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

They are currently eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) or have been eligible at any point in the last six years (this is known as Ever 6 FSM).
They are or have been looked after by the local authority (for example, children in care or previously in care, including those adopted from care or under a special guardianship or child arrangements order).
They are a service child, meaning one or both parents are serving in the armed forces or have done so in the past.

Pupil Premium funding is allocated to the school, not directly to families, and is used to provide targeted support for eligible pupils.

How do I know if I am eligible for Free School Meals?

Your child may be eligible for Free School Meals if you receive certain benefits, such as:

Universal Credit (with an annual household income below the government threshold)
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit and an income below the threshold)
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Applying for Free School Meals is confidential and does not affect the meals your child chooses. Even if your child does not want to take a school meal, registering is important because it may enable the school to receive Pupil Premium funding to support them.

Parents can check eligibility and apply via their local authority or through the government guidance below:

Free School Meals eligibility guidance: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

If you are unsure, the school office will be happy to help you check eligibility.

How much additional funding does a school receive per Pupil Premium child?

The amount of Pupil Premium funding a school receives depends on the category of eligibility. For primary-aged pupils, the current funding rates are approximately:

£1,455 for each pupil eligible for Free School Meals (Ever 6 FSM)
£2,530 for each pupil who is or has been looked after by the local authority
£335 for each service child

Funding rates are set by the government and may change each year. Up-to-date information can be found here:

Pupil Premium funding guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium

What difference does Pupil Premium make?

Pupil Premium funding allows schools to provide targeted support to help eligible pupils achieve their full potential. This may include:

Additional support in reading, writing and mathematics
Small group or one-to-one interventions
Emotional wellbeing and pastoral support
Help with enrichment activities, trips or resources
Support to improve attendance, confidence and engagement in learning

Schools are required to use Pupil Premium funding effectively and to publish information showing how the funding is spent and the impact it has on pupils’ outcomes.

Further information for parents:

Overview of Pupil Premium: https://www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and-alternative-provision-settings

Our Pupil Premium Strategy

At our school, we are committed to ensuring that all pupils, regardless of background, are given the opportunity to succeed. Our Pupil Premium Strategy outlines how we use additional funding to remove barriers to learning, raise attainment and support pupils’ academic progress, wellbeing and personal development. The strategy is reviewed annually to ensure that our approach is evidence-informed, responsive to pupils’ needs and has a measurable impact on outcomes.

St Bede's Pupil Premium Strategy 2025-2028