What is the Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium is additional funding given to schools so that they can support specific groups of pupils who may be at risk of underachievement.

Nationally there is a gap in attainment between children who are eligible for Free School Meals and their peers. The main purpose of the Pupil Premium is to close this gap by raising the achievement and aspirations of disadvantaged groups of children. The Pupil Premium is intended to help schools to provide targeted support to improve the life chances of these children so that they can reach their full potential.

Who is eligible for the Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium is allocated to schools for pupils who are known to be eligible for Targeted Free School Meals (FSM) or who have been eligible at any point in the past 6 years. It is also allocated for children who have been looked after by the local authority continuously for more than 6 months, as well as children who have been adopted.

A smaller grant is also allocated for children whose parents serve in the armed forces. Nationally, this group of children is not under-achieving compared to their peers but the premium enables schools to provide extra support including pastoral support where required. Children whose parents have left the Services since April 2011 (when the Premium was first introduced) will still be eligible, up to a maximum of six years.

Who is entitled to Free School Meals?

If your child is eligible for free school meals, it is worth registering them even if they are not going to have the school lunch. It will have a direct impact on the funding and will maximise the support we can provide. Your child may be entitled to Free School Meals, if you are entitled to receive any of the following:

Free school meals are available to children whose parents or carers receive one of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Households may also be entitled to a meal if they:

• are in receipt of income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• receive the guarantee element of Pension Credit
• meet criteria set out in separate guidance for families with no recourse to public funds

Targeted free school meals 

Children may be entitled to Targeted FSM if their parent or carer receives certain qualifying benefits and meets specific income-related criteria.

Eligibility under this scheme is used to determine whether a school receives additional funding through the Pupil Premium, which supports children from lower-income families.

Expanded free school meals 

Children will be entitled to Expanded FSM if their parent or carer receives Universal Credit, regardless of household income.

This expanded entitlement increases access to free meals; however, Pupil Premium funding will continue to be based on the targeted eligibility criteria.

Department for Education Articles and advice for children and young people.