Financial Reports

Free School Meals and Pupil Premium – what does this mean for me and my child?

Pupil Premium is a sum of money given to schools each year by the Government to improve the attainment of children from low income families

This is based on research showing that these particular children perform less well at school than their peers. Pupil Premium is intended to directly benefit the children who are eligible, helping to diminish the difference between them and their classmates

Schools can choose how to spend their Pupil Premium money, as they are best placed to identify what would be of most benefit to the children who are eligible. Here are a number of ways in which Hamstreet Primary spends Pupil Premium funding:

Extra one-to-one or small-group support for children within the classroom.
Employing extra teaching assistants to work with classes.
Running a school breakfast club to improve attendance.
Providing extra tuition for able children who receive the Pupil Premium.
Providing music lessons for children whose families would be unable to pay for them.
Funding educational trips and visits, including residential trips.
Paying for additional help such as speech and language therapy or family therapy.
Investing in resources that boost children’s learning.
Items of uniform.
Providing incentives to improve attendance

Often, all of the children in a class will reap some benefit from how we spend our Pupil Premium: for example, if the money is used to fund an additional teaching assistant. But research shows that the fund does help to narrow gaps between disadvantaged children and their peers, particularly in English and maths

We are required by the government to show that we are using our Pupil Premium fund appropriately. This is measured through Ofsted inspections and annual performance tables showing the progress made by children who are eligible for Pupil Premium. In addition, we are required to publish details on our website, including how much money we have been allocated, how we intend to spend it, how we spent the previous year’s allocation and how it made a difference to the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.

Your child may be eligible for free school meals – and accordingly Pupil Premium – if you receive any of the following benefits

Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Universal Credit

Universal Free School Meals

Children in Reception and Years 1 and 2 qualify for Universal Free School Meals, regardless of their family income, but only the children who would have qualified for free meals under the above income-based criteria will receive the Pupil Premium.

How to find out if you’re eligible and how to claim

If you live in Kent, go to:

http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/free-school-meals

Alternatively, go to:

www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

You will be asked to enter your postcode so you can be re-directed to your local authority’s website.

Instructions on both websites are clear and easy to follow.

Pupil Premium Expenditure Plan: 2018-2019

In 2011-2012 the Government launched its Pupil Premium funding. 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. Click the logo to see what the Academy spends the money on and the impact it has had on educational attainment.