Pupil Premium

What is the Pupil Premium?

The pupil premium is additional funding given to schools to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their non-disadvantaged peers. The funding is allocated to schools on the basis of the number of:

  • Pupils in receipt of free school meals at any point in the last 6 years (Ever 6 FSM)
  • Looked After Children (LAC, adopted of special guardianship)
  • Pupils who have left care through adoption or another formal route such as a special guardianship order or child arrangement order
  • Service children

This money is used to help disadvantaged pupils overcome any barriers to their learning and to ensure they reach their full potential.

Are you claiming your entitlement to free school meals?

As parents, you need to know that registering for free school meals is important for two reasons. You will be reassured that your child has access to a healthy lunchtime meal as well as additional funding to support interventions targeted to raise your child’s achievement and aspirations.

To apply free school meals, parents must have one or more children aged four or over attending a local authority maintained school in Kent and be in receipt of one of the following:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Guaranteed element of State 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 - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

If you think you are eligible please register on the KCC website at: 
www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/free-school-meals. If you need help completing the form, don’t have access to the internet, or you would like to know more, please contact Mrs Murphy.