Pupil Premium
What is the Pupil Premium?
The Pupil Premium is a government initiative which provides additional funding to schools each year to help schools close the attainment gap between children identified as disadvantaged and their peers. The purpose of the extra funding, is to provide additional resources from outside the school’s budget to accelerate progress and raise attainment. It is the school’s decision as to how the Pupil Premium is spent and this is outlined in our 'Pupil Premium Strategy'. In 2026/27 the funding allocated is £1550 per child of Primary School age, and £2690 for children who have previously been looked after by the Local Authority.
Who is eligible for the Pupil Premium Grant?
Children who are eligible, or have been eligible, for free school meals (FSM) at any point over the past 6 years or have been looked after for one day or more by the Local Authority. Children who have a parent serving in the armed forces are also eligible for the Service Pupil Premium (SPP).
From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, the Department for Education (DfE) is delivering an expansion to FSM eligibility to include all pupils from households in receipt of Universal Credit. There will then be 2 categories of FSM:
- Targeted FSM, which continues to be based on the existing £7,400 income threshold
- Expanded FSM, which will apply to meals only, covering pupils who do not qualify for Targeted FSM, but who are in households in receipt of Universal Credit
Following the expansion of FSM, only pupils eligible for Targeted FSM will be part of the Ever 6 FSM cohort. This means that pupils who become eligible for FSM for the first time through the new Expanded FSM category will not attract pupil premium funding.
Pupils who were eligible for FSM before the expansion will continue to be part of the Ever 6 FSM cohort after the expansion. That includes any pupil whose household income increases after the expansion, such that they either lose FSM eligibility altogether or become eligible for FSM through Expanded FSM. Such pupils will remain part of the Ever 6 FSM cohort for 6 years.