The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.

The Government has decided that eligibility for the Pupil Premium will include pupils who have been eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any point in the last six years (FSM Ever6) or who are 'looked After children' (children in care or adopted).

A premium has also been introduced for children whose parents are currently serving in the armed forces.

Please inform the Academy if you are a Service family so that this can be noted on the school census in October and enable the school to claim the Service Pupil Premium (SPP).

The £355 (reception to Year 11) Premium was introduced by the Department for Education (DfE) as part of the commitment to delivering the Armed Forces Covenant. The premium enables schools to provide extra support for children with parents in the Armed Forces.

Eligibility:

• Children of currently serving Service personnel.
• Children of members of the Full Time Reserve Service Full Commitment.
• Children with a parent who has died in Service and are in receipt of a pension through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme/War Pensions Scheme.
• Children who have been recorded as a Service child on a school census in England at any time within the last 6 years. This covers children with parents who may now have left the Armed Forces but a school will continue to receive SPP under the DfE’s ever 6 Service child measure.

SPP is separate from the Pupil Premium. Schools decide how the money is to be spent on Service children mainly through pastoral support. Unlike the Pupil Premium, SPP is not for attainment; however, mobile Service children may need targeted help in a new school to catch up with their class or to cover gaps in understanding due to missing out on key learning areas. More information for parents and carers is available here: Service Pupil Premium: examples of best practice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)