The Pupil Premium is allocated to schools based upon the number of students who :

• Are eligible for Free School Meals
• Have claimed Free School Meals in the last 6 years
• Are in Local Authority care and have been so continuously for more than six months
• Are part of Service families

Pupil premium is funding to improve education outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in schools in England. Evidence shows that disadvantaged children generally face additional challenges in reaching their potential at school and often do not perform as well as other pupils.

School leaders are best placed to assess their pupils’ needs and use the funding to improve attainment, drawing on evidence of effective practice. It is up to school leaders to decide how to spend the pupil premium.

Evidence suggests that pupil premium spending is most effective when schools use a tiered approach, targeting spending across 3 areas, with a particular focus on teaching.

1. Teaching

Investing in high-quality teaching, for example:
training and professional development for teachers

• recruitment and retention
• support for teachers early in their careers

2. Targeted academic support

Additional support for some pupils focussed on their specific needs, for example:

• one-to-one tuition
• small group tuition
• speech and language therapy

3. Wider approaches

Support for non-academic issues that impact success in school, such as attendance, behaviour and social and emotional challenges. For example:

• school breakfast clubs
• counselling to support emotional health and wellbeing
• help with the cost of educational trips or visits

If your child attends a state school, and you get one or more of the following you may be eligible free school meals:

• Income Support 
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance 
• Support under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act, 1999 
• Child Tax Credit, and your annual income is less than £16,190 
• Guaranteed Pension Credit 
• Income-based Employment and Support Allowance 
• Working Tax Credit run-on 
• Universal Credit, and your annual household income is £7,400 per annum (£616 per month) or less after tax, and not including any benefits.

For further information and to apply for Free School Meals, please visit the Worcestershire County Council - Worcestershire Children First website.