Pupil Premium is additional funding which is allocated to schools on the basis of the number of pupils who have been eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any point over the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’).

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 wealthier peers, by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most. The Department for Education urges schools and local authorities to encourage parents to register their children as eligible for FSM so that each school receives their maximum Pupil Premium entitlement.

Schools are free to spend the Pupil Premium as they see fit. However, they will be held accountable for how they have used the additional funding to support pupils from low-income families.

Funding 2023/2024

In 2023 to 2024 financial year, schools will receive the following funding for each child registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years:

£1,455 for pupils in reception year to year 6, and £2,530 for each pupil who has left local-authority care because of one of the following:

• adoption
• a special guardianship order
• a child arrangements order
• a residence order

Eligibility for Free School Meals and Pupil Premium

You may qualify if you are a parent, guardian or carer and receive one of the following:

• Income Support (IS) or you are a pupil receiving the benefit in your own right
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; or
• Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income (as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) that does not exceed £16,190
• The Guarantee element of the State Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit
• Children who get any of the above benefits in their own right (ie they get benefits payments directly, instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get free school meals.

Click HERE to check if you are eligible.

If your child does not have Free School Meals, but may be eligible because of your family’s income level, please contact the office (in confidence) to register them. Even if you do not wish them to have the meals, this would mean the school could still claim Pupil Premium Funding that may be used to help your child.

Use of Pupil Premium at Dove Bank

At Dove Bank we strive to maximise the impact of our pupil premium spending. Our clear Pupil Premium strategy ensures that the gap for our Ever 6 Free School Meal pupils is closed and eradicated.

In the academic year 2023-2024, our school will receive £49,810 in Pupil Premium funding. To ensure pupils reach their full potential, both academically and socially, Pupil Premium funding is allocated to a number of initiatives based on the priorities for pupils in our school.

To find out more information about the current priorities in school, and to see a breakdown of the spending in school for the current academic year, please open the ‘Pupil Premium Strategy’ below.