What is Pupil Premium?

Pupil premium is an additional contribution to main school funding in order to improve education outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. The funding aims to ‘narrow the gap’ in performance, that exists nationally, between vulnerable pupils and their peers.

The level of Pupil Premium funding allocated to Academies is based upon the number of pupils in Reception to Year 6 who are:

  • recorded as eligible for free school meals (FSM) or have been recorded as eligible in the past 6 years (FSM Ever 6)
  • previously looked-after children (PLAC): pupils who were looked after by a local authority or other state care immediately before being adopted, or who left local authority or other state care on a special guardianship order or child arrangements order (previously known as a residence order). This includes children adopted from state care or equivalent from outside England and Wales
  • looked-after children (LAC) supported by the authority, including those who attend academies. LAC are defined in the Children Act 1989 as those who are in the care of, or provided with accommodation by, an English local authority.
  • children and young people with parent/s in the regular armed forces – this is referred to as service pupil premium (SPP). They would also be eligible if one of their parents died whilst serving in the armed forces and the pupil receives a pension under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme or the War Pensions Scheme.

How much funding is allocated to Pupil Premium?

For the 2024-2025 academic year, Pupil Premium funding is £1,480 per child. Children who are looked after by the Local Authority or have previously been looked after by the Local Authority are funded £2,570. The Service Pupil Premium funds £340 per eligible pupil.

Am I eligible for Free School Meals?

Applications can be made on Suffolk’s ‘Applying for Free School Meals’ web page or by clicking on the link here.

By applying online for free school meals, you will get an immediate response and confirmation email after you’ve completed your application.

Your child will get free school meals if you receive any of the following:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit but no element of Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenues & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190
  • If you are supported under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after your employment finishes or after you start to work fewer hours per week
  • Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (£616.67 per month), as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods).

If you need support with your application, please call 0345 606 6067 for advice.

How is Pupil Premium spent?

To ensure that pupil premium is focused on effective approaches to raising the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils, schools  must spend their pupil premium grant (excluding service pupil premium) on evidence-informed activities in line with the ‘menu of approaches’ set by the Department for Education (DfE).

At Great Heath Academy, we allocate spending across the following areas:

  • developing high-quality teaching, for example through professional development and recruitment and retention
  • providing targeted academic support, such as one-to-one or small group tuition
  • tackling non-academic barriers to academic success, such as difficulties with attendance, behaviour and social and emotional wellbeing

We write a Pupil Premium Strategy each year to show how we are using our Pupil Premium effectively. Please click on the link below for more information on our pupil premium funding:

Great Heath Pupil Premium Strategy 2024 2025

 

Pupil Premium Strategy 2023 2024

 

Pupil Premium Strategy 2022 2023

 

If you would like further information about the Pupil Premium or think your child may be eligible then please contact the school office.