The Heights – Pupil Premium
Pupil premium funding, which is additional to the main school funding, is allocated to all schools, both maintained and academies, to address inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and those children who are not, in order to close the gap in attainment between them.
Entitlement and Use
Schools are currently given Pupil Premium funding for pupils whose families have registered for Free School Meals (FSM) or who have been registered for FSM at any point during the past 6 years. Pupils who have parents who are members of the armed forces are also entitled to additional funding, as are pupils who are looked after or who have been adopted from care.
The key purpose of the Pupil Premium funding is to enable all pupils to reach their full potential. Every school will decide how best to use the funding to enable all its pupils to reach age related expectations and they are held accountable for how it has been used to support pupils.
We recognise that barriers to achievement take a variety of forms and will do whatever it takes to support a child, both in and out of the classroom. We use all our resources to ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. In order to achieve this, we offer our children a wide range of opportunities and make sure that these are accessible for everyone. We work with our families and colleagues to make certain that everyone has high aspirations for all pupils. We also ensure pupil premium children are represented in pupil voice committees, eg School and Eco Councils and as Ambassadors in Years 5 & 6.
If parents are unsure whether or not your child is eligible for pupil premium funding, the process for applying is straightforward and confidential. They can speak to a member of the office staff, who will be able to assist them through this process. All enquiries will be treated in confidence.
KS1 and Free School Meals
Since September 2014 all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 have automatically been entitled to a free school lunch. However, registering for free meals could raise an extra funding for equipment, resources and activities to the benefit of all children. Being in receipt of the pupil premium fund can also help with the cost of school visits and extra-curricular clubs.