Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium

An Introduction to Pupil Premium

Pupil premium funding is additional funding received by schools for each pupil from disadvantaged families or background. It’s allocated to schools based on the number of children who come from low-income families – this is defined as those who are currently known to be eligible for free school meals. This is based on research that shows that, as a group, children who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in time have consistently lower educational attainment than those who have never been eligible for free school meals. It also includes:
 
  • pupils who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years
  • children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months
  • children where a parent serves in the armed forces
For our school, it is important to note that we invest the pupil premium in our pupils regardless of whether they are low attaining or not. 

Common barriers for FSM children can be less support at home, weak language and communication skills, lack of confidence, more frequent behaviour difficulties, and attendance and punctuality issues. There may also be complex family situations that prevent children from flourishing. The challenges are varied and there is no ‘one size fits all’. Our key objective in using the Pupil Premium Grant is to narrow the gap between pupil groups.

As a school we have a good track record of ensuring that pupils make at least expected progress. Through targeted interventions we are working to eliminate barriers to learning and progress. For children who start school with low attainment on entry, our aim is to ensure that they make accelerated progress in order to reach age related expectations or above as they move through the school. We have analysed our data and have made use of research on good practice in using Pupil Premium funding, such as the Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit tool-kit, to inform our decision making.
 
 
Free School Meals for Primary School Pupils

Some children are eligible for free school meals and it is very important that we identify these pupils.  This is because each child registered under the original scheme attracts valuable funding for their school.

You can apply through the Devon County Council website using the following link Devon Free School Meals this is the quickest and easiest way to apply and will result in you getting an instant decision or you can call the Education Helpline on 0345 155 1019.

Remember that every child in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 is entitled to receive a free school meal regardless of the outcomes of this registration form, but completion of the form may bring valuable funds for the school. 

 
The Pupil Premium and Farway CE Primary School

It is a legal requirement that we publish details of our Pupil Premium allocation, outlining the spending of this money and the impact of this spending on the educational attainment of those pupils in respect of whom the funding was allocated.