Pupil Premium represents additional funding that the government gives to schools for each pupil considered to be disadvantaged.

Poverty or low income is the single most important factor in predicting a child’s future life chances, with many pupils in low income families having low attainment by age 16. The Government believes that the Pupil Premium is the best way to address these underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.

Pupil Premium funding 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’).
• are Looked after Children (LAC).
• have ceased to be looked after by a local authority in England and Wales because of adoption, a special guardianship order, a child arrangements order or a residence order.
• Have received the Service Premium Grant within the last five years (known as Ever 5 Service Child).

The Pupil Premium is aimed at addressing the current underlying inequalities which exist between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their more affluent peers.

LAC- Looked After Child: a child who is being looked after by the local authority is known as a child in care. They might be living:

• with foster parents
• at home with their parents under the supervision of social services
• in residential children's homes
• other residential settings like schools or secure units.

They might have been placed in care voluntarily by parents struggling to cope, otherwise, children's services may have intervened because a child was at significant risk of harm.

Free School Meals: Free School Meals are available to any full-time student who is still at school and eligible. This includes nursery children who attend full days and also sixth form students. Parents and carers with pupils aged 16-18 in Further Education can apply for free school meals. Children may be eligible for Free School Meals can be if the household in which they live receive one or more of the following:

• Universal Credit.
• Income Support.
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of £16,190 or less, as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs

Where a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work less than 16 hours per week, their children are entitled to free school lunches. Children who receive a qualifying benefit in their own right are also eligible to receive Free School Meals.

Service Child: The Service Pupil Premium is provided to schools who have children of Regular Armed Forces personnel among their pupil population to provide additional (mainly pastoral) support.