What is pupil premium funding?
Pupil premium funding from the government is given to schools to help pupils reach their full potential, regardless of their background or financial situation. It’s provided for pupils who:
Are recorded as eligible for free school meals, or have been recorded as eligible in the past 6 years, including eligible children of families who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF)
children looked after by local authorities, referred to as looked-after children
children previously looked after by a local authority or other state care, referred to as previously looked-after children
Service Pupil premium is additional funding for children whose parents are serving in the armed forces.
Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils, and schools do not have to spend pupil premium so that it solely benefits eligible pupils. Pupil premium can be used to support other pupils with identified needs. It can also be used for whole class interventions, for example high-quality teaching, which will also benefit non-disadvantaged pupils.
For example, we’ve previously used pupil premium funding for:
Is my child eligible for free school meals?
Free school meals are available to pupils in receipt of, or whose parents are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:
• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
• 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 Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
In addition, the following pupils will be protected against losing their free school meals as follows:
• Since 1 April 2018, all existing free school meals claimants have continued to receive free school meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out. This applies even if their earnings rise above the threshold during that time.
• In addition, any pupil gaining eligibility for free school meals after 1 April 2018 will be protected against losing free school meals until March 2025.
• After March 2025, any existing claimants that no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because they are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal Credit) will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary).
A pupil is only eligible to receive a free school meal when a claim for the meal has been made on their behalf and their eligibility, or protected status, has been verified by the school where they are enrolled or by the local authority.
Apply for free school meals (leeds.gov.uk)
Universal infant free school meals
Currently, pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2 are entitled to a free school meal thanks to a different government funding scheme known as universal infant free school meals (UIFSM). You shouldn’t confuse UIFSM with free schools meals and the pupil premium.
If your child is in reception, year 1 or year 2 and is eligible for free school meals according to the criteria above, you should still register because we’ll receive the extra pupil premium funding.
Does my child have to eat the free school meals?
No. Pupils who are registered for free school meals don’t have to eat them. If you’re eligible but you want your child to have packed lunches you should still register because the school will receive the funding which can support your child in other ways.
How do I register?
You only need to register once at the school. You can find full details of the FSM eligibility criteria and the link below for how to claim at the website below.
https://www.leeds.gov.uk/schools-and-education/apply-for-free-school-meals