Pupil Premium

Since April 2011 the Government has provided schools with funding, called the Pupil Premium. This is based on the number of children who are entitled to one or more of the following; are free school meals, are a member of a family in the Armed Forces or are registered as being a Looked After Child. The funding formula for each category is different.

The purpose of the funding is to help support schools in their work in supporting children’s learning; social, emotional and behavioural needs; enrichment beyond the normal curriculum; and family/community needs. Evidence shows that many children classified as Pupil Premium are often disadvantaged with their education and would benefit from additional support.

Schools are able to choose how to best spend this money in order to support individual and groups of children, according to their specific needs. It is not the case that a specific amount of money must be spent on a particular child.

 

Could you be entitled to Pupil Premium Funding support or are you
changing phase from Primary to Secondary School?
Are you eligible for Free School Meals?

If you think you are eligible please contact Central Bedfordshire on the number below. As well as receiving the option to have Free School Meals you may also be entitled to a variety of initiatives at school. These may include free access to Breakfast Club, support with the cost of Food Tech, help towards uniform, subsidised music lessons, help towards the cost of school trips as well as other initiatives throughout the year.

The qualifying benefits to receive free school meals for children in Year 3 and over are:

  • 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 guaranteed 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 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
  • Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

 

If you think you meet the free school meals eligibility criteria, please call Central Bedfordshire Council on 0300 300 8306. When you call to apply for free school meals, please have the
following information ready:

  • National Insurance numbers and dates of birth for you and your partner
  • dates of birth for your children
  • if you receive support from the National Asylum Support Service, your NASS number

The school will then be informed and you will receive further information. If you would like to find out more about how the school uses the funding to support pupils in the school, you can find more information on the school’s Pupil Premium Strategy on the school’s website https://www.henlowacademy.co.uk/web/pupil_premium/643783  or contact Mrs Jodie Gregory (jgregory@henlowacademy.org.uk). For more information on how to apply for Free School Meals, please contact Central Bedfordshire Council directly on 0300 300 8306.