What is the Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium is additional funding paid to schools in respect of their disadvantaged pupils (pupils who have been registered for free schools meals (FSM) at any point in the last six years or are looked after continuously by the local authority for more than six months).

Research shows that if you are a child eligible for free school meals in Surrey, you are significantly less likely to reach age expected levels of attainment at 5, 7 and 11 years old. Low attainment at school is associated with reduced life chances. The consequences can be felt socially and economically but above all, there is a moral dimension to education; it is a force for good, for personal advancement and for social mobility.

There is also Pupil Premium funding for pupils with parents in the Armed forces. In the main, service children achieve very well at school. However, there can be additional needs relating to service children’s emotional and social well-being and schools can use the Service Premium to fund additional pastoral care, if they feel that is appropriate. The Government has now further extended the coverage of the Pupil Premium in recognition of the traumatic experiences many adopted children have endured in their early lives and acknowledging that their needs do not change overnight. Therefore, schools receive this funding to support their eligible pupils and narrow the attainment gap between them and their peers.

Pupil Premium is increasingly a significant proportion of our budget and the information below outlines how we will ensure it is spent for maximum effect. This expenditure is updated annually.