What is Pupil Premium?

Introduced in 2011, the pupil premium is a sum of money given to schools each year by the Government to improve the attainment of disadvantaged children. This is based on research showing that children from low income families perform less well at school than their peers. Often, children who are entitled to pupil premium face challenges such as poor language and communication skills, lack of confidence and issues with attendance and punctuality. The pupil premium is intended to directly benefit the children who are eligible, helping to narrow the gap between them and their classmates.

Does my child benefit from Pupil Premium?

All children who currently qualify for free school meals based on their family circumstances are entitled to pupil premium. This applies if you receive any of the following benefits:

• Universal credit (provided you have a net income of £7400 or less)
• Income support
• Income-based jobseekers’ allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Support under Part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of state pension credit
• Child tax credit, provided that you are not also entitled to working tax credit and have an annual gross income of £16,190 or less

Children who are or have been in care, and children who have a parent who is or was in the armed forces, are also entitled to pupil premium.

If your child qualifies for free school meals or has at any point in the past six years, it’s important that you tell us – even if they're in Reception or KS1 and receive universal school meals for infant pupils, or are in KS2 and take a packed lunch – as this enables us to claim pupil premium. If you are unsure if your child qualifies, you can check by contacting North Tyneside Free School Meals.

How will this funding be spent?

Schools choose how to spend their pupil premium money, as they are best placed to identify what would be of most benefit to the children who are eligible. Common ways in which schools spend their pupil premium fund include:

• Extra one-to-one or small-group support for children within the classroom.
• Employing extra teaching assistants to work with classes.
• Running catch-up sessions, for example for children who need extra help with maths or literacy.
• Running a school breakfast club to improve attendance.
• Funding educational trips and visits.
• Paying for additional help such as speech and language therapy or family therapy.
• Funding English classes for children who speak another language at home.
• Investing in resources that boost children’s learning.

Pupil Premium Plus 

Pupil premium plus is funding to help improve the attainment of looked-after children and previously looked-after children. As with pupil premium, it is not a personal budget for individual children.

For looked-after children (pupils who are looked battery the local authority), pupil premium plus is managed by each local authority’s Virtual School Head for the purpose of supporting their educational attainment. The designated teacher for LAC at St Bernadette's and will work with Virtual School Heads to ensure that pupil premium plus for looked after children is used to meet the needs identified in their personal education plans.

For previously looked-after children (pupils who were previously looked after by the local authority) pupil premium plus is managed by school, alongside their pupil premium funding. The designated teacher for PLAC will liaise with staff, external agencies and carers to ensure the specific needs of previously looked-after child are reflected in how the school uses its funding. 

The Designated Teacher for Previously/Looked after children is Mrs Fallon

For 2021/2022 St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School is expected to receive £80,700 and a further £6960 in Recovery Premium - totalling £87,660

Click here to register for Free School Meals