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Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011 as additional government funding for schools to address the underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals and their peers. It is now allocated to children from low-income families who are currently known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked-after and children who have ceased to be looked after because of adoption, a special guardianship order, a child arrangements order or a residence order.

The grant may be spent in the following ways:

  • for the purposes of the school i.e. for the educational benefit of pupils registered at that school
  • for the benefit of pupils registered at other maintained schools or academies
  • on community facilities e.g. services whose provision furthers any charitable purpose for the benefit of pupils at the school or their families, or people who live and work in the locality in which the school is situated.

Are you eligible to apply for free school meals?

If your child is eligible for free school meals, it is worth registering them even if they're not going to have the school lunch as it will have a direct impact on the funding we receive and the support we can provide. Your child may be entitled to free school meals, if you are entitled to receive any of the following:

  • 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 are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of no more than £16,190
  • Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
  • Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Please ask at the office how to register your child for free school meals, or you can complete Wiltshire Council's online form: freeschoolmeals.