Pupil Premium and Free School Meals
What is Pupil Premium?
The Pupil Premium is additional funding provided by the government to help state-funded schools ensure every child receives the support they need to thrive.
Schools receive this extra funding for children who are eligible for Targeted Free School Meals (or have been eligible at any point in the last six years), as well as for children who are looked after in foster or local authority care, adopted from care, or have a parent serving in the British Armed Forces.
The funding is not a personal budget for individual pupils, but is managed by the school to deliver targeted support, tutoring, and extra opportunities that benefit children across our school community.
Under the government's Free School Meals policy, there are two distinct categories of support:
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Expanded Free School Meals (Meals Support Only):
All families receiving Universal Credit qualify for free school meals for their children during the school day.
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Targeted Free School Meals & Pupil Premium Grant (Meals + Extra School Funding):
To attract the additional Pupil Premium Grant for the school, households must meet the Targeted FSM threshold (an annual net earned income of £7,400 or less under Universal Credit).
How do you know if your child is eligible?
Your child may qualify for the full Pupil Premium Grant if you or your partner receive any of the following benefits:
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Universal Credit — provided your household’s annual net earned income does not exceed £7,400 (after tax and not including benefit payments)
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Income Support
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Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
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Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
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Guarantee element of Pension Credit
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Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
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Child Tax Credit (provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income assessed by HMRC of no more than £16,100)
Important Note for Parents: Even if your child receives free school meals automatically (such as through Universal Infant Free School Meals in Key Stage 1 or Expanded Universal Credit FSM), applying for Targeted Pupil Premium is still vital. Completing an eligibility check ensures our school receives this crucial extra funding to support your child's learning.
How do I apply?
To apply for Free School Meals which will entitle your child to become eligible for Pupil Premium Funding, you can use the link below and select Free School Meals.
hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education
If you think that your child might be eligible, or if you would like help applying , our Office staff are always happy to assist.
How do we spend out pupil premium funding?
At our school, we have created a Pupil Premium strategy to make sure the extra funding we receive has the biggest possible impact for our pupils. Following the government guidance in Using Pupil Premium: Guidance for School Leaders, our approach focuses on evidence-based methods that really work.
The funding helps us provide tailored support to overcome any barriers to learning, enrich experiences, and make sure every child has the same opportunities to succeed. We focus on excellent teaching, targeted academic support, and initiatives that support attendance, wellbeing, and social-emotional development.
We regularly review and monitor how our strategy is working to make sure it continues to benefit all pupils. You can find more details in our updated Pupil Premium Strategy document below, prepared in line with the latest official guidance.
Pupil Premium Strategy 2024-2026
Other Local Support Available
https://stalbansdistrict.foodbank.org.uk/
MESSAGE FROM ST ALBANS & DISTRICT FOODBANK:
'If you, or someone you know, find you’re unable to afford food please come along to St Albans & District Foodbank. We have 10 centres across the District, Monday – Saturday. We provide emergency food, fresh fruit and veg, bread, eggs, hygiene and household items and nappies. You can ask the school for a voucher, but if you can’t do that just pop into one of our foodbank centres and our wellbeing team will help you. Everyone is welcome. We’ll have a cup of tea ready for you when you arrive.'