At High Ham Church of England Primary School, we believe that all our children have an equal entitlement, and should have an equal opportunity to:
- Develop imagination and creativity
- Acquire skills and abilities
- Have a love of learning
The school receives funding from the Government to support it in trying to meet this aspiration. This is known as the Pupil Premium.
Pupil premium is additional funding, from the government, provided to schools for supporting more pupils from low income families to ensure they benefit from the same opportunities as all other children. There are three categories of children that qualify for pupil premium:
- Children who are eligible for free school meals (FSM)
- Looked after children
- Armed forces children
At High Ham we believe in taking a tiered approach when deciding how to spend our pupil premium allowance: high quality teaching, targeted academic support, and supporting wider strategies. This approach aligns with the Department for Education’s template for creating a Pupil Premium Strategy. Our Pupil Premium Strategy is updated annually and can be found below.
What is free school meals pupil premium?
The Free School Meals Pupil Premium is a government initiative designed to support disadvantaged children in England. It provides additional funding to schools for each eligible pupil who receives free school meals. This funding allows us to enhance the educational experience of these pupils, offering tailored resources and support services, such as interventions in literacy and numeracy, extracurricular activities, and mental health initiatives. The objective is to help close the educational gap between disadvantaged students and their peers, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to succeed and thrive in a supportive learning environment.
Who knows if my child is entitled to the pupil premium?
The school staff need to know to ensure that the needs of the children are met. However, this information is not shared with other children/parents and remains confidential. The Governors need to track the progress of this group of pupils but they do not know who the pupils are.
Why don’t all the children get this?
Pupil Premium funding is allocated based on specific criteria, notably the eligibility for free school meals, looked-after children, or those from service families. Consequently, not all pupils qualify for this additional funding, as the initiative aims to support disadvantaged groups rather than the entire student population.
What about armed forces pupil premium children?
The Forces Pupil Premium is a financial grant allocated to schools in England, designed to support the educational needs of children from armed forces families. This funding aims to improve academic outcomes and provide additional resources for these pupils. At High Ham we offer Forces Pupil Premium children:
- A place at High Ham Monkey Madness on a regular basis throughout the year to offer both curriculum and pastoral support.
- Additional intervention programmes/social support as required throughout the year
Where can I find out more?
For further information, please refer to our Pupil Premium Policy and to the Pupil Premium Strategy Statement which are found at the bottom of this page. If you have any queries or questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
