Pupil Premium

The pupil premium grant was first introduced in April 2011. Research shows that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds underachieve compared to their non-disadvantaged peers. Publicly-funded schools in England receive extra funding from the government to help them improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and support them to reach their potential.

The pupil premium for 2024/25 will include pupils recorded in the January 2024 school census who are known to have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’), as well as those first known to be eligible in January 2024. Schools also receive funding for children who are looked-after (LAC) or previously looked-after (PLAC). Children of service personnel also receive a premium. Premium rates for 2024/25 are as follows:

Context of our school

St Michael with St John CE Primary School is situated in an area of high deprivation. The School Profile (September 2023) indicates that 68% of pupils live in the bottom third of most deprived areas in the town, compared to the Local Authority average of 56%. 

As a result of this, our disadvantaged pupils may experience the following circumstances:

• low income households;
• poor or overcrowded housing;
• low levels of communication, language, literacy and numeracy;
• a lack of nursery provision leading to delayed social, emotional and academic development; 
• speaking English as an additional language due to them coming from homes where little or no English is spoken;
• restricted opportunities to enrich and extend learning outside of school.

Pupil Premium Strategy Statement

A 3-year Pupil Premium Strategy Statement is produced with details of the pupil premium funding allocated to our school, proposed spending of the allocated funding and priorities for the current academic year, along with the impact of the pupil premium funding on attainment and progress during the previous academic year. This serves as a report about how the pupil premium funding has been used to implement strategies to support disadvantaged pupils. The Pupil Premium Strategy Statement is a 3-year plan. However, it is reviewed on a termly basis and updated annually to reflect the impact of chosen actions on pupil outcomes. Please see below:

Free School Meals

What are Free School Meals?

It is the entitlement for your child to receive a free two course meal each school day.

Am I entitled to Free School Meals? 

Free school meals are available to any full-time student who is still at school and eligible. This includes nursery children who attend full days and also sixth form students. Meals are not available for students at further education level. You can get free school meals for your child if you or your partner receive any of the following:

• Income Support (IS)

• Income Based Jobseekers' Allowance

• An income-related employment and support allowance

• The guarantee element of State Pension Credit (PCGC) support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income, as assessed by Inland Revenue that does not exceed £16,190

Who cannot apply for Free School Meals?

You cannot apply for free school meals if any of the following is true:

• You get Universal Credit and earn more than £616.66 per month (gross). The income assessment takes your last three months of earnings into consideration when making the decision. If you drop below this threshold at a later date, you will be able to claim free school meals again

• You have claimed Universal Credit and are waiting the outcome of your claim. A decision on your entitlement has to be made first.

• You get Working Tax Credit.

If you think you could be eligible for free school meals, click the link below and follow the instructions to complete an application form:

https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-meals  

If you would like help with completing the application form, please contact our Inclusion Manager Miss Qadri at the school on 01254 665190. 

Why should I register?

• If your application is successful, it could save you money.
• If your application is successful, it will raise an extra £1,480 for your child’s school, to fund valuable support like extra tuition, additional teaching staff or after school activities.
• This additional money is available from central government for every child whose parent is receiving one of the welfare benefits listed above.  It is therefore important to sign up for free school meals, even if your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, so that your child’s school receives as much funding as possible.

How will the information I provide be used?

• The information you provide will be used by the council to confirm receipt of one of the listed welfare benefits. 
• Once this is confirmed, this helps to decide how much money your child’s school will receive each year.
• The information will also be used in relation to children in Year 3 or above to decide whether they are eligible for free school meals.
• You only need to complete the form once and it will last for the duration of your child’s time at their current school.