What is the Pupil Premium?

The pupil premium is additional funding given to schools by the Government to help disadvantaged pupils achieve their full potential. It was introduced in 2011 in response to national evidence that, on average, children from lower-income families do not achieve as well as their peers.

At Feniscowles, we use the funding to remove barriers to learning and help every child "Live Life in its Fullest." Our priorities are high-quality teaching, well-targeted support when gaps appear, and help with wider barriers such as attendance, wellbeing and readiness to learn. We do not give each child an individual budget. Instead, we spend the funding where the evidence shows it will make the biggest difference for our disadvantaged pupils.

Which children attract the pupil premium?

For 2026–27, schools receive:

• £1,550 for each primary pupil who has been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years
• £2,690 for each child who is looked after by a local authority, or who has left care through adoption, a special guardianship order or a child arrangements order. For looked-after children, this funding is managed by the local authority's Virtual School Head.
• £360 for each child of a family in the armed forces (the service pupil premium)

How is the funding monitored?

Every year, we publish a pupil premium strategy statement on our website. It sets out how much funding we have received, how we plan to spend it, and the difference it made last year. Governors monitor the impact of the funding, and it is also considered during Ofsted inspections. We always welcome ideas or questions from parents and carers, so please get in touch with the school office.

Free school meals and the pupil premium: please register

From September 2026, all families receiving Universal Credit can claim free school meals. Your child may also be eligible if you receive:

• 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 guarantee element of Pension Credit

Please note: the pupil premium is linked to household income. Families on Universal Credit with a net earned income of £7,400 a year or less (excluding benefits) bring additional pupil premium funding to the school. Families above this level can still receive free school meals, but do not attract the pupil premium.

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 already receive free school meals. Even so, if you are eligible on income grounds, please still register. Registering is what allows the school to claim the pupil premium, which benefits your child for the next six years.

Registering is quick and confidential. Please speak to the school office and we will check your eligibility for you. It's important to register even if your child takes a packed lunch.

Pupil Premium Strategy