To feel offended by this email from the school?

[PupilpremiumWTF]

I think I'll just post the email without any elaboration for now, and see what people think, this is copied and pasted directly, with identifying info changed:

Dear Mrs X,

It’s great to be able to invite you to a special evening for parents of our Pupil Premium students in Years 7, 8 and 9 on Thursday 20th November 2025.

We’ll be starting with a light buffet tea from 5:00 pm, giving you the chance to chat informally with staff and other parents before the evenings presentations begin.

At 5:30 pm, I’ll give a short overview of how we use Pupil Premium funding here at school to support students’ learning and wellbeing, and to help every child make the best possible progress.

From 6.00 pm to 7:00 pm, we will to be joined by Elevate Education, who will deliver a practical, engaging seminar designed to help parents support learning at home.

Topics covered will include:

- Time Management – helping your child to plan effectively and avoid last-minute stress.

• - Study Support – understanding what effective study looks like and how to make it stick.
• - Motivation – discovering what really drives student motivation and how to nurture it.
• - Parent E-book Access – every parent attending will receive a free e-book full of strategies and guidance.

This is a brilliant opportunity to pick up some useful ideas and find out more about how we’re supporting your child’s progress in school.

I really hope you’ll be able to join us for what promises to be an enjoyable and informative evening.

Please let us know if you can attend by completing the form on EduLink.

Kind regards,

Mr Y
Senior Assistant Headteacher

Special needs isn’t the same, though, not at all. I know you’re attempting to be cutting and sarcastic and I don’t wish to answer in the same tone. I also don’t want to patronise. But by and large having additional needs is an accident of birth or something that happens through no fault of your own later in life. However, poverty is seen as the persons own fault; it’s a hangover from Victorian times.

Of course there are prejudices about special needs that are cruel and wrong but it isn’t the same as poverty, at all.

it reads to me like they will be spending part of the PP they receive on holding this event. They are thinking about how to show that the spending specifically benefited the relevant families, is why this invite went to PP parents.

They can't invite all parents; they don't have budget for that.

They included food because offering food increases engagement.

How would you like the school to have spent the PP money instead, OP? Making sure that they can show how the spending is targetted at needs of PP kids .

My kids weren't on PP but I had lots of notices from school, over yrs, about opportunities to learn the same kinds of things, supporting learning etc. It's not like nonPP families won't have those offers at all. Just maybe not an inperson event with nibbles.

This email isn't personal to you it's to all parents in that group. They didn't sit down and say this parent needs help and this parent doesn't, they looked at children who are more likely to need help and designed something that will help parents help their children, it will be unnecessary for some parents (like you) and probably totally ignored by the ones who need it most. They can only try. I assume the tea is to make it seem more like a relaxed social event than a serious discussion about how to help your children make more progress academically. And if all parents were invited it would not be good use of resources.

The average reading age of an adult in the UK is 9-11. That means half of adults have a lower reading age than that. Comms to parents like this have to be clear, simple and easy to read. It’s not offensive. If it’s not for you, move on and stop trying to deny others’ help because you’re ‘offended.’

Background 1 - I've read all OP posts and the first few replies
Background 2 - I came at this from totally the wrong angle, thinking PP was some sort of gifted and talented hothouse programme.

Now I've got it right (I think!), I totally agree with the OP. The school seems to be equating 'needs free school meals' with 'inadequate parenting'. Bastards!

I would write back to the school something along the following lines

Dear school

Whilst I am very happy that you are helping PP kids (and hoping this isn't just a sales pitch by EE) I am shocked that only PP parents are being allowed access to this meeting. Is it seriously the case that only PP kids need this sort of support? Because at the moment your letter is coming across as seriously patronising due to the strong implications that PP parents (and ONLY PP parents) need support with learning at home. I would welcome your comments on this.

How would you like the school to have spent the PP money instead, OP? Making sure that they can show how the spending is targetted at needs of PP kids .

It is a challenge! Which is why I don’t really like PP.

Most schools ensure that school trips and extra curricular are covered by PP funding and incentives are offered to try to increase engagement in revision sessions and intervention. It’s open to all students but PP comes from a separate budget. Of course, the kids don’t know that.

@yourewelcomethen but you could argue that you are highlighting a child has special needs or a medical condition (that a parent/child might not want broadcasting to other people) so should there be special events for these parents/children?

Or the families might argue they are doing fine and feel patronised if these events are held specifically for children with special needs.

@weirdoboelady or could it be that they are using PP funding to run this session so are targeting the families that they receive PP funding for and who the school needs to report on what they are spending the funding in and how it specifically impacts PP children

DD is also PP because ex-LAC

The OP has complained that they have been offered this despite NOT being in need compared to others qualifying for PP. So is complaining about being treated as if they are living in poverty, with little education or aspirations.

I think yabu op. My ds would fall into that category presumably and I'm not under any illusion that statistically the odds are against him in comparison to other children in terms of going to further or higher education. And I say that with a masters and no concerns about being able to support my child with studying effectively. I'm able to recognise that statistically there will be other parents in that cohort who WILL need support and this is not offered to everyone because its about equity rather than equality. Either go or don't if you don't feel its relevant to you personally. I personally wouldn't have any issue with this and I wouldn't kick up a stink that could affect other parents who's children DO need the extra support.

Well yes and I would expect it to be done sensitively. But while a lot of special needs are invisible, a lot aren’t. And there’s still the fact that if you have special needs it’s largely just a roll of the dice whereas there’s a perception people are ‘choosing’ to live in poverty as they don’t budget well enough / should have worked harder / got a better job. They just aren’t the same which is why I don’t think we can compare. Parents of children with special needs undoubtedly have to deal with stupid prejudices and ignorance but poverty is an issue aside from that.

Also it'll be this^

@yourewelcomethen and guess how many non PP families complain when they find out some families get subsidised trips

Yes, so it’s making assumptions about someone, which never feels very pleasant especially when those assumptions are largely negative.

Oh give over 😂😂😂

It's all very well to question the validity of the data and categorisation, and whether it's controlled for things like parental education level, but YABU to expect schools to do anything other than go by the data and statistics they currently actually have, and use it to narrow gaps in attainment as best they can. That means targeting support at groups most likely to need it, in the full knowledge that not every single child in that group will need it. Tbh I don't really see how that's even debatable. Also, most school parents would probably love a buffet tea, whatever event it was provided for!

DD has had a lot of opportunities, despite having SN. That hasn't caused us to be offended by other opportunities being offered, and accepting those that suited her. She has struggled in some areas, and it has been very beneficial to have opportunities to develop in other areas.

Let them. Who cares? I don’t mean that flippantly to you, I mean to them. Seriously, who cares? They can make as much noise as they want, can’t they?

That hasn't stopped us being offended by other opportunities being offered I really am not following what you’re saying here very well, sorry. Either way, I don’t think special needs and poverty are the same, although I do think both can lead to isolation.

Yeah I think I don't like the implication that parents of children with Pupil Premium need parenting guidance. It may not be what they're trying to suggest but I wouldn't like it.

You still actually don't seem to know a lot about PP, perhaps you should have read all the posts on this thread as some posters have explained very clearly pupil premium is not just about those who claim free school meals.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest that the groups of children eligible for PP are disadvantaged. That does not mean that every child who receives PP will be disadvantaged. Schools have to show that they are using the PP funding for:

• developing high-quality teaching, for example through professional development and recruitment and retention
• providing targeted academic support, such as one-to-one or small group tuition
• tackling non-academic barriers to academic success, such as difficulties with attendance, behaviour and social and emotional wellbeing

The school event you are criticising is clearly one way they can address the third bullet point. If the school invited all parents then they would not be using the PP funding correctly.

Illogical email.

I get it however they have to use the funding for PP related activities and therefore can’t invite everyone.

its wrong to assume if help is needed either way just based on PP

Schools can't do right from wrong.
This is a great letter. Are you too proud to attend?

Sorry, I realised that made no sense and have edited.

We weren't offended. Dd has had challenges and struggles many other children haven't faced, and would happily exchange all the 'extras' for not having those struggles.