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

I suspect there is a strong correlation between a lack of time management and disengaged parents with those on pupil premium due to being disadvantaged. The school is trying to provide additional support in-line with this. You can be offended all you like but the fact is, your child is disadvantaged and they’re helping you. Don’t go, don’t get involved and watch your child continue to be disadvantaged.

I work in a school and there is no judgement of pupil premium parents or children. We do yearly comparisons of attainment data for governors (which Ofsted expect) there are comparisons between girls and boys, EAL and non EAL, pupil premium and non pupil premium but only to identify gaps and work out what we can best spend the PP money on. I repeat, there is NO judgement, I couldn’t tell anyone off the top of my head which families are PP, schools are just glad of the extra pennies. We do however have to report on the website how the money has been spent.

I’ve just looked at Elevate Education as not heard of them before. Looked at some FAQ by parents on their website (see screenshot). I can see these being helpful even to a ‘perfect’ parent. And also many children study differently, so what worked for you might not necessarily work for your DC.

Schools have to be open about what they are spending the funding on, hence the first part of the session. Second part could be a useful tool for parents to help with their child’s studying.

I thought it sounded like a fund raising event but I didn't understand the context. Now I have read more posts I realise it's not.

I agree. Glad kids and parents who need help are being offered it. Those who don’t want it don’t have to take it.

@MrsSlocombesCat why do you see it as a fundraiser? The only way I could see it like that is if they are trying to get more eligible parents to sign up for FSM which would give rise to school receiving more pupil premium.

I saw this yesterday and it is offensive! They should have 2 slots one daytime and one evening. They PP parents could have been given “early bird” access to sign to then be offered more widely.

There are plenty of shit not engaged parents who don’t have PP eligibility.

Also plenty if parents who know what they should be doing and how but for various reasons struggle to implement.

@RandomMess if it is being funded by pupil premium then it should not be offered to all

I think this is probably right.

Obviously not all PP parents, and not all those who don’t get pp will have brilliant time management etc.

I think the school are being helpful and addressing an actual issue for parents in a constructive way.

I find the culture of MN fascinating.
It seems on here that supporting a statement with evidence is not the "done thing"

But presumably this will help parents figure out how to implement these things .

I have amended my post because I didn't realise what the context was, I thought Premium meant people who donated to the school 😅

I see your point.
Parents may not want to advertise the fact that their family receives Pupil Premium so this breaks confidentiality. Clearly all parents (say from Yr.7) should have been invited.
Don't know whether it breaks GDPR rules but to me it looks thoughtless and unprofessional - the school should have known better.

?
It appears the email was sent only to those parents with PP children
One assumes that it was BCC so each recipient has no idea who else got it.
Since the session is relevant to PP students only, not not all parents should have been invited.

neither of your points are valid.

As another SEND parent, I understood that perfectly.

My DD plays football at a good level in a regular team. I wasn't offended when sent details of a SEN football offer locally (which she would qualify for as she's diagnosed ASD and ADHD). I didn't take it up, because we don't need it, but I was pleased to know it existed.

I agree that there is a problem with this. The school my children attend have similar events but they’re for all parents/guardians, not only PP.
This marks out children eligible for PP as different. My Mum got free school meals in the 60’s. She still remembers the shame she felt having a pink lunch ticket for a free meal. The paid meals were blue.
They could have an event about study/time management for everyone. Then either a brief section about PP spending or send that info in an email.

They make no such assumption. It’s an invitation not a mandated meeting. They’ve told you exactly what will be covered, so if you don’t need or want the help just say ‘ thanks, but no thanks’.
You are just looking for something to be offended about when there’s nothing there. It’s a perfectly reasonable e-mail offering the sort of support most parents would beg for.

It really isn't. PP children are one of the groups we'd track carefully because of it (alongside LAC, Forces families, EAL)

A lot of parents in this position do need extra help. Could you be pleased that this support is being offered and be glad that you don't need it?

@sittingonabeachthey can split how it is funded.

But how do you know your children's school don't, if you're not invited to them?

I don’t understand why this would stigmatise PP kids. It’s not a whole school email-just directed to individuals. In my experience anyway, the Free School Meal stigma is thankfully mostly now a thing of the past.

^^This!

YABVU to turn down a buffet

The rules for the extra PP funding are that it must be used solely to support PP kids. (School governor here.) Having an event for everyone isn’t allowed under the funding rules and defeats the entire point!