Pupil Premium

[Sux2buthen]

The school my kids attend is dramatically changing how it allocates pupil premium. It’s recently been taken into a trust. Direct support to individual children is being almost removed, I’m just wondering how other schools allocate it because there’s not really a breakdown or any information on where this is going or how it’s helping mine and others kids🤔 for example it was providing help with lunches and now it won’t be. Do other schools do this? (Primary)

if they are in receipt of pupil premium aren’t they getting free dinners anyway so how does it help with lunches?

Basically, PPF can be used as a school sees fit, and can be used to impact learning outcomes for all pupils, not just those who ‘qualify’ for it. it is not an individual pupil fund.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67f6537790615dd92bc90da9/Using_pupil_premium_guidance.pdf

No they are stopping the lunches, that’s one of the changes.
yes I know it can be I’m wondering how other schools use it as well

No. All FSM pupils are pupil premium, but not all pupil premium students are FSM.

They’re required to publish their pp strategy on the website - if it’s not in the school one try the trusts

Is your child entitled to free school meals?

I don't know any school that pays for pupil premium children's lunches. PPF is used to part-fund counselling services, which disproportionately supports those with PP. It is also used to subsidise some trips such as residential in Year 6, and some areas of quality first teaching such as making swimming lessons and some clubs free.

Ours subsidises trips and residentials; fruit; Reading mentors; tutors and subsidised or free clubs.

Grouping PP money together to eg fund a TA to do Englush and maths intervention is a good way of getting a good impact on attainment of PP kids. It isn't ring fenced for a specific child, and other non PP kids can 'puggy back' on the provision.

Is this primary or secondary?

They have yo publish on website how ot is used and benefit (or at least used to) so you should be able to hunt on web pages of other schools to see how they use it.

Use of PP in school including financial breakdown and impact is monitored by the Governing Board/ Trustees in an academy. The Head or SLT will produce detailed reports and information.

Thanks for replies all

My stepchildren are at 2 different high schools. The eldest has had some free uniform, I think it was PE kit and a blazer. He has also had reduced costs for school trips. It's been a big help over the years. My stepdaughter's school has less money and I feel they have just absorbed the PP money into the school finances. She is in yr 10 now and has never had anything except from a small art kit in year 7 which would have cost around £10. No help with uniform or trips.

I know of one school that purchased a washing machine and tumble dryer with pupil premium money, because there were students who weren’t able to come to school because they had no uniform, or no clean uniform and it enabled them to do so.

We're in Scotland so it's not the exact same thing. But DS's school spends the equivalent fund on:

A school police officer
Breakfast club for anyone who wants it (staff or kids)
Trips away
A summer activity programme

That’s a lovely way to use it