SPP - anyone get it?! What is it spent on??

[RevolvingPivot]

Hi. I know with the regular Pupil Premium kids can have free school meals and milk.

My dd is leaving primary this July and hasn't had any of this money spent on her.

I've been into school, emailed, quoted posts from the gov.uk website. They just shake their head and say it's to be added with the regular PP money which my dds aren't entitled too.

It's so frustrating.

A very late reply however the Families Federations can usually help with situations like the one you describe above. AFF have some info on their website about SPP: aff.org.uk/advice/education-childcare/service-pupil-premium/

I’ve only just seen this, but it’s been one of my frustrations throughout my dcs education. Dc is entitled to forces pupil premium. First primary school, we got absolutely nothing. 2nd primary school seemed better, we got half price trips and free music lessons. Then they decided dc didn’t get pupil premium anymore and they were taken off the list. Dc then went to high school and I’m told back on the pupil premium list. Treated exactly the same as any other pupil premium money. Free books and stationary. There was some kind of pupil premium Christmas trip, although I can’t remember why dc didn’t attend, I think it clashed with something else. Duke of Edinburgh award free. During covid we had extra Welfare calls from pp support tutor. I also think we might have been offered technology during the lockdown but dc said she didn’t need anything as she has an iPad (which is true and I would have felt guilty taking anything as we have enough tech to manage). One of the biggest pluses for me is having an extra person to go to if I have issues as I have the email of the pp teacher and she is quite switched on and helpful (compared to tutor who is very slow to respond and not quite as ‘on it’ as she could be).
I don’t actually think many schools outside military area’s have any idea what to do with SPP, so just lump it all together with PP (which is what has happened in our case-it’s really not best practice to be spending spp on the things that we’ve had).

Thank you for your replies. Secondary school aren't even aware that she is a service child. Not sure how and when I can let them know?

I think I'd just tell the school that she's a forced child and there entitled to the premium. I think they have to fill out a form to get it.
I seem to remember that there are restrictions on how it can be spent and its definitely not just meant to be lumped in with pupils premium. I'm also fairly sure that schools can be audited on how they've spent it....

I'm a teacher and DH is forces.

Do you realise how little SPP is?! £310 doesn't go very far in schools; it's nothing like the amount schools get for normal pupil premium. It's there to provide pastoral support because of the forces lifestyle - so support for children if their parents are deploying, if they move frequently, etc. It's not just about getting free stuff!

When I read your first sentence I thought your reply would be helpful.

🤣

The lowest level of pupil premium is £1345. Do you actually think that each PP child gets exactly £1345 spent on them, like in an itemised list?

Of course the PP fund is added together. It's what allows schools to do things like employ an additional TA for wellbeing support for PP kids, or to pay for a sports coach for PP kids. It does not get totted up according to how much milk or school trips they get paid for!

In my school, which my forces kids attend, SSP is of course added to the general funds. However, I know that the forces kids will be supported with what they need - as examples, additional support to settle into the school if they're moved frequently and arrive mid year; weekly sessions with a well-being TA if they're not coping with a parent being deployed; attendance in a well being group focussing on coping strategies if they're presenting as anxious. We see what forces kids need and try to support where it's needed. We don't go around offering 'stuff' so that the money is used. We use the money the best way we can to support forces kids with their particular circumstances specific to their parents occupation.

My DH is currently deployed. I'd be massively pissed off if the school had pissed away all their SSP money on free milk and trips and then couldn't provide my kids with a bit of extra well being support when it was most needed.

Have the school failed to provide support when your child needed it as a result of a parental deployment or something work related? Can you be absolutely sure that your child hasn't been included in an intervention group and the reason for her inclusion is being a forces child? The parents in our school aren't always told if their child is included in an intervention group because they're a forces child. They're just told they're included. If you have a specific reason to think the school have failed to provide something your child needs as a result of being forces, then fine. Otherwise it just sounds like you want free stuff.

HTH