Skip to content ↓

St Mary & St John Church of England V.A. Primary School

North Luffenham, Rutland

Pupil Premium Grant

The Pupil Premium Grant (PPG) is a national Government scheme which has been available to schools since its introduction in April 2011. 

Disadvantaged Pupil Premium Grant

The PPG is made available to pupils who are deemed ‘disadvantaged’.  A parent can claim the  grant if they are in receipt of one of the following:

  • Income Support
  • Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
  • Child Tax Credit Only (with income up to £16,190) with no element of Working Tax Credit
  • National Asylum Seekers Support
  • Guarantee Element of the State Pension Credit
  • Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
  • Universal Credit (income dependant)

Pupils will receive a free school meal daily. Additionally, the grant is for the purposes of the school, for the educational benefit of pupils registered at that school. Educational support, interventions, initiatives, equipment and school trips can be provided to reduce the inequalities experienced by these (disadvantaged) pupils, as well as improve progress and raise standards of achievement for them and help narrow and close any gaps between them and their non-disadvantaged peers nationally.

Eligible pupils at our school fall into two categories:

  • Ever6 FSM (Free School Meals) - The pupil premium for academic year 2022 - 2023 will include eligible pupils recorded in the October 2021 school census. Once eligible for the PPG for any length of time, those pupils will continue to receive the grant for up to 6 years, to the end of the education phase, i.e. Primary.
  • Post - LAC (Looked after Children) – Those pupils who were looked after by an English or Welsh local authority for at least one day, immediately before being adopted, or who left local authority care on a special guardianship order or child arrangements order (previously known as a residence order). 

Service Children Premium

The Service Children Premium  is made available to children who:

  • have a parent(s) currently serving in Her Majesty’s regular armed forces
  • have had a parent(s) serving in Her Majesty’s regular armed forces in the last 6 years
  • are in receipt of a child pension from the Ministry of Defence

The government publication on the SPP states in section 15, ‘The £320 a school receives for each Service child does not go directly to the individual child but to support all Service children at the school. Therefore, the funding the school will receive in the autumn from their January census data should be used to support all Service children currently at the school, even if they were not on the school roll on census day.’

One of the challenges for schools is that SPP funding is determined only by the previous January School Census information. Consequently, with pupil mobility and in year admissions we have differing amounts of SPP, not necessarily corresponding to the number of Service children in the school at the time.

The SPP is there for schools to provide mainly pastoral support for Service children and should not be used to subsidise routine school activities. Unlike the Pupil Premium, SPP is not for raising attainment (although if there is a need, we naturally support pupils in the best possible way we can).  Therefore, the school’s and governors’ strategy for using the SPP is to put the money towards employing a full time Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA).

  • The HLTA is from a military family and therefore understands first-hand the needs of Service children and the demands placed on working parents in the Armed Forces.
  • The HLTA has a MA in psychology and leads on pupil pastoral support, overseeing and holding 1:1 mental health and wellbeing sessions with pupils, including Service children.
  • The HLTA offers advice to teachers and Teaching Assistants (TA) on strategies to support all pupils with identified learning or social and emotional wellbeing needs.
  • The HLTA helps train TAs working 1:1 with pupils with specific needs, including Service children.

Additionally,

  • The HLTA works closely with and alongside the SENDCo.
  • We have 3 trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA).
  • Our 2 HLTAs support pupils within the classroom environment, including Service Children.
  • Six members of staff have been trained to safely handle pupils (manually), in extreme situations.
  • The Headteacher works closely with Rutland LA and colleagues through the Service Children Conferences to effectively support our Service children in our school and across the county.
  • We have our three military bears offering emotional support for our Service children. These can be taken on exercise or deployment by parents, who write a blog.
  • We support initiatives aimed at Service children and their families, such as Reading Force.
  • We have a dedicated display in school that shows where serving parents might be in the world.

All of this has provided much needed emotional and social support for our Service children.  We certainly do not have all the answers and are continually looking at how we use our SPP effectively in increasingly difficult financial constraints, but we do see it having an impact not just academically but also, just as importantly, emotionally and socially.

Type of Pupil Premium Grant Annual Premium per eligible pupil
Ever6 FSM £1,385
Post-LAC £2,410
Ever6 Service Child

£320

Can you help us ensure we receive the right amount?

If you believe your child may be entitled to additional support through the Pupil Premium funding stream, please contact the school so we can check they are registered.

If your child is currently receiving the Universal infant Free school Meal  because they are in Early Years Foundation Stage or Key Stage One but you think  you may be entitled to Free School Meals based on your income as well, please register with www.myfreeschoolmeals.com – if you are eligible then the school will be notified and can register your child accordingly - we will then also receive the appropriate Pupil Premium to support their education.