What is pupil premium? 

Pupil premium is extra funding which schools receive to help disadvantaged pupils of all abilities achieve their full potential.

How should schools allocate Pupil Premium? 

At St Bernadette's, we allocate spending to the following key areas:

• Supporting and developing high-quality teaching and in-class support 
• Providing targeted academic support - particularly in reading 
• Tackling non-academic barriers to academic success - in particular behaviour and social and emotional wellbeing 
• Supporting access to all enrichment activities and wider opportunities 

Who is eligible for pupil premium?

To be eligible for pupil premium, pupils must be:

• Currently eligible for free school meals (FSM) or have been eligible for FSM at any point in the last 6 years
• Looked after by the local authority
• Previously looked after by the local authority or other state care.

Pupil premium is not a personal budget for eligible pupils (see .gov.uk)

Schools can also use the funding to support non-eligible pupils where they have identified needs, for example, pupils who have or have had a social worker or are a carer.

In addition, schools can use the funding on whole class approaches, for example high-quality teaching, which will also benefit non-disadvantaged pupils.

Is my child eligible for free school meals?

Eligibility is generally based on your household income and whether you receive certain government benefits. 

Here's a breakdown of common eligibility criteria:

General Eligibility:

• Receiving Qualifying Benefits:

  You may be eligible if you receive Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or the guaranteed element of Pension Credit. 

• Child Tax Credit:

  You might be eligible if you receive Child Tax Credit and have an annual gross income below a certain threshold (currently £16,190), provided you're not also receiving Working Tax Credit. 

• Working Tax Credit Run-on:

  If you've recently stopped receiving Working Tax Credit, you may still be eligible for a short period. 

• Universal Credit:

  If you receive Universal Credit, your household income (after tax and not including benefits) must be below a certain threshold (currently £7,400 per year). 

• No Recourse to Public Funds:

  Some families with no recourse to public funds may also be eligible. 

If your child qualifies for free school meals or has at any point in the past six years, it’s important that you tell us – even if they are in Reception or KS1 and receive universal school meals for infant pupils, or are in KS2 and take a packed lunch – as this enables us to claim pupil premium. If you are unsure if your child qualifies, you can check by contacting North Tyneside Free School Meals.

Additionally, Click here to register for Free School Meals

What is Pupil Premium Plus? 

Pupil premium plus is funding to help improve the attainment of looked-after children and previously looked-after children. As with pupil premium, it is not a personal budget for individual children - however, this funding will be allocated to close any identified gaps for those particular groups of children. 

If you would like more information on how your child’s school is using its pupil premium and recovery premium funding, our pupil premium strategy statement is attached below. Alternatively, you can contact our Pupil Premium led, Mrs Walker, our designated teacher for looked after and previously looked after children, Mrs Fallon, or our school Business Manager, Mrs J Royle on 01916433400 or office@st-bernadettesprimary.co.uk.