Pupil Premium Grant and Service Premium

Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011 and is additional government funding for schools to address the underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals and their peers. 

Pupil Premium is allocated per free school meals pupil and it is for schools to decide how it is spent, since they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their responsibility. However schools are accountable for how they have used the additional funding to support pupils from low-income families. 

The Pupil Premium is allocated to children from low-income families who are currently known to be eligible for free school meals and children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months. The Government extended eligibility for the Pupil Premium to pupils who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

The level of the premium is £1,345 per pupil for pupils eligible for free school meals and for pupils in care who have been continuously looked after for six months. As a group, children who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in time have consistently lower educational attainment than those who have never been eligible for free school meals.

A Service Premium has also been introduced for children whose parents are currently serving and who have recently served in the armed forces; this is currently £310. This service premium is designed to address the emotional and social well-being of these pupils.

The information below explains how the Pupil Premium and Service Premium were used in Neston Primary School:

To view our 2023 - 2024 Pupil Premium strategy please click here

To view our 2022 - 2023 Pupil Premium strategy please click here

To view our 2021 - 2022 Pupil Premium strategy please click here

To view our 2020 / 2021 Pupil Premium strategy, please click here.

To view our Covid-19 Premium Catch-Up Spending report, please click here

Are you able to apply for free school meals?

If your child is eligible for free school meals, it is worth registering them even if they're not going to have the school lunch as it will have a direct impact on the funding we receive and the support we can provide.

Your child may be entitled to free school meals, if you are entitled to receive any of the following:

  • Income Support

  • income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance

  • support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

  • the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit

  • Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190

  • Working Tax Credit 'run-on' - the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

Please ask at the office if you would like to register your child for free school meals.

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