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Pupil Premium & Recovery Premium
Pupils Premium is additional funding given to schools so they can support their disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap between them and their peers. The Government believes that Head teachers and school leaders should decide how to use the pupil premium. They are accountable for the decisions they make through:
- The performance tables which show the attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils compared with their peers
- The Ofsted common inspection framework, under which inspectors focus on the attainment and progress of pupil groups, and in particular those who are eligible for pupil premium
- The reports for parents that schools have to publish online
Pupil Premium Principles
1. Improve progress and attainment
This is the key principle of Pupil Premium. We want every student to have the opportunity to make excellent progress and realise their full potential. Our aim is to remove any barriers to learning with quality first teaching and a knowledge rich curriculum as well as to offer targeted support and advice with an adaptive approach to learning. Our students are encouraged to take pride in all their accomplishments however big or small, leading to confidence and an increased motivation to succeed.
2. Enrich students’ lives through new opportunities and a creative curriculum
We want every student to have opportunities outside ‘classroom’ learning and to develop a variety of life skills that will help them to be socially aware and develop confidence. We want students to have high aspirations and learn to be comfortable in a range of environments and circumstances. We believe that these opportunities lead to student’s success in the wider world.
3. Encourage excellence
We want to offer behavioural and social support and reward consistent excellence and sustained improvement to create safe and supportive learning environments for all students.
4. Ensure there is no hardship that hinders learning
We want all students to have all the equipment, uniform, resources and technology they need to succeed in education. We believe that by removing these physical barriers, we can support the more emotional and motivational barriers they may encounter. We want pupils to feel safe on the journey to and from school at school, as well as at school and have excellent attendance and punctuality which is essential for accessing the curriculum to the fullest.
Pupil Premium Strategy - 2025-26
Free School Meals
Free school meals (FSM) are changing from the beginning of September 2026. From the start of the 2026/27 academic year, all children in households receiving Universal Credit will be eligible for free school meals. This is regardless of household income.
The transitional protection that has been in place since 2018, while Universal Credit (UC) was rolled out, has now ended.
Children currently receiving FSM must continue to meet the eligibility criteria. This will be confirmed through a recheck. Those who remain eligible will continue to receive FSM.
When you apply for free school meals, you will normally receive either a Targeted or Expanded award.
- Targeted means that the school qualifies to receive additional funding called Pupil Premium
- Expanded means you only receive free school meals, with no extra funding for the school
This scheme is available for school-age children and for post-16 students at a school with a sixth form or college.
How to apply for free school meals
Where your child goes to school will determine where you need to apply for free school meals. If you have more than one child, you may need to submit more than one application.
You can also contact the Cambridgeshire FSM Team at ewb.fsm@cambridgeshire.gov.uk