Parents will often hear about Pupil Premium when their child starts school in the UK. A lot of families may not know what it means, who can apply for it, and how the money is used. I hope in this you will learn about what Pupil Premium is, who qualifies for it, and, most importantly, how to apply for Pupil Premium, step by step.
What is Pupil Premium?
Pupil Premium is extra funding that schools in England receive from the government to enable children who are from disadvantaged backgrounds to have the same opportunities as other pupils. Schools use the money to:
- Improve learning support.
- Deliver extra lessons or one-on-one tutoring.
- Pay for trips, uniforms, or resources
Payment for after-school activities
The aim of the money is simple: to close the gap between children who may find it harder to keep up due to financial barriers and children who have no such barriers.
Why is Pupil Premium important?
Lots of parents believe that Pupil Premium is a payment to the families; this is not true. The money is received by the schools. Being able to apply for Pupil Premium means that your child benefits directly.
Why is Pupil Premium important?
Better learning: Schools will be able to provide some additional support for reading, writing, or math.
Access to resources: Children can seek assistance to buy books and stationery or purchase digital devices.
Financially, there can be concessions for activities like trips, sports, and clubs.
Long-term impact: It has been found through research that children who are eligible for Pupil Premium tend to achieve more academic progress.
Step-by-step guide: How to apply for Pupil Premium
So let’s take a closer look at the whole process step-by-step.
Step 1: Check eligibility
You should first check whether your child is considered eligible to claim Pupil Premium or not. In general, there are certain conditions to prove whether your child is eligible or not, regarding if you get certain benefits, if your child has been on free school meals for the last six years, if your child is a member of a service family, or if your child is looked after. You can check with your local council’s website or ask your child’s school for help and advice on it. Schools or councils have fairly clear definition lists of eligibility, so if you are unsure, it is worth checking on how to apply it for your child.
Step 2: Collect Required Information
Once you are ready to apply, collect all the information needed to complete it. You will usually need your National Insurance number, proof of benefits (i.e., a Universal Credit statement), and your child’s name, date of birth, and their school. Have everything ready so that it’s easier and quicker to do. Some local councils may also request supporting documents, so be sure to have these ready too!
Step 3: Apply Through the Local Authority
Applications for Pupil Premium are taken through your local council. The easiest way will be through their official website using the online form. You may also like to apply using a paper form, which some councils also offer by post. It’s straightforward and, in most cases, will take only a few minutes to fill out. Don’t forget that applying through the council means they will handle your information securely and guarantee verification.
Step 4: Provide Consent for Checks
Provide consent for the council to ascertain your eligibility against the records of the Department for Work and Pensions when making the application. This is a vital step in that it allows the system to make inquiries about your current benefit status; online applications usually do not require any further documentation other than this consent. This will hopefully speed up processing so that benefits can be expeditiously accorded to your child under Pupil Premium.
Step 5: School Confirmation
When the application process is completed and the local authority confirms processing, your child’s school will be told of the result. If your claim is approved, the school will be receiving relevant funds for your child. Most councils will also advise parents by message or letter about your eligibility, so you will know the outcome. From that point, your school will spend the additional funding to support your child’s learning, engagement, or well-being as required.
Who Can Apply?
Not every child is eligible; the government has specified rules regarding eligibility, and parents can apply if their child is currently in school and meets one of the criteria below:
1. Free School Meals eligibility
If you are on a qualifying benefit, your child may also be eligible for free school meals. Examples of qualifying benefits include:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit (with a determined income threshold)
- Child Tax Credit (if you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit)
2. Every 6 children
If your child was eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years, they will still be eligible for Pupil Premium.
3. Children in Care
Eligible are children who are looked-after children, foster children, or children who are adopted from care.
4. Service Children
If a parent serves in the armed forces, one or both parents and their child also would receive Service Pupil Premium.
When Should You Apply?
The basic rule is that it is preferable to apply as soon as your child starts at school (either in reception or at some point afterward). It is worth applying even if you are unsure of your eligibility (as mentioned previously).
If your application is successful, then your child’s school will receive that money to use for their pupils (which can take a while as the funding is based on the pupil premium application approval date). So the sooner you take action, the sooner your child can benefit from using that money the school receives.
How schools spend ‘Pupil Premium’ funding
Some of the ways that schools spend that funding include:
- Employing teaching assistants.
- Engaging in small group sessions.
- Issuing laptops/tablets.
- Promoting mental health and wellbeing.
- Funding trips/extracurriculars such as music lessons/school visits, etc.
- Running breakfast clubs/after-school clubs.
In addition to publicly stating any pupil premium funding spent, each school must publish a Pupil Premium Strategy on their website to provide parents with an overview of how they spent money allocated and what impact that spend had on the target groups.
Tips for parents applying for Pupil Premium
Always apply regardless of whether applications are for free school meals and financial support for costs associated with school trips, etc.; it is always worth submitting your application. Even if you are unsure of your eligibility, applying should be “risk-free,” as your council will still confirm this at the end of the application process; so long as you apply, you will find out.
- Update your details: Let the school know if you change circumstances.
- Ask the school if they can help you: schools offer support to parents in the application process.
Check regularly: You will be surprised how often eligibility requirements and benefits change, so it is worth checking again.
