Pupil Premium & Free School Meals

Pupil Premium

Purpose of the Funding

The pupil premium is additional funding provided to the school, over and above that provided for children, to support the achievement and inclusion of disadvantaged children. Additional funding is also provided for children who are in the care of the Local Authority or have been adopted. Little Leigh Primary has always provided additional support to less advantaged families; the introduction of this funding has allowed us to expand provision. The aim of pupil premium is to help make a parents’ duty to help their child achieve their potential in school easier. In 2012, funding was extended to include pupils who have been eligible for free school meals within the past 6 years.

As a relatively advantaged community with few children entitled to this funding, our allocation is small in comparison to other schools. Provision will often exceed the funding from the Department of Education and any shortfall is made up from either the school’s delegated budget or school fund.

Pupil Premium at Little Leigh Primary

Little Leigh Primary is committed to enabling all children to receive an outstanding education. The pupil progress of every child is scrutinised carefully including those from a disadvantaged background and with other learning needs. Quality first teaching alongside targeted support which is tailored to the needs of every child, enables pupils who are falling behind to catch up quickly and those who are exceeding to be stretched further to reach their full potential. Support provided is confidential to the child or families involved. The pupil premium will not be used to subsidise activities for all or reduce costs generally, it is specifically for those children entitled. (Although on some occasions other individuals may benefit)*.

Little Leigh Primary school will review the pupil premium strategy annually. The next review will take place in Autumn 2022.

Free School Meals

Who can claim for Free School Meals?
Free School Meals can be awarded for any Child that attends a school within Cheshire West and Chester area, even if they reside outside of the area, where a parent meets the qualifying criteria. Free School Meals cannot be awarded for foster children.

Nursery aged children can receive Free School Meals if they attend a Local Authority maintained nursery school or nursery class and they attend before and after lunch sessions. If the nursery is held on the school grounds but is managed privately Free School Meals cannot be awarded.

Do I qualify for Free School Meals?
You may qualify if you are a parent, guardian or carer and receive one of the following:

Income Support (IS) or you are a pupil receiving the benefit in your own right
Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA)
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; or
Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income (as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) that does not exceed £16,190
The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Universal Credit
Children who get any of the above benefits in their own right (ie they get benefits payments directly, instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get free school meals.