Pupil Premium
Is your child eligible for free school meals?
If your child is eligible for free school meals, and you claim for them, your child’s academy receives extra funding called ‘pupil premium’. Pupil premium is funding from the government that is given to academies to help students to reach their full potential, regardless of their background or financial situation.
Academies receive £1,550 for primary students and £1,100 for secondary students who are registered for free school meals. The funding must be used by the academy to enhance the individual learning of the qualifying student, and can be used in many ways including:
- Extra one-to-one or small group support within classrooms
- Employing extra teaching assistants to work within classes
- Running targeted intervention sessions for those who need extra help
- Providing breakfast
- Providing extra tuition in Numeracy and Literacy
- Providing music enrichment for families who cannot pay for them
- Investing in resources that support individual learning
Students who are registered for free school meals do not have to eat them and cannot be identified as being registered for free school meals in anyway within the academy. However, the academy cannot claim the extra funding unless the student is registered.
From September 2026, all children whose families receive Universal Credit will be entitled to Free School Meals.
There will be two categories depending on household income:
- Targeted Free School Meals
For families receiving Universal Credit with yearly household earnings of £7,400 or less.
Children in this group will continue to receive additional support, such as extended school travel assistance (where applicable). - Expanded Free School Meals
For families receiving Universal Credit with earnings above £7,400.
Children in this group will still receive a Free School Meal each day. If your child currently receives extended school travel assistance, this will continue for the 2026/27 academic year.
Eligibility
Free School Meals will be available to pupils whose parents or carers receive one or more of the following:
- Universal Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
A child will only receive Free School Meals where:
- An application has been made, and
- Eligibility has been confirmed by the school or the local authority
Some households may also be eligible if they:
- Receive income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Receive the Guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Meet criteria set out in separate guidance for families with no recourse to public funds
For further information click the link below:
https://www.togetherforchildren.org.uk/article/21204/Free-School-Meals
To register your child for free school meals use the application form below, to ensure the academy receives the relevant funding it is entitled to. Academy staff are happy to support with any applications.
Free School Meal Eligibility Check and Application 2026
Pupils Premium and Grant Funding
The statements below detail our school’s use of pupil premium (and recovery premium) funding to help improve the attainment of our disadvantaged pupils.
It outlines our pupil premium strategy, how we intend to spend the funding in this academic year and the effect that last year’s spending of pupil premium had within our school.