Pupil Premium

What is the pupil premium?
Introduced in 2011, the pupil premium is a sum of money given to schools each year by the Government to improve the attainment of disadvantaged children. This is based on research showing that children from low income families perform less well at school than their peers. Often, children and young people who are entitled to pupil premium face challenges such as poor language and communication skills, lack of confidence and issues with attendance and punctuality. The pupil premium is intended to directly benefit the children who are eligible, helping to narrow the gap between them and their classmates although more often than not, other members of the school community will also benefit from the investments made with the pupil premium funding.  At Honywood we have invested the majority of our funding into continually improving the quality of teaching and learning these youngsters experience along with improved pastoral care; developing engagement in their studies and in wider school life and offering support as they work to overcome any barriers towards learning they may have. 

Can you influence how the pupil premium is used?

Schools are allowed to spend their pupil premium funding in whatever ways they see fit, because teachers and educational leaders are the most qualified at identifying what their pupils need most. However, the government advises that schools carefully plan their spending and ensure that the funding is not simply absorbed into the mainstream school budget. They are encouraged to ensure that spending is carefully targeted to increase the achievements of their disadvantaged pupils. Research has continued to show that if spent in the correct ways, pupil premium funding can help to increase the academic ability of underprivileged children; particularly in core subjects such as Maths and English. 

For information on pupil premium expenditure at Honywood School, please click the link below.

How to claim your child’s pupil premium

All children who currently qualify for free school meals based on their family circumstances are entitled to pupil premium. This applies if you receive any of the following benefits:

  • Universal credit (provided you have a net income of £7400 or less)
  • Income support
  • Income-based jobseekers’ allowance
  • Income-related employment and support allowance
  • Support under Part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of state pension credit
  • Child tax credit, provided that you are not also entitled to working tax credit and have an annual gross income of £16,190 or less
  • Children who are or have been in care, and children who have a parent who is or was in the armed forces, are also entitled to pupil premium.

In addition, pupils who have qualified for free school meals on the above grounds in the past, but are no longer eligible, continue to receive pupil premium for the next six years.

If your child qualifies for free school meals or has at any point in the past six years, it is important that you tell the school – even if they take a packed lunch – as this enables the school to claim pupil premium.

If you would like further information or support then please contact Mr Williams at jwilliams@honywoodschool.com

Our task is to educate their (our students) whole being so they can face the future. We may not see the future, but they will and our job is to help them make something of it.’

Sir Ken Robinson