The Pupil Premium is a government-funded initiative in England aimed at providing extra funding to support the education of disadvantaged pupils in schools. The funding is allocated to schools based on the number of pupils they have who are eligible for free school meals or have been in care for at least six months.
The aim of the Pupil Premium is to improve the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and to reduce the gap between them and their more advantaged peers. Schools are free to decide how to use the funding, but they are expected to use it to support pupils in a variety of ways, including:
- Improving teaching and learning through the recruitment and training of teachers and support staff.
- Providing additional resources, such as textbooks, IT equipment, and software to support learning.
- Providing one-to-one or small group tuition for pupils who need extra support.
- Providing extra-curricular activities, such as music or sport, to help pupils develop their skills and interests.
- Providing pastoral support to pupils, such as counselling or mentoring, to help them overcome barriers to learning.
