The Pupil Premium is funding provided to schools on the basis of: children from low-income families who are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM); those who have been eligible for FSM at any point in the last six years; those adopted from local authority care; and those who are currently 'looked after'. Pupils from service families are also eligible for another strand of the pupil premium funding.

Schools are free to spend the Pupil Premium as they see fit to support all of these children, including those of high ability.

Evidence suggests that pupil premium spending is most effective when schools use a tiered approach, targeting spending across 3 areas, with a particular focus on teaching.

1. Teaching

Investing in high-quality teaching, for example:

• training and professional development for teachers
• recruitment and retention
• support for teachers early in their careers

2. Targeted academic support

Additional support for some pupils focussed on their specific needs, for example

• one-to-one tuition
• small group tuition
• speech and language therapy

3. Wider approaches

Support for non-academic issues that impact success in school, such as attendance, behaviour and social and emotional challenges. For example

• ELSA / counselling to support emotional health and wellbeing
• help with the cost of educational trips or visits
• help with the cost of clubs

Read the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) pupil premium guide for information about the tiered approach to spending.