- Click here to view our Pupil Premium Strategy for 2025-26
What is it?
The pupil premium is an extra budget, in addition to main school funding. The DfE believes that this is the best way to address the current attainment gaps between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and other students. This funding is designed to help close the gaps by ensuring that funding reaches the pupils who need it most. The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011 and is allocated to schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’).
Why has it been introduced?
The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) and their wealthier peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most. Whilst schools are free to spend the Pupil Premium as they see fit, we are required to publish online information about how we have used the Premium and the impact it is having. Pupil Premium Plus is also awarded for children who have been in Local Authority care for 24 hours or more at any point in their life.
Who receives the Pupil Premium?
Pupil Premium is allocated to pupils in school from Reception to Year 11. They must come from low income families who are registered for FSM, or who have been registered for FSM at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6’), together with children that have been in care continuously for 6 months or more.
At Fairfield Spencer Academy, our intention is that our pupils irrespective of their background or the challenges they face, make good progress and achieve high attainment across our SHINE curriculum. The aim of our pupil premium strategy is to support disadvantaged pupils to achieve that goal, with all learners demonstrating progress. By following the latest research published by the Education Endowment Fund (EEF) and guidance produced by the DfE, we aim to ensure that the funding allocated is spent in an effective manner for our children.