Free School Meals/Pupils Premium/Sport Premium

Free School Meal Entitlement

Since September 2014, all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are eligible for a universal free school meal, which is paid for by central government.

However, all children who qualify for a free school meal based on the financial circumstances of their parent/parent’s, regardless of their year group, attract pupil premium funding. It is therefore important that parents who qualify under the criteria based on their financial circumstances register their child by contacting Central Bedfordshire Council on 0300 300 8306. Please ensure you have your and your partner’s (if applicable) National Insurance numbers.

This additional money is available from central government for every child whose parent is receiving one of the welfare benefits listed below. The process of application and school arrangements are entirely confidential.

Qualifying criteria for eligibility for free school meals and pupil premium funding is:

  • Income support
  • Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
  • Income-related employment and support allowance
  • Support under part vi of the immigration and asylum act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of pension credit
  • Child tax credit (provided you’re not also entitled to working tax credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
  • Working tax credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for working tax credit
  • Universal credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018, your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

FSM Entitlement

To apply for free school meals, please contact Central Bedfordshire Council by telephone: 0300 300 8306 or visit their website

Pupil Premium

Pupil premium is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England. It is designed to help disadvantaged pupils of all abilities perform better, and close the gap between them and their peers.

In 2023-2024, schools will receive the following funding for each pupil registered as eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any point in the last 6 years:

  • £1,455 for pupils in Reception to Year 4

Schools will receive £2,530 for any pupil:

  • Adoption
  • A special guardianship order
  • A child arrangements order (previously known as a residence order)
  • Who has been in local authority care for one day or more
  • Recorded as both eligible for FSM in the last 6 years and as being looked after (or as having left local authority care)

How Pupil Premium funding is spent at Hockliffe

The leadership team and governing body of Hockliffe Lower School have decided that Pupil Premium funding should be spent in the following ways:

  • To extend the support for children’s learning by deploying staff for targeted children to deliver focused intervention programmes
  • To focus on quality first teaching - to ensure that disadvantaged children receive more targeted support from their class teacher
  • To provide additional emotional and pastoral support so targeted children are in the best position to carry out their learning

The governing body tracks the achievement of children who qualify for PP funding. They ensure they have their needs clearly identified and met and their progress is closely monitored throughout school; in particular the gap between their achievement and that of their peers. Pupil premium funding is used at Hockliffe Lower to enable disadvantaged pupils to make accelerated progress and to build strong foundations for their future.

At Hockliffe Lower School we are using Pupil Premium funding for the following initiatives in 2023-2024:

  • Support across KS1 and KS2 to support reading, writing and maths to boost progress and ensure pupils are meeting age related expectations;
  • School trips can be funded for PP children ensuring they take part in enriching curriculum activities (please speak to your child’s class teacher);
  • A designated teacher for Pupil Premium + pupils focused on tracking their academic progress and supporting their well-being throughout their school journey.

Full details of interventions and support offered in 2023-2024 can be found in the Pupil Premium Policy 

Hockliffe Pupil Premium Statement

Please see Department for Education articles and advice for children and young people.

PE and Sports Premium

All children and young people should live healthy active lives. The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that all children and young people should take part in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day. Children with special educational needs and disabilities should take part in 20 minutes of daily activity.

The Childhood Obesity Plan says that at least 30 minutes of daily activity should take place in schools.

Schools have a key role to play in achieving this aim. This is particularly true of primary schools where the foundations of positive and enjoyable participation in regular physical activity are embedded. All children should have equal access to high-quality PE provision and opportunities to experience and participate in a wide range of sports and physical activities. Academic achievement can improve in school because of the benefits children can gain.

Schools should use the PE and sport premium funding to help achieve these aims. It must not be used for core-type school activities. They should use it to make additional and sustainable improvements to the PE, sport and physical activity they provide, such as:

  • Funding high-quality PE and sport for at least 2 hours a week, complemented by a wide range of extracurricular sport and competitive opportunities
  • Providing or improving equal access to sport for boys and girls

Schools should prioritise PE and sport premium spending to improve in the following five key areas:

  • Increasing all staff’s confidence, knowledge and skills in teaching PE and sport
  • Increasing engagement of all pupils in regular physical activity and sport
  • Raising the profile of PE and sport across the school, to support whole school improvement
  • Offer a broader and more equal experience of a range of sports and physical activities to all pupils
  • Increase participation in competitive sport

Hockliffe Sport Premium Report 2023 - 2024

For more information on PE and sport premium for primary schools, visit GOV.UK