Pupil Premium

Our Pupil Premium Lead is Miss Ballam

Pupil premium funding is designed to help schools improve education outcomes for pupils from less economically-advantaged backgrounds. Evidence shows that disadvantaged children generally face additional challenges in reaching their potential at school and often do not perform as well as other pupils from higher-income households.

The funding is used to decrease the attainment gap for the most disadvantaged children, whether by income or by family upheaval. For each pupil who is registered as eligible for free school meals, the school receives extra funding to specifically support those children. Examples of this can include things like, free places in school run extra-curricular clubs, access to free peripatetic music lessons, support with funding for school trips. 

For further information on how we spend our Pupil Premium, please see the key information pages

St Leonard's   Social Media Image

We are fortunate enough to be able to provide all children in receipt of Pupil Premium with free access to an online platform, Atom Learning. This online platform would normally cost £575.90 a year per pupil, and is designed as an alternative to costly private tuition. It is our aim that this home learning resource will provide further support to KS2 pupils who wish to consolidate their in school learning, plug gaps in knowledge from previous years, or to prepare for entrance exams to our local grammar schools. 

Atom Home Dashboard

Atom Home helps children get familiar with the type of questions they may see on the 11+, and build exam technique and confidence. They'll be able to access KS2 and 11+ practice questions, learning resources, mock tests and practice papers through their Atom Home account. 

If your child is between 7 - 11 and has been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years (please check with the school office if you are not sure), please fill in this simple form. We will then receive an email asking us to verify your child's Pupil Premium status, in order to access this valuable resource. 

Please apply via this link: 

Free School Meals Application

It is quick and easy to make the application and you will get an instant decision. 

My child gets a free meal anyway, do I still need to apply?

  • Even though all children in Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 receive a Universal Infant Free Meal, we strongly encourage all families to complete the online application to secure their Free School Meal entitlement as it will be protected until the end of Year 6.
  • Being eligible for Free School Meals automatically entitles your child to Pupil Premium funding. This attracts further benefits such as help with the cost of school trips and access to extra curricular clubs.
  • The Eligibility Checking System runs regular checks, so if your circumstances change in the future you will be automatically notified that your child is now eligible for Free School Meals.

In addition, pupils will be protected against losing their Free School Meals status as follows:

  • Since 1 April 2018, all existing Free School Meals claimants have continued to receive Free School Meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out. This applies even if their earnings rise above the threshold during that time.
  • Any pupil gaining eligibility for Free School Meals after 1 April 2018 will be protected against losing Free School Meals until March 2025.
  • After March 2025, any existing claimants that no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because they are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal Credit) will continue to receive Free School Meals until the end of their current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary).

Free School Meals eligibility applies to pupils whose parents are in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
  • 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 guarantee 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 four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

A pupil is only eligible for Free School Meals when an application has been made on their behalf and their eligibility, or protected status, has been verified by the school.