Please read the information below which gives details of our Pupil Premium Grant, how we allocate the funding and how you can find out if you are eligible. 

What is Pupil Premium Funding?

The Pupil Premium is an allocation of additional funding provided to schools to support specific groups of children who are vulnerable to possible underachievement. These include pupils who are entitled to free school meals, those looked after by the local authority and those now adopted but formerly looked after. Since 2012, funding has been extended to include pupils who have been eligible for free school meals at any time within the last 6 years. Nationally, statistics have shown that students who are in receipt of FSM do less well than their peers in external exams. The aim of this money is to try to close that attainment gap. All schools are required to publish, on their websites, what funding they have received and how the money is being spent. Please refer below for details of how we spend the Pupil Premium at Verwood C of E First School.

An explanation of the purpose behind Pupil Premium funding, and information on how schools are funded. Government Pupil Premium Information

Free School Meals Online Application

Who can get free school meals?

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

• 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; this is as long as you're not entitled to Working Tax Credit and your annual gross income is no more than £16,190
• Working Tax Credit 'run-on' payment (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
• Universal Credit: this is as long as your household income is less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Children who are paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or carer, can also get free school meals. 

All children who currently receive or are newly approved for free school meals will remain eligible until at least 31 March 2023. 

From 31 March 2023, any child receiving free school meals will remain eligible until they have finished that school phase, for example, a child in reception on 31 March 2023 would remain eligible until they finish First school in 2027.

Please visit the Verwood First School and Nursery Free School Meals online application form - Click here for more information to see if your child is eligible. This contains a quick, easy and confidential online application form. The financial information you provide will not be seen by your child’s school or teachers, and the school will only be notified if your application is approved.