Crawley MP, Henry Smith, has welcomed the news that local pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds have been allocated £3,800,000 for 2014/15 to help them achieve their full potential. This is good news for pupils and good news for their families.
The Pupil Premium is additional funding given to schools so that they can support their disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap between them and their peers.
The Government has increased Pupil Premium funding to £1.875 billion in 2013-14, with schools attracting £900 per disadvantaged child, with an additional payment of £53 for primary-aged pupils. In 2014-15, the funding will rise to £2.5 billion, with £1,300 for primary-aged pupils, £935 for secondary-aged pupils and £1,900 for all looked-after children, adopted children and children with guardians.
In total, local pupils will have received £9,360,000 between 2011 and 2015.
Henry commented:
“I welcome the education budget being protected by the Government which means the Pupil Premium will be funded at £935 per child next year. This is excellent news for disadvantaged kids and their families across town and will give local schools the support they need to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, can fulfil their potential.
“This Government funding, worth almost £10 million for young people in Crawley between 2011-15, comes in addition to the Chancellor’s pledge in his Autumn Statement offering free school meals for school children in years 1 and 2. I support the effort to encourage all Crawley families who meet the criteria to register for free school meals, so that disadvantaged children can benefit from a nutritious meal, and their schools to be able to receive Pupil Premium funding to help raise disadvantaged kids attainment.
“Despite the growing academic disparity under Labour, this Government is determined that, even in these tough economic times, the Pupil Premium will deliver a massive boost to the education of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children and close attainment gaps.”
Pupil Premium funding is provided to schools which have on roll pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (the Deprivation Premium); children in care who have been continuously looked after for at least six months (the Looked After Child Premium); and children whose parents are serving in the armed forces (the Service Child Premium).
Follow Henry daily via:
www.twitter.com/HenrySmithMP
www.facebook.com/henrysmithmp
www.youtube.com/HenrySmithMP
Notes
Schools funding settlement 2011-12 and Pupil Premium, Department for Education, link; Schools Funding Settlement 2012-13 including Pupil Premium, Department for Education, link; Funding allocations 2013/14, Department for Education, link.