Pupil Premium
The Government provides academies and schools with additional funding to help reduce the inequalities and gaps in attainment between those students who are on free school meals (or have been in in the last 6 years) and their peers. This funding is called the Pupil Premium.
Every academy and school can select how they chose to use their Pupil Premium allocation, as they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for students. Pupil Premium funding was first introduced in April 2011. It is allocated to pupils who are currently known to be eligible for free school meals or have received free school meals in the last six years, pupils who are looked after and pupils who are previously looked after (adopted from foster care).
Eligibility for Free School Meals
Your child could get a free school meal if you receive any of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (as long as you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and you don’t get more than £16,190 a year)
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Universal Credit (with annual earned income of no more than £7,400 after tax and not including any benefits you get).
Applications to receive or check eligibility for free school meals is managed through Hertfordshire County Council. The online application takes 5 mins and in most cases we can tell you straightaway if your child can get free meals at school. Click here for further information.
Use of the Pupil Premium Funding at Ridgeway Academy
Our vision goes well beyond simply narrowing the gap between those who are economically advantaged and those who are not. We are determined to ensure that all students, irrelevant of background or prior attainment, have the qualifications and attributes necessary to succeed at a world class university or prestigious apprenticeship.
Review Documentation
Please see the PDF attachments for a detailed breakdown of how PP funding is allocated across a range of initiatives at Ridgeway Academy.
We are particularly proud of our individually tailored provision to identify and meet the barriers to progress of each of our Pupil Premium students.
Key Staff
Megan Frost – Inclusion Coordinator / Deputy DSP
Caroline Maddocks – Assistant Headteacher / Lead DSP
The staff members listed above can be contacted via: megan.frost@ridgeway.herts.sch.uk
