Pupil premium boost

MORE than £4.3 million will be handed to Oldham schools to help disadvantaged pupils — more than £500,000 more than they were expecting.

Schools were set to receive £430 for each pupil eligible for free school meals, but after a lower than expected take up the cash has increased by £58 per pupil. It means Oldham will receive £4.318 million instead of the estimated £3.8 million it would have under the previous formula.

Children’s Minister Sarah Teather said: “The Pupil Premium will benefit poorer pupils, providing extra money directly for those pupils who need it the most. We know that just 27 per cent of pupils on free school meals get five good GCSE grades compared with 54 per cent of non-free school meal pupils.

“This extra funding will help tackle this inequality and enable schools to provide the extra support they need to reach their full potential.”

Schools receive this additional funding on top of the existing school budget.

Schools can spend the money in a way they believe best supports children from disadvantaged backgrounds in their classes.

Children who have been looked after by local authorities for more than six months also qualify for the premium.