More money to support poor pupils

MORE than 3,000 extra children in Oldham are set to benefit from money to help disadvantaged youngsters after the criteria was widened.

The pupil premium currently applies to children receiving free school meals, those in care for more than six months and children of armed service personnel. From April next year it will be extended to include anyone who has been registered for free meals in the previous six years.

Under the extended scheme, a further 3,130 children in Oldham will benefit in 2012-13 compared with this year. Added to the previous 8,860 children benefiting, it will help 11,990 pupils overall.

The amount of money per pupil is currently £488 but this goes up to £600. This will mean Oldham’s allocation rising to £7.185 million from April, up from £4.318 million in 2011-12.

Children’s Minister Sarah Teather said: “For too long, social background has been a deciding factor in a child’s achievement and future prospects.

Nationally, more than 500,000 extra children will benefit from the £1.25 billion premium. Ministers say children who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in their school career have consistently lower educational attainment than those who did not qualify.

In 2009-10, GCSE statistics showed a third of pupils who have been on free school meals in the previous six years achieved five or more A*- C grades, compared with more than two-thirds of their fellow pupils.