QuickRead: Pupil premium

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Last reviewed on 13 April 2026See updates
School types: Maintained, Special, AcademySchool phases: Primary, SecondaryRef: 5497

Purpose of the pupil premium

The pupil premium is additional funding given to maintained schools and academies to help raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.  

It's also used to support pupils with parents in the regular armed forces, which is known as the service pupil premium.

The grant may be spent:

  • For the educational benefit of eligible pupils registered at your school and at other state-funded schools, e.g. if you host a summer school that welcomes pupils from other schools
  • On community services that benefit eligible pupils at your school 

It's up to your senior leaders to decide how to spend the pupil premium, as long as it's spent within the requirements of the conditions of grant and in line with the Department for Education (DfE)'s menu of approaches

Eligibility and amount per pupil for 2026-27

Primary-aged pupils who are eligible for free school meals (FSM), or have been