At Stoke Park Junior School, we believe that every child is unique, valued and capable of achieving excellence. Our school values - Respect, Inspire, Safe and Engage - are at the heart of everything we do. They guide our commitment to nurturing the whole child and ensuring that all children, regardless of background or circumstance, are empowered to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.

We recognise that some children face additional challenges that can impact their learning. The Pupil Premium Grant is a vital resource that enables Stoke Park Junior School to systematically remove barriers, close attainment gaps and provide equitable learning opportunities to all eligible children. We use this funding with precision and purpose to ensure that disadvantaged children are not only supported but championed - so they can flourish alongside their peers and fulfil their potential.

What is Pupil Premium funding?

The Pupil Premium Grant is government funding intended to support the education of specific groups of children, including those eligible for Free School Meals, children with parents in the armed forces and children in care. Since April 2013, Stoke Park Junior School has received this funding annually for each eligible Free School Meals (FSM), Looked After Children (LAC), Post-Looked After Children (PLAC) and Service Children (SC) to create equitable opportunities and help each child succeed.

This academic year, our funding allocations are:

• £1,515 for each Free School Meal pupil, retained for six years, even if circumstances change, classifying them as Ever Six.

• £2,630 for each Looked After Child pupil.

• £2,630 for each Post-Looked After Child pupil.

• £350 for each Children in Service pupil, retained for three years.

At Stoke Park Junior School, we strategically use the Pupil Premium Grant based on the latest research on effective educational support. Our goals include narrowing the achievement gap between disadvantaged children and their peers, while also supporting all eligible children in reaching their potential, regardless of their starting points.

Our funding enables:

• Targeted academic support, with interventions for children needing additional help to meet progress expectations.

• Classroom support, including additional teaching assistant hours to reinforce learning.

• Targeted professional development for all teaching and support staff, focused on enhancing teaching quality, adaptive instruction and tailored support for disadvantaged and SEND pupils.

A portion of the funding is dedicated to Emotional Literacy Support Assistance (ELSA), helping children develop:

• Social skills and positive peer relationships.

• Improved attendance through parent engagement.

• Emotional regulation, including managing anger and sharing.

• Support during lunchtimes and breaks to foster a safe, supportive environment.

To measure our effectiveness, we closely monitor the progress of FSM children, who may face unique challenges in their academic journey. Through targeted interventions, we aim to ensure that Pupil Premium children make at least expected progress, if not exceed it.

Our Three-Year Strategy

Stoke Park Junior School implements a robust three-year Pupil Premium strategy, guided by the Department for Education (DfE) and Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) best practises. This strategy is fully integrated into our School Strategic Plan, combining short, medium and long-term actions aimed at improving learning readiness, closing attainment gaps and driving whole-school improvement.

Our strategic priorities are:

• Ensuring high-quality first teaching across all classrooms.

• Narrowing the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.

• Providing targeted support for children not meeting expected progress.

• Addressing non-academic barriers like attendance and behaviour.

• Directing funds effectively to the children most in need.

For further information, please read our Pupil Premium Policy and three-year strategy or our Pupil Premium Strategy Summary.

Free School Meals Online Application

Your child may be eligible for Free School Meals if you receive any of the following:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (if you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and your annual gross income is no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit ‘run-on’ (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
• Universal Credit, provided your net earned household income is less than £7,400 per year (after tax and not including benefits)

Children who receive any of these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or carer, can also qualify for Free School Meals.

Important Notes

Transitional protections remain in place until the end of the 2025/26 school year. This means that once a child qualifies for FSM, they will continue to receive it even if family circumstances change.

From September 2026, all households on Universal Credit will become eligible, regardless of income level.

Please visit the Hampshire Online FSM Application (click link) for more information to see if your child is eligible. This contains a quick, easy and confidential online application form. The financial information you provide will not be seen by your child’s school or teachers and the school will only be notified if your application is approved.