Pupil Premium

At The John Warner School, we ignite a lifelong passion for learning, to discover and develop potential, allowing all to flourish in an ever-changing world.

We aspire for all students to aim high in all that they do and to be successful in school and in life. That is especially important for our students in receipt of pupil premium where our aspirations for them remain as high. We want all students to be able to participate in all aspects of school life including extracurricular activities.  Pupil premium is funding given to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in schools in England. 

Students are in receipt of pupil premium if they:

• are recorded as eligible for free school meals (FSM), or have been recorded as eligible in the past 6 years (referred to as Ever 6 FSM)
• were previously looked after by a local authority or other state care, including children adopted from state care or equivalent from outside England and Wales
• looked-after children, supported by the local authority
• Service children

The school receives funding to support these pupils in achieving their full potential and ensuring that there are no gaps in the opportunities and outcomes for students who are disadvantaged.

The funding for Children who are Looked After is discussed in the child’s PEP meetings. 

For children who are Previously Looked After, a bespoke programme of support is put in place where there are any additional academic or social and emotional needs identified.

Our pupil premium strategy document outlines how the funding for those students in receipt of pupil premium is spent across the school. In summary:

 Quality teaching

• We are constantly striving to ensure that we retain and recruit the best teaching staff and that those staff are highly trained in their specialist areas. High Quality teaching is essential in ensuring disadvantaged students make the best progress. All staff are aware of which students are in receipt of Pupil Premium.

Targeted academic support

• Following analysis of data some disadvantaged students are prioritised for additional interventions particularly in the core subjects.

Wider strategies

• Disadvantaged students are prioritised for social and emotional support through interventions, our teaching and learning support HUB and through financial support (learning equipment, attending any additional academic opportunities, IT support).

Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils, and schools do not have to spend pupil premium so that it solely benefits eligible pupils. Pupil premium can be used to support other pupils with identified needs, such as pupils who have or have had a social worker, or pupils who act as a carer. It can also be used for whole class interventions, for example high-quality teaching, which will also benefit non-disadvantaged pupils.

From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, the Department for Education (DfE) is delivering an expansion to FSM eligibility to include all pupils from households in receipt of Universal Credit. There will then be 2 categories of FSM:

• Targeted FSM, which continues to be based on the existing £7,400 income threshold
• Expanded FSM, which will apply to meals only, covering pupils who do not qualify for Targeted FSM, but who are in households in receipt of Universal Credit

Following the expansion of FSM, only pupils eligible for Targeted FSM will be part of the Ever 6 FSM cohort. This means that pupils who become eligible for FSM for the first time through the new Expanded FSM category will not attract pupil premium funding.

Pupils who were eligible for FSM before the expansion will continue to be part of the Ever 6 FSM cohort after the expansion. That includes any pupil whose household income increases after the expansion, such that they either lose FSM eligibility altogether or become eligible for FSM through Expanded FSM. Such pupils will remain part of the Ever 6 FSM cohort for 6 years.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium/pupil-premium

Please check to see if your child qualifies for Free School Meals. Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be £7,400 a year or less (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit

Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.

From the start of academic year 2026 to 2027, your child will qualify for free school meals if you get Universal Credit, regardless of household income.

If you do not qualify for most benefits (also known as having ‘no recourse to public funds’), your child may still be eligible for free school meals. Ask their school or local authority whether they’re eligible.

To check if your son/daughter could be eligible for free school meals please follow the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals