What is Pupil Premium funding?

The Pupil Premium is additional funding for publicly-funded schools in England. It’s designed to help disadvantaged pupils of all abilities to flourish, and close the gap between them and their peers. We are committed to ensuring that all students achieve academically and have the opportunity to participate in the rich co-curricular life of the school so that they develop the right values and character to aid their long-term success. Pupil Premium funding is used to further these aims.

How do we use Pupil Premium funds?

The Pupil Premium is used to provide a wide range of academic, co-curricular and pastoral support at the RGS. If a student is in receipt of Pupil Premium funding, the money can be used both on an individual basis and also to fund activities that will benefit disadvantaged students as a whole. In the past year, Pupil Premium money has funded all of the following activities:

• Small-group and 1:1 tuition
• Access to the GCSE Easter Revision Courses
• Funding of public exam revision talks
• Support for programmes aimed at improving literacy and numeracy
• Provision of resources to support learning, such as revision guides, Chromebooks, calculators and stationery
• One-to-one appointments and advice from Careers advisors
• Visits to universities to find out more about university life
• Support in buying uniform and PE kit
• Encouragement to participate in school trips and activities, including the CCF, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and World Challenge expeditions
• Support in paying for music lessons

Who is eligible for Pupil Premium funding?

Pupil Premium funding is designed to support students from backgrounds where there is financial hardship or constraints, students who are in care or have left care, and students who have one or more parents in the Armed Forces. Students can become eligible for Pupil Premium funding by one of the following means: Targeted FSM, Ever 6 FSM Cohort, 'Looked After' children and previously 'Looked After' children.

Free School Meals (FSMs)

From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit attending these schools will be entitled to receive a free meal.  The government have made this a legal requirement through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.

Going forward, there will be 2 categories of benefits-based free school meals:

• Targeted FSM, which continues to be based on the existing threshold, covering pupils who are in households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less

• Expanded FSM, a new category covering pupils who do not qualify for targeted FSM, but who are in households receiving Universal Credit

Ever 6 FSM Cohort

Pupils who are, or have been, eligible for FSM over the last 6 years are part of the 'Ever 6' FSM cohort.  This is used for disadvantaged funding and accountability purposes.  Following the expansion of FSM, Ever 6 will be based on targeted FSM.

‘Looked After’ Children (adopted from care)

Schools in England can receive Pupil Premium funding for children adopted from care or who left care under a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). Schools can also claim the Pupil Premium for children who left care under a child arrangements order (previously known as a residence order).

How do I apply for Free School Meals?

Applying for Free School Meals is simple. Fill out the Free Schhol Meals application form below and return it to the school’s Finance Office via email office@rgshw.com. We submit the form to Buckinghamshire County Council, who check your eligibility. We will then contact you to tell you whether your application has been successful or not.  Eligibility for FSM is assessed on an annual basis.

Service Children

If one or both parents are currently working in the Armed Forces, or your child has been registered as a ‘service child’ in the school census at any point since January 2011, they will be eligible for Service Pupil Premium funding.  This funding can only be used for pastoral purposes.

Who should I contact if I would like more information?

Please contact the Assistant Headteacher Grant Sheehan, who oversees the school’s Pupil Premium strategy. Please contact him via admin@rgshw.com.