Premiums and Funding

Pupil Premium

The ‘Pupil Premium’ gives schools extra funding to raise the attainment of certain groups of students from Reception to Year 11. In order to receive this additional funding, we are required to provide information to the Department for Education confirming which students meet the government criteria. If you think that we may not already have this information, please contact the college office, so that we can check whether your child is eligible for additional funding under any of the following 4 headings. The college’s Pupil Premium Policy can be viewed here; Pupil Premium Policy.

Pupil Premium Statement

All children eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years

If your child is eligible for free school meals or has been in the last 6 years this will generate pupil premium funding for your child’s school. To be eligible for free school meals you must be in receipt of the appropriate benefits and have submitted an application for free school meals to the Local Authority Benefits Team.

If you qualify for the appropriate benefits but have chosen not to apply for free school meals please consider applying. You do not have to take up the free school meal to attract the funding for your child’s school. Free school meals cannot be backdated so you should only apply if you currently qualify. Claims can be made by calling the Benefits Team on 01429 284188.

Children that are adopted or leave care under a Special Guardianship Order, a Child Arrangements Order or a Residence Order

From April 2014, schools in England can receive the Pupil Premium for children who leave local authority care for one of the following reasons:

Adoption from care
a special guardianship order
a child arrangements order
a residence order

It is up to those with parental responsibility to decide if they wish the school to know whether their child is adopted, or is under a special guardianship order, a child arrangements order or a residence order. If you would like to enable us to claim this premium, you will need to inform us about your child and provide supporting evidence, for example, provide the original Adoption (Court) Order.

Children who have been looked after for 1 day or more

Additional pupil premium funding is available to schools for children who have been in care for 1 day or more. The Local Authority provides this information to the Department for Education.

Service Premium

The Service Premium gives schools extra funding to support children and young people with parents in the armed forces. Pupils attract the premium if they meet the following criteria:

One of their parents is serving in the regular armed forces
One of their parents served in the regular armed forces in the last 4 years
One of their parents died while serving in the armed forces and the pupil is in receipt of a pension under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and the War Pensions Scheme (WPS).

If your child meets one of the above Service Premium criteria please let us know as this will enable us to claim this additional funding.

Free School Meals

Parents claiming any of the benefits listed below can apply for free school meals for any of their children who are registered at a Hartlepool school and who would normally be at school at lunch time.

By claiming your free school meal you are helping your child’s school receive more funding through Pupil Premium.

Universal Credit
Income Support
Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related)
Child Tax Credit – where annual income as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs does not exceed £16,190 and are not entitled to Working Tax Credit
Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

* Please note that children who receive IS or IBJSA in their own right are also eligible to receive free school meals.

There are two types of Job Seekers Allowance:

Income based Job Seekers
Contribution Based Job Seekers

Only parents/carers receiving Income Based Job Seekers will be eligible to receive free school meals for their children.

Parents/carers receiving Contribution Based Job Seekers Allowance or Working Tax Credit are not eligible to receive free school meals.

The LEA has no discretionary powers to award or back date free school meals. Applications must be assessed in accordance with the statutory legislation.

How To Claim

The quickest way to apply for free school meals is to make a telephone application by contacting the Benefits Section at Hartlepool Borough Council on 01429 284188.

OR you can collect a paper application form from the Civic Centre. Applicants should forward the completed application form to: Civic Centre, Victoria Road , Hartlepool, TS24 8AY

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Free School Meals Guidance for Parents/Carers – FAQ (DfE)