What is the pupil premium grant?
The pupil premium grant is funding introduced by the Government to improve the educational outcomes of disadvantaged children and young people. The funding is allocated to schools for students from Reception to Year 11 under three main criteria:
- Students in Receipt of Free School Meals (FSM) – The College receives specific funds to support students who are eligible for free school meals or have been at any point in the last six years.
- Looked after and previously looked after children (LAC, PLAC) – For students who are or have ever been in local authority care.
- Service pupil premium (SPP) – For students with a parent who is serving in HM Forces or who has retired on a pension from the Ministry of Defence.
The government allows schools to decide how to spend the pupil premium in order to improve attainment. It could be spent on aspirational trips and visits, on in-class support or on specialist services. Attached below is a statement on how we use pupil premium funding at St Richard Reynolds Catholic College. You may access the pupil premium statement HERE.
At St Richard Reynolds Catholic College we recognise that not all students who are eligible for Pupil Premium are disadvantaged, and that some disadvantaged pupils are eligible for Pupil Premium. These students are identified through the College’s pastoral or progress monitoring systems and we allocate pupil premium funding to support them. If your family is experiencing hardship, please get in touch with the College so that we may offer support. This support is not exclusively for Pupil Premium students; we want to offer our assistance to any families within our community who are experiencing financial difficulties.
Please click the link below to see our most recent Pupil Premium Statement:
How do I apply to receive support?
Free School Meals
Free School Meals (FSM) is a government scheme that provides eligible students with a healthy, nutritious meal at no cost to support their health and learning. High school students eligible for free school meals automatically have their student account credited each day, and they can use this allowance (£2.90 a day from Sept 2026) to purchase food from the canteen at break or lunchtime. This system is discrete and “invisible”, so students are not aware who is claiming a free school meal. Families can top up these accounts if they want their child to be able to spend more than the free school meal allowance.
Changes to Free School Meals from September 2026
Important updates are coming to the government’s benefits-based Free School Meals (FSM) scheme from September 2026.
Eligibility Criteria is Expanding
The national FSM system is expanding to support more families. Previously, households claiming Universal Credit only qualified if their annual earnings were under £7,400. From September 2026, this income cap will be removed. If your household receives Universal Credit or other benefits (see below), your children will officially be entitled to Free School Meals and you should claim them under the national scheme, regardless of your income. Because the government’s “Transitional Protection” rules are coming to an end, your child’s current FSM status will stop unless you reapply and qualify under the new September 2026 guidelines.
Other Qualifying Benefits:
- Support under Part VI of the immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Guarantee element of Pension credit
- No Recourse to Public Funds
Why You Should Register
Even if your child prefers packed lunches or wants different meal options than those fully covered by the standard FSM allowance, you should still register. Your child’s FSM status may trigger additional funding for the school to support their education. Additionally, the FSM allowance functions as a base credit on their canteen account and so if they wish to choose alternative options, parents can easily top up their catering account to cover the difference.
If you think you are eligible for Free School Meals, please complete the FSM Application form and the Payments team will be able to run an eligibility check for you. If you need to speak to someone regarding your application, please email us at payments@srrcc.org.uk.
Follow this link to complete the form:
Trip, Visits and Experiences Support Fund
The College is committed to supporting students to participate in non-curriculum-based trips, regardless of financial circumstances. Families experiencing financial hardship should contact the trips administrator (trips@srrcc.org.uk) in the first instance to discuss their situation confidentially. The College may assess need based on factors such as eligibility for free school meals, pupil premium status, or other socio-economic indicators. Support will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with options including subsidised costs, flexible payment plans, or assistance from the College or external funding sources.
Should the College choose to allocate money from the Trip Support Fund, and subject to availability of sufficient funds, subsidised places would be offered to families on the following basis:
- extra-curricular trips, visits and experiences only (the College has other arrangements for curriculum-based trips, visits and experiences),
- up to of 25% of cost of advertised trip (no extras) paid for by College,
- maximum of 1 child per trip will receive the subsidy,
- applicant must receive free school meals/16-19 Bursary (KS5 only)/the College is in receipt of the pupil premium grant for the child,
- selected by ballot for each trip (if more than one applicant),
- if applications are received from more than one family, children for whom the College is in receipt of the pupil premium grant will take priority over the other categories,
- only one use of Trip Support Fund per child during time at the College.
Should you wish to be considered for the trip support fund, please contact the College via payments@srrcc.org.uk prior to the deadline given in the relevant trip letter.