Pupil Premium: Better support for Norwich's young people
December 14, 2011 7:25 PM
Cllr James Wright has today written to the Norwich Evening News in support of the extension of the Pupil Premium scheme which will now benefit significantly more young people in Norwich. The letter is reproduced in full below.
Dear Evening News,
I am pleased that the Evening News has highlighted the extension of the Pupil Premium scheme in our region (EN 13/12/11). The figures specifically for Norwich show that 4,611 are expected to be eligible, meaning that our schools in the City are set to benefit from an extra £2.7 million to support disadvantaged pupils.
This money will make a real difference. Children who have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in their school career have consistently lower educational attainment than those who have never been eligible. Of students gaining three As at A-level in 2008, 30 per cent were privately educated, whereas only 0.5 per cent were eligible for Free School Meals.
That is why thanks to Liberal Democrats, the Coalition Government is doing the right thing by supporting schools with additional money - set to be worth £600 per youngster next year. I know that schools have used it in ways that work for them. Some have split classes to reduce class size, others have hired extra teaching assistants or used the money for one-on-one tuition for those struggling in English, maths or other subjects. That means the Pupil Premium is helping whole classes work better together and move forward faster.
But to make it really effective, we need to get everyone who is eligible for Free School Meals. I know some people do not want to register, because they think FSM are for other people or because they have heard bad things about it. But this is not about that. It is about helping your school get all the money it is eligible for, to help all children get better results. So please, if you know someone who is eligible, get them to contact their schools to find out how to register.
Cllr James Wright
Deputy Leader Liberal Democrat Group
City Hall
Norwich
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