Pupil Premium
Applying for Free School Meals
Please follow the link for information about eligibility and how to apply:
How to apply
Apply through the Devon Citizens Portal. This is the quickest and easiest way to apply and will result in you getting an instant decision. Alternatively, call the Education Helpline on 0345 155 1019.
Devon administers free school meals applications for Plymstock School. You should apply through the Citizens Portal.
What is The Pupil Premium?
The Pupil Premium is additional funding provided by the Department for Education to enhance the education of the most socio-economically deprived students. Allocation of funding is made according to the number of students entitled to free school meals currently or at any time within the last six years (known as Ever 6 FSM) and children in care (also known as LAC) who attend the school in Years 7-11.
There is also additional Pupil Premium funding (known as the Service Premium) for any student who has or has had within the last five years a parent in the Armed Forces (known as Ever 6 service child).
More information on the Pupil Premium can be found here: Pupil premium: overview
Key staff with specific responsibilities for leading improvements in outcomes for disadvantaged learners are:
Mrs Zoe Baring - Assistant Head teacher
Pupil Premium budget and strategy
Ms Sophie Harris - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
LAC Designated Teacher Pupil Premium+
Miss Charlotte Campbell – Deputy Head teacher
Curriculum Deputy
Mrs Claire Johns – Teacher
Service Children Lead
Funding and use of The Pupil Premium
Current number of eligible Pupil Premium students 2025-26
Year 7 – 55
Year 8 – 84
Year 9 – 88
Year 10 – 89
Year 11 – 60
This represents 25.85% of the total number of students at Plymstock School.
Total Pupil Premium funding for 2025/26 — £355,119.
Not all PP-eligible students face the same challenges. Each individual may face any combination of challenges or possibly none at all. Common challenges we have identified for disadvantaged students are addressed through our Pupil Premium Strategy.
Key challenges to learning may include:
a. Attainment and progress may be lower for disadvantaged students
b. Behaviour incidents may be more frequent than other cohorts within school
c. Attendance amongst disadvantaged students may be lower than their peers
d. Levels of literacy may be lower among disadvantaged students
e. Levels of aspiration may vary among disadvantaged students
f. Emotional wellbeing and safeguarding concerns may be more prevalent
How Plymstock School uses the Pupil Premium
Our Pupil Premium strategy is focused on the following 3 areas:
1. High quality teaching – Evidence indicates that high quality teaching is the most powerful way for schools to improve pupil attainment, particularly for socio-economically disadvantaged students.
2. Targeted academic support – Intensive support, either one to one or as part of a small group to support pupil learning, provided in addition to, and explicitly linked with, normal lessons. Targeted interventions can support pupil progress and can be employed to help boost language development, literacy, or numeracy, as well as other subject areas.
3. Wider strategies – Strategies to support students’ social, emotional and behavioural needs, such as extra-curricular activities, breakfast provision, and financial support for uniform, equipment and travel, etc.
Plymstock School’s Strategy Statement for the current academic year can be viewed here.
Plymstock School’s Pupil Premium Policy can be viewed here.