# Pupil premium for schools



## secret-garden (Nov 19, 2013)

Hello. I wonder if anyone can give some advice. Myself and my husband have a meeting with my sons, (age 5 in April) headmaster and teacher to discuss what the school will spend pupil premium on to support my son.  The head would like our input. My worry is is that they are planning on spending the monies to help him achieve academically and I understand this is important although I would also like to highlight that I believe my son will need emotional support regarding his past, and his life before he came home to us.  Only after reading a small amount about pupil premium I am not sure it can be used for emotional support a do am not sure what I should be requesting from the school. It is a great school, the head is very approachable and seems to know all the children in the school, although I am not sure what experience they have with children that have been adopted or are in care! (A small village school)!
Any advice would be so appreciated. 
Thank you. 
Secret Garden.


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## E3021 (May 28, 2010)

Hi,

I am now a stay at home mummy but in a previous life I was a Head teacher.
I may be a bit out of touch so sorry if not completely accurate but I used pupil premium money to provide a one to one teaching assistant for a child with emotional and behavioural difficulties - not adopted, completely different issues but the point is that the child's emotional and behavioural issues were the hindrance to their academic progress. You could argue that addressing your son's issues will be the absolute best way to support his education. How can he be expected to concentrate on learning to read / spell / write / add up etc if his little head is too full of worrying about his place in your family / in the world / any other adoption type concern he may have.

As to what form of support you feel your child might need I am not the person with the experience to say but I certainly can't see why the pupil premium money can't be spent on his primary need which will in turn benefit his academic life by freeing up his brain power to focus on learning once he feels more safe / secure / sure of his identity and place in his little world.

Hope this helps a bit. Good luck and do let us know what happens


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