'Cumbria gains £7.1 million from pupil premium' - Farron

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has today welcomed the news that Cumbria has received £7,147,000 through the pupil premium to help support 11,922 pupils throughout the county.

The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011 for pupils in England from low-income families. Under the scheme, schools in disadvantaged areas in England are allotted £600 per head to help give extra tailored support to poorer children.

At Queen Katherine's School in Kendal the school receives £94,200 to support 157 pupils, Ulverston Victoria High School receives £102,300 to help 172 young people and MilnthorpePrimary School was given £12,600. Nearly every school in Cumbria was given extra support under the scheme.

Schools are free to spend the extra funding as they see fit but from September 2012, the government requires schools to publish information about how they use it.

The pupil premium paid to schools for every child they take from a disadvantaged background will rise from the current £619 a pupil to £900 in September 2014.

Tim said: "Knowing that 12,000 young people are getting the help and support they need is fantastic news. I know that the funds that we have helped secure will give local young people the chance to learn and hopefully open many doors and make a massive difference,

"This £7.1m builds on the nearly £300,000 we recently secured to help pupils who have fallen behind in reading and maths before starting secondary school and the 3600 two year old children in the county who will receive early years education. Education is the essential investment in a young person's life - we need to make sure we allow every child to reach their full potential and I know that this funding is a step in the right direction."