Money for underprivileged pupils is not reaching Advertiser area schools because parents are not registering their children for free school meals, according to headteachers.
The Government’s Pupil Premium scheme gives schools £488 per pupil to improve the education and opportunities for children on the scheme.
The money is intended to close the gap in achievement between less privileged children and their peers.
Schools, however, are missing out on extra money because parents are not signing their children up to the programme.
Mr Danny Smith, the principal of the Dukeries College, Ollerton, where 177 pupils receive free meals, is working to increase awareness.
He said: “Many parents don’t know about the extra support that comes with the free school meals scheme.
“Through newsletters and our tutors we are trying to let parents know what a difference this money can make to their children’s education.
“There is no stigma attached to the pupils on free lunches. They use the same card to pay in the cafeteria as all the other students.”
The head of the Magnus Church of England School, Newark, Mrs Gil Barker, said the money her school was missing out on was crucial to the school’s aims.
She said: “We pride ourselves on reducing the gap in attainment between children from different economic backgrounds.
“The national difference is over 30%, but last year we cut that to 11%, one of the best results in the country.
“The money goes towards everything, from extra tutoring to mentoring, and can change a child’s prospects very directly.
“We are encouraging parents to make this money available to us so we can help their children achieve their potential.”
According to the Department for Education, only 32.5% of youngsters who have been on free school meals achieve the benchmark of five or more good GCSEs, compared with 64% for those who pay for school meals.
Funding will be increased and made more widely available for the financial year 2012-13.
Any pupil who has been eligible for free school meals at any time in the past six years will be funded at the increased rate of £600.
Mr Peter Goodyear, acting group manager for the Education Improvement Service at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Schools in Nottinghamshire will be keen to ensure that every pupil eligible to this premium accesses it.
“Schools will be monitored by the Department for Education as to how effectively this additional funding improves the attainment and progress of pupils eligible for free school meals.”
The deadline for the next financial year is a week today.
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