Primary schools in and around Chippenham are set to get an extra £526,600 in the next school year thanks to the biggest ever rise in their Pupil Premium.

The boost was announced today by Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.

The Pupil Premium provides schools with extra money to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

It will be increased to £1,300 per eligible primary school pupil in 2014/15, up from £900 per child this year.

The Chippenham constituency, which includes the towns of Corsham, Melksham and Bradford-on-Avon, has 1,316 primary school pupils included in the Deprivation Pupil Premium allocations, according to the January 2013 census, which means the area could receive an additional £526,600.

The move was welcomed by Duncan Hames, MP for the constituency, who said: “As part of the Liberal Democrats’ aim to build a fairer society, the coalition government is putting extra money into primary schools to help teachers support disadvantaged children.”

Schools will be able to spend this money in ways that they feel helps their pupils best. Some use it to hire extra staff, or provide appropriate IT facilities or reading and maths classes for children who need an extra hand.

Speaking in the House of Commons after the announcement, Mr Hames said not every school was able to say how the Pupil Premium money is spent in their school. “If the Pupil Premium is to deliver on the ambition that I’m sure we share for it, then the parents of all disadvantaged pupils should be told how that money is being spent to help their children,” he said.