Five primary schools in Suffolk and north Essex have been given £1,000 for their success in helping disadvantaged children through the pupil premium.

Now the five – two from Ipswich, two from Colchester, and one from Harwich – are in the running with schools from across the country in a race for a £100,000 windfall.

The schools, St Marks and St Pancras Catholic primaries in Ipswich, Roach Vale and St John’s Green in Colchester and Spring Meadow in Harwich are among 32 schools in Eastern England who are winners in the Pupil Premium Competition, following their success in last week’s Key Stage Two exam results.

Eligible schools will now be invited to apply for prizes worth up to £100,000. Final prizes will be awarded at a ceremony hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in March next year.

The Pupil Premium Awards reward schools that are able to provide evidence of effective strategies to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and show sustained improvement in raising their attainment. The pupil premium is extra funding schools receive for every disadvantaged pupil they teach and is worth £2.5billion a year.

Schools Minister David Laws said: “The pupil premium is building a fairer society with opportunity for everyone.

“I would encourage all of the primary schools in the East of England that have received a £1,000 prize to share their achievements with other schools so that they can learn from their strengths and experience.

“I hope all schools will continue to learn from this excellent practice and ensure they are using their pupil premium effectively, so that they too may be in the running for a prize in 2016.”

Schools across England may be eligible to win a share of £4million as part of the 2015 and 2016 Pupil Premium Awards.

Thousands of pupils in more than 500 schools could benefit from the awards, which recognise schools that are using their pupil premium in innovative and effective ways.