Pupil Premium

What is Pupil Premium Funding?

Pupil Premium Funding is an amount of money additional to the main funding a school receives. It is targeted at students from disadvantaged backgrounds to ensure they benefit from the same opportunities as students from less disadvantaged families. The premium goes to the students who are currently in receipt of free school meals and those students who have ever registered for free school meals in the past six years (Known as Ever 6). Students in care also qualify for the pupil premium and students whose parents are in the armed services are also entitled to a Service Premium.

The spending of pupil premium is very carefully monitored. All staff are aware of this cohort and have attended training to identify how we can support them as well as how to access the additional funding.

Our main focus for funding has been to ensure we boost the performance of these students through a variety of projects. Part of the funding has been used to equalise opportunity by providing/subsidising free transport and uniform to ensure all children, regardless of their cohort can come to school safely and be identified as part of the community. We have also identified and targeted literacy development, numeracy and number work and engagement in the life of the school.

Why Do We Need Pupil Premium?

Students who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in their school career have consistently lower educational attainment than those who have never been eligible. GCSE statistics show that around one third of students who have been eligible for free school meals in the previous six years achieved five or more A* – C grades, compared to more than two thirds of their fellow students.

How Is the Pupil Premium spending monitored?

To monitor progress on attainment, measures relating specifically to pupil premium students are now included in performance tables. Staff in school monitor the performance of those students identified and access additional support to ensure we boost their performance and help them to be part of our school community. An external provider reviews our Pupil Premium spending plan and support to ensure the activities and spending identified are appropriate.

What is the impact of Pupil Premium funding?

Pupil Premium funding is split into Teaching and Learning, targeted academic support and wider strategies. The impact of the funding allocation is assessed at varying points dependent on the intervention - for example a 10-week block of intervention will be assessed once that has been completed, but a small class size impact would be assessed during department monitoring cycles. The additional funding into school means that we can provide opportunities for our pupils both inside and outside of the classroom, which impact positively on their life and educational opportunities.

Pupil Premium Documents