Pupil Premium Policy

Pupil Premium Policy 

Aims

This policy aims to:

• Provide background information about the pupil premium grant so that all members of the school community understand its purpose and which pupils are eligible
• Set out how the school will make decisions on pupil premium spending
• Summarise the roles and responsibilities of those involved in managing the pupil premium in school

Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on the latest pupil premium conditions of grant guidance, published by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. It is also based on guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) on virtual school heads’ responsibilities concerning the pupil premium, and the service premium. In addition, this policy refers to the DfE’s information on what maintained schools must publish online.

Purpose of the grant

The pupil premium grant is additional funding allocated to publicly funded schools to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and support pupils with parents in the armed forces.

The school will use the grant to support these groups, which comprise of pupils with a range of different abilities, to narrow any achievement gaps between them and their peers.

Pupil premium is funding to improve education outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in schools in England. Evidence shows that disadvantaged children generally face additional challenges in reaching their potential at school and often do not perform as well as other pupils

We also recognise that not all pupils eligible for pupil premium funding will have lower attainment than their peers. In such cases, the grant will be used to help improve pupils’ progress and attainment so that they can reach their full potential.

Use of the grant

When making decisions about using pupil premium funding it is important that as a school we follow a four step approach that includes:

1. Diagnose our pupils’ needs
2. Use strong evidence to support our strategy
3. Implement our strategy
4. Monitor and evaluate our strategy

We will consider the context of the school and the subsequent challenges faced. Common barriers for disadvantaged pupils can be less support at home, weak language and communication skills, lack of confidence, more frequent behaviour difficulties, and attendance and punctuality issues. There may also be complex family situations that prevent children from flourishing. The challenges are varied and there is no “one size fits all”.

Key Principles

By following the key principles below, we believe we can maximise the impact of our pupil premium spending.

Building Belief

We will provide a culture where:

• staff believe that there are “no limits” to what our children can achieve
• there are “no excuses” made for underperformance and we use a “keep up” approach to ensure children do not fall behind
• staff adopt a “solution-focused” approach to overcoming barriers
• staff support children to develop positive attitudes towards learning

Analysing Data

We will ensure that:

All staff are involved in the analysis of data so that they are fully aware of strengths and weaknesses across the school

We use research (e.g. Education Endowment Foundation Toolkit) to support us in determining the strategies that will be most effective

Identification of Pupils

We will ensure that:

• All staff are aware of who pupil premium and vulnerable children are
• Teaching staff and support staff are involved in the analysis of data and identification of pupils for specific support
• All pupil premium children benefit from the funding, not just those who are underperforming
• Underachievement at all levels is targeted (not just lower attaining pupils)
• Children’s individual needs are considered carefully so that we provide support for those children who could be doing “even better if…..”

Tiered approach to school improvement

The development of an effective pupil premium strategy should include the use of a tiered approach as outlined by the DfE strategy template. The three areas are outlined below.

High Quality Teaching

Spending time on developing high quality teaching may include investment in professional development, training and support for early career teachers, along with recruitment and retention. Ensuring an effective teacher is in front of every class, and that every teacher is supported to keep improving, is the key ingredient of a successful school and should rightly be a top priority for pupil premium spending (The EEF Guide to the Pupil Premium – Autumn 2021)

We endeavour to do this using the following strategies listed:

• Set high expectations
• Ensure consistent implementation of teaching strategies
• Share good practice within the school and draw on external expertise
• Provide high quality CPD
• Improve assessment through shared moderation

Targeted academic support

Evidence consistently shows the positive impact that targeted academic support can have, including on those who are not making good progress, or those who have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of the pandemic. Considering how classroom teachers and teaching assistants can provide targeted academic support, such as linking structured small group interventions to classroom teaching and the curriculum, is likely to be an essential ingredient of an effective pupil premium strategy (The EEF Guide to the Pupil Premium – Autumn 2021).

We will ensure that the additional support we provide is effective by:

• Looking at the individual needs of each child and identifying barriers to learning
• Ensuring additional support staff and class teachers communicate regularly
• Using team leaders to provide high quality interventions across their phases
• Matching the skills of the support staff to the interventions they provide
• Providing extra one-to-one or small-group support
• Running catch-up sessions after school (for example, for children who need extra help with maths or English
• Providing extra tuition where needed
• Working with other agencies to bring in additional expertise

Wider strategies

Wider strategies relate to the most significant non-academic challenges to success in school, including attendance, behaviour, and social and emotional support, which also may negatively impact upon academic attainment. Given the impact of the pandemic, issues such as securing high levels of attendance may be more prominent for schools as they develop their strategy. While many challenges may be common between schools, it is also likely that the specific features of the community each school serves will affect spending in this category (The EEF Guide to the Pupil Premium – Autumn 2021).

We endeavour to do this using the following strategies listed:

• Following a robust and clear attendance policy and procedures
• Providing support for children and their families through having a full time Family Support Worker
• Working with external agencies such as Trailblazers and TAMHS to support children with social, emotional and mental health needs
• Providing uniform and water bottles where needed

We will publish our strategy on the school’s use of the pupil premium in each academic year on the school website, in line the DfE’s requirements on what maintained schools must publish online.

Eligible pupils

The pupil premium is allocated to the school based on the number of eligible pupils each year. Eligible pupils fall into the categories explained below.

Ever 6 free school meals

Pupils recorded in the most recent January school census who are known to have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years (as determined by the DfE’s latest conditions of grant guidance).

This includes pupils first known to be eligible for free school meals in the most recent January census.

It does not include pupils who received universal infant free school meals but would not have otherwise received free lunches.

Looked after children

Pupils who are in the care of, or provided with accommodation by, a local authority in England or Wales.

Post-looked after children

Pupils recorded in the most recent January census and alternative provision census who were looked after by an English or Welsh local authority immediately before being adopted, or who left local authority care on a special guardianship order or child arrangements order.

Ever 6 service children

Pupils:

• With a parent serving in the regular armed forces
• Who have been registered as a ‘service child’ in the school census at any point in the last 6 years (as determined by the DfE’s latest conditions of grant guidance), including those first recorded as such in the most recent January census
• In receipt of a child pension from the Ministry of Defence because one of their parents died while serving in the armed forces

Roles and responsibilities

Headteacher and senior leadership team

The headteacher and senior leadership team are responsible for:

• Keeping this policy up to date, and ensuring that it is implemented across the school
• Ensuring that all school staff are aware of their role in raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and supporting pupils with parents in the armed forces
• Planning pupil premium spending and keeping this under constant review, using an evidence-based approach and working with virtual school heads where appropriate
• Monitoring the attainment and progress of pupils eligible for the pupil premium to assess the impact of the school’s use of the funding
• Reporting on the impact of pupil premium spending to the governing board on an ongoing basis
• Publishing the school’s pupil premium strategy on the school website each academic year, as required by the DfE
• Providing relevant training for staff, as necessary, on supporting disadvantaged pupils and raising attainment

Governors

The governing board is responsible for:

• Holding the headteacher to account for the implementation of this policy
• Ensuring the school is using pupil premium funding appropriately, in line with the rules set out in the conditions of grant
• Monitoring the attainment and progress of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, in conjunction with the headteacher, to assess the impact and effectiveness of the school’s use of the funding
• Monitoring whether the school is ensuring value for money in its use of the pupil premium
• Challenging the headteacher to use the pupil premium in the most effective way
• Setting the school’s ethos and values around supporting disadvantaged members of the school community

Other school staff

All school staff are responsible for:

• Implementing this policy on a day-to-day basis
• Setting high expectations for all pupils, including those eligible for the pupil premium
• Identifying pupils whose attainment is not improving in response to interventions funded by the pupil premium, and highlighting these individuals to the senior leadership team
• Sharing insights into effective practice with other school staff

Virtual school heads

Virtual school heads are responsible for managing pupil premium funding for children looked after by a local authority, and allocating it to schools. Their responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Identifying the eligible looked after children and informing the local authority
• Making sure methods for allocating and spending ensure that looked after children benefit without delay
• Working with each looked after child’s educational setting to put together a personal education plan, agree how pupil premium funding will be spent to the meet the need identified in this plan, and ensure the funding is spent in this way
• Demonstrating how pupil premium funding is raising the achievement of looked after children

Virtual school heads are in charge of promoting the educational achievement of all the children looked after by the local authority they work for.