Pupil Premium

What is Pupil Premium?

Pupil Premium was introduced by the Department for Education (DfE) in 2011, as additional funding for pupils who receive Free School Meals and are Looked After Children. The Pupil Premium is additional funding to help schools close the attainment gap between pupils from low-income and other disadvantaged families, and their peers. If a pupil has been eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) at any point over the past 6 years or has been looked after for one day or more (Child Looked After), the school receives an amount per head within their budget. A provision is also made for pupils who have a parent in the armed services. The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their wealthier peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage pupils reaches the pupils who need it most. From September 2012 the Government has required schools to publish online information about how they have used the Pupil Premium. It is for schools to decide how the Pupil Premium, allocated to schools per FSM pupil, is spent, since they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their responsibility. In the 2022-23 financial year, schools will receive £1,455 for each primary aged child registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years. Schools also receive £2,530 for each looked after child at their school.

For more information about how the government allocate funding please click on the link below:

School Context

Hope Primary is a two form entry primary school with 455 pupils on roll. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is (18%). The proportion of pupils currently eligible for the pupil premium grant is well above national average (67%). Over 88% of children are living in the lowest 10% most deprived area in the UK. School is located in the lowest 1%.

Rationale

Hope Primary School is determined that all pupils are given the best possible chance to achieve their full potential through the highest standards of Quality First Teaching, focussed support, curriculum enrichment, and pastoral care. We believe the additional provision delivered through the Pupil Premium funding should be available to all pupils within school who we know to be disadvantaged and vulnerable, irrespective of whether they are eligible for the funding. Indeed, it should be noted, that many of the pupils identified as requiring additional levels of support are not necessarily those who fulfil the FSM eligibility criteria. There is no expectation that all Pupil Premium funded pupils will receive identical support and the allocation of the budget for each pupil feeds into the whole school budget as opposed to being ring fenced. The school considers best ways to allocate Pupil Premium money annually following rigorous data analysis and the careful consideration of the needs of the pupils.

Strategy

We have a strategic model approach for Pupil Premium funding provision, which focuses on the following:

• whole-school strategies that impact on all pupils
• focussed support to target under-performing pupils
•  specific support targeting pupil premium pupils

We are committed to ensure that Pupil Premium funding and provision impacts achievement, attendance and pastoral care. This includes an identified governor having responsibility for Pupil Premium, the headteacher is responsible for monitoring provision and outcomes, and the wider staff team to implement and evaluate provision. The Headteacher regularly evaluate pupil premium outcomes compared to other pupils in school to ensure the correct strategies and provision are in place.

Please click the link below to see our current Pupil Premium Strategy: