Pupil Premium
What is Pupil Premium?
It is additional funding that is given to schools so that they can support and close the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. It also supports children and young people with parents in the regular armed forces.
What are the Barriers to Learning?
At Penny Bridge CE Academy, through discussion with teachers, teaching assistants and pupils, we recognise a variety of barriers to educational achievement which are faced by children eligible for PPG.
There could be a lack of financial support from families. There could be an Early Help in place to support the family and gain the expertise of other professionals. Pupil progress meetings have revealed that some children struggle with concentration and engaging. This impacts on writing stamina and applying knowledge to written questions within reading, writing and maths. Some children require 1:1 prompting and support to ensure they stay on track and fully achieve in whole class sessions.
We have found that strategies such as small group reading and writing support. IDL appears to have a some impact for children as the routine and revise,revisit do approach suits some children.
What is it spent on?
The money is spent on:
- providing classrooms with additional teaching assistants with particular emphasis on working alongside disadvantaged children during the core subjects.
- providing small groups in literacy at Key Stage 1 and 2 suited to specific reading ability levels
- Providing additional support in maths lesson in Key Stage 1 and 2
- Offering disadvantaged children 1:1 or small group focused teaching time for the core subjects outside the classroom. Pre teaching methods are also used as an effective strategy.
- Offering disadvantaged children 1:1 and 1:2 focused teaching time or interventions for the core subjects.
- Subsides for residential visits
- Increase Teaching Assistant time to enable small groups in EYFS and KS1 in literacy.
- Subsides for music or swimming provision
How does the school evaluate the impact of the expenditure on eligible and other pupils?
The impact reports are published on or website when the impact of the pupil premium grant on those children is measured in relation to children's progress and attainment in the core subjects and beyond. Pupil feedback and child voice questionnaires show that vulnerable pupils are motivated to complete their work and welcome the support they get form support staff. The pupil premium budget has supported other children in the class as they have more access to teaching assistants within class. The majority of our PP children without SEND have made at least good progress in maths reading and writing.
All disadvantage children learn to swim and take part in educational visits and residential visits.
Do you qualify?
You may qualify for the Pupil Premium Grant if you receive any of the following benefits:
- Income support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs) that does not exceed £16,190.
- Working Tax Credit ‘run-on’ – the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.
- Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7400.
Children who get any of the above benefits in their own right (i.e. they get benefits payments directly, instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get free school meals. Children under the compulsory school age who are in full time education may also be able to get free school meals.
For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-mealsIn addition to the main school budget, we also receive a ‘Pupil Premium’ which is a fixed sum of money designed to help children that are considered to be ‘disadvantaged’ according to Department for Education criteria.
As all children receive free school meals until they reach KS2. As all EYFS and KS1 children automatically receive FSM a letter has been sent out reminding parents to apply if they are eligible for the funding.
Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months, and children of service personnel.
Although money is allocated for the school financial year; the expectation is to report on the spending within the academic year. Pupil Premium is paid direct to schools, allocated to them for every pupil who receives free school meals. Schools decide how to use the funding, as they are best placed to assess what additional provision their pupils need.
