What is Pupil Premium?
The Pupil premium provides additional funding on top of the main funding a school receives. It is targeted at pupils from low-income families to ensure that they benefit from the same opportunities as their peers. From September 2014 the Pupil Premium is £1,300 and is allocated to pupils in the following circumstances:
Pupils who have been in receipt of Free School Meals (FSM) at any point in the past 6 years
Looked After Children (Any pupils who have been in care for the past six months or who have been adopted from care under the Adoption and Children Act 2002).
Children whose parent/s are currently serving in the armed forces or are in receipt of a AFCS or WPS pension from the MoD may be entitled to SPP (Service Pupil Premium)
The assessment of who is entitled to Pupil Premium is not carried out by the school and the information is collated by Somerset County Council.
"There is no expectation that schools should spend the grant only on eligible pupils, or on a per eligible basis." Gov. UK
How do we spend our Pupil Premium allocation?
"Schools can choose how to spend their pupil premium money, as they are best placed to identify what would be of most benefit to the children who are eligible."
Ways in which we regularly spend our pupil premium funding include:
employing extra teaching assistants to work with classes
extra one to one and small group support for children within the classroom
running booster sessions during and/or after school, for example for children who need extra help with maths or literacy
providing tuition for able children
running the school breakfast club
running the after school club and sports facilities
paying for additional help such as speech and language therapy and family therapy
funding swimming lessons
funding music lessons
funding educational visits and residentials
investing in resources that boost children's learning such as laptops, tablets,
Previously, we have also spent money on school uniforms - including PE kits, shoes, trainers, and swimming equipment. This however, is not an entitlement for every child identified with PP funding and should be spent at the schools discretion if it considers this a priority for a 'disadvantaged child'.
Research has been compiled and released on what is considered as the best way for schools to use their the pupil premium funding that has been allocated to them. You can find their findings on: educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk
How is the impact of Pupil Premium measured?
New measures are included in national performance tables that show the achievement of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding compared to others in the school and nationally. At Bishop Henderson School the usual cycle of data collection and the monitoring and tracking of pupil progress in each year group is used to measure the impact of interventions. It also informs the early identification of need, the provision of academic and pastoral support and appropriate intervention.