PUPIL PREMIUM

WHAT IS PUPIL PREMIUM?

Pupil premium funding is additional grant funding awarded to schools to help them to tackle academic issues relating to disadvantage; in terms of financial pressures or  instability. The grant is based primarily on the number of pupils eligible for Free School Meals at the January census, but also encompasses children in care or from forces families.

The funding is allocated to initiatives which remove barriers to learning with the aim of ensuring that pupils reach their full potential both academically and socially. It is not intended as a fund to support specific individuals, although in a small school it is more likely that individuals may benefit more directly. We have a general policy to support the identification of appropriate spending.

Funding is received in June, and is retrospective, reflecting the cohort of eligible pupils in the previous academic year. The school typically spends the allocation over the each academic year but is able to carry funds forward into the next academic year for strategic purposes where appropriate. 

HOW IS THE FUNDING SPENT?

At Fir Ends, relatively small numbers of pupils are currently eligible for the PPG ( 3.5% in 2023-24; 4.7% anticipated in 2024/25; the national average is around 25%).

Since this represents fewer than five eligible pupils, the school is not required to publish a pupil premium strategy statement. However, allocations and spending are reviewed annually and the grant is used in line with a general PPG policy. 

Typically, the aims and strategies of the overall PPG strategy far outweigh the funding available in our school, and other grants are combined to support delivery of the  aims within each academic year.

PPG provision is reviewed annually, to reflect anticipated funding and specific needs. The next review will be in May 2024 to reflect allocations for the 2024-25 financial year.

Typically PPG funding is prioritised towards:

• Ongoing provision of classroom support staff to allow for small group and 1-1 support
• Subsidising access to extra-curricular activities and trips for disadvantaged pupils
• Staff training and/or time to deliver specific interventions for core subjects

MEASURING THE IMPACT

  'Schools, headteachers and teachers decide how to use the Pupil Premium allocation, as they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for individual pupils.'

Source: DFE website

Fir Ends School will evaluate the impact of the funding through:

•         Pupil progress in core subjects using internal & national (e.g. FFT Aspire) data relating to these pupils
•         Surveying pupil’s self-confidence and emotional development

The impact will be monitored through the use of: 

•        The school’s tracking system and national data publications 
•        Pupil progress meetings
•        The school’s monitoring programme including lesson observations
•        Parent consultations
•        Discussion with pupils/pupil questionnaires