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 (FSM), are service children or are Looked After Children (CLA). The Pupil Premium is additional funding to help schools diminish the attainment difference between pupils from 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 peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.
Schools receive £1455 for each primary aged child registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and £2530 for each looked after child at their school or children who have been previously looked after.
Rationale
St Aidan’s Catholic 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.
At St Aidan’s, we use a tiered approach underpinned by diagnostic assessment and inceptive support. We make sensible decisions to ensure that provision best meets individual need. Pupil Premium funding is allocated annually following rigorous assessment, data analysis and careful consideration of current and emerging need.
Strategy
We have a clear, strategic 3-part 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
Our Pupil Premium strategy feeds into school development planning and is an integral cog in our school improvement planning.
Our determined and committed leadership team, supported by wider stakeholders, ensure that Pupil Premium funding and provision impacts achievement, attendance and pastoral care. This includes an identified governor and Senior Leader having responsibility for Pupil Premium and a Learning Mentor who implements much of our planned approach alongside the rest of our team.