Underlying Principles

Addressing the needs of each and every child, especially the most vulnerable, is fundamental to how we work as a school. Pupil premium funding is a valuable resource that enhances our ability to do this. We have very carefully considered how we should best use the Pupil Premium funding so that we can affect the maximum impact for the children’s academic attainment and progress through a range of evidence based approaches .

Deployment of Resources

A central principle underlying the deployment of all funding is the employment of only the highest quality teachers. These are supported through our commitment to ongoing professional development which is focussed upon developing teacher’s ability and confidence to meet the needs of each child not just academically but also personally, socially, emotionally.

Smaller classes:

We have a clear view about using the majority of the pupil premium to fund small classes, with high levels of teaching assistant support.

• Smaller classes mean that teachers are able to use their expertise to focus on ensuring each child receives the correct challenge and support to enable them to make the best possible academic progress.  
• Smaller classes enhance the level of pastoral care and support that can be put in place for individual children and help ensure good relationships.
• The smaller classes enable the class teachers to have to time to deliver the support and interventions that the EEF toolkit have shown to be most effective:
  • Effective Feedback
  • Develping metacognition and self regulation skills (learning about learning )
  • Fcusing on embedding basic literacy and numeracy skills including reading comprehension
  • Develping positive behaviour and personal responsibility
  • Phnic teaching appropriate to children in class setting
  • Early interventin including a focus on developing early communication
  • Good parental relationships

• We recognise that small classes will only have a truly positive and long lasting impact if we ensure that it enables:
  • • A change in teaching approach where needed
    • Children to develop and/or change their learning behaviours
    • positive development of behaviour, attitudes and resilience
    • A rise in attainment for all children but especially the most vulnerable within our school

We have been able to show success in all of these areas through the progress and attainment of all our children

After School Clubs

All Pupil Premium children also access our after school clubs which broaden their experiences; children who are unable to stay for after school clubs are targeted to take part on our lunch time clubs. There is no charge for any resources used in any of the after school clubs including woodworking, art and cooking.

Free Educational Visits

We fund all school trips undertaken.

Emotional Health and Wellbeing

We run a Friendly Lunch Club which all children can access. This includes an element where children are targeted to attend the group and have focused activities at a time of need.

All staff are highly trained in emotional health and wellbeing including in the Trauma Informed Schools Approach.

We have a Trauma Informed Practitioner employed in the school.  We also have a Penhaligon’s Friends Grief Awareness Lead.   Two members of staff are trained to deliver the SPACE ( Supporting Parents and Children Emotionally ) programme.  This aim of this programme is to provide information for parents using trauma awareness about children’s and adult’s emotional behaviour. 

Pupil Premium eligibility is a key criteria for deployment of resources.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Staff identify half termly the individual impact of pupil premium spending on pupils in their classes.  This is done by a member of the leadership team through pupil progress interviews.
• The leadership team monitor the progress of children eligible for pupil premium funding ;  e.g. through summative data;  ensuring internal assessment data is accurate in order that disadvantaged children can be effectively targeted. How do Pupil Premium books compare to ‘other’ books at the same standard in terms of progress, marking and its impact? Are teacher expectations high enough for disadvantaged pupils?
• The progress of Pupil Premium children is monitored by Governors through visits and reports to committees.

We always evaluate our decisions and the positive impact, for individuals and groups of individuals, then change and adapt when and where necessary.

Pupil Premium Policy 2021

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