The Pupil Premium Grant is additional funding provided to schools to support specific groups of children who are vulnerable to possible underachievement. These include pupils from Reception to Year 6 who are eligible for free school meals (FSM), who have been eligible for free school meals at some time in their primary years (Ever-6), those looked after by the Local Authority and children of armed forces personnel.
Schools can decide how the Pupil Premium (PP) is spent as they are best placed to decide what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their care. At St Edmundsbury CEVA we are committed to ensuring that the teaching and learning opportunities meet the needs of all our pupils, in particular those who are disadvantaged. These pupils can often have low expectations or self-esteem. Where this is identified, particular attention is paid to this aspect of their development alongside the careful and rigorous tracking of their academic progress. A key priority is to narrow and eliminate any gaps in the performance of disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils.
We also recognise that not all pupils eligible for PP funding will have lower attainment than their peers. In such cases the grant will be used to help improve pupils’ progress and attainment so that they can reach their full potential.
The School Leadership Team and Governing Body monitor the impact of all spending and interventions including the Pupil Premium. Mr James Murray (in Mrs Victoria Cooper's absence during maternity leave) is the lead teacher for Pupil Premium and Mr Adam Kemp is the Governor assigned specifically to the task of monitoring the impact of the Pupil Premium Grant.
Since 2011, schools have received funding for their most disadvantaged pupils to support them with making progress. The attainment gap is the most stubborn test facing English schools and the Pupil Premium gives additional public funding to schools in order to close this gap.
As a school, we know that our children need social and emotional support to enable them to be ready for their life as young adults and to support this we have invested in the employment of two family liaison team members, who support all of our families’ needs and challenges.
Our SEND department has worked hard to develop support for our children who have challenges with speech and language.
Governors are pleased to note the improved progress made by our disadvantaged pupils during the academic year of 2018/19 (the last set of national results), but are clear that the progress of pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium funding needs to improve further, bringing it in line with other pupils within the school and national figures.