The Pupil Premium grant is additional funding given to schools and academies so that they can support specific groups of pupils who are known to be at risk of underachievement.
Nationally there is a gap in attainment between children who are eligible for Free School meals (FSM) and their peers. The main purpose of the grant is to close the gap by raising the achievement and aspirations of disadvantaged groups of children. It is intended to help schools to provide targeted support to improve the life chances of these children so that they can reach their full potential.
The Pupil Premium grant was introduced in April 2011 and was allocated to children from low income families who were known to be eligible for free school meals and children who had been Looked After by the Local Authority continuously for more than six months. Since then the amount schools and academies receive has increased. Schools and academies will receive funding based on the number of pupils who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years (Ever6). A smaller Pupil Premium grant is also allocated for children whose parents serve in the Armed Forces.
Funding Allocations for 2024-2025
- £1,480 for each eligible primary aged pupil.
- £2,570 for each Looked After Child.
- £340 for each every pupil with a parent who is serving in HM Forces or has retired on a pension from the Ministry of Defence.
The Pupil Premium grant is additional to main school funding and it will be used by this school to address any underlying inequalities between children eligible by ensuring that funding reaches the pupils who need it most.
Key Principles for spending the Pupil Premium Grant:
At St. Patrick’s we are committed to supporting improved outcomes for our disadvantaged pupils. In order to help our disadvantaged pupils overcome their barriers to learning and be happy and successful at school and in their future lives, we are guided by the following principles.
- We have a whole school ethos of aspiration and have high expectations for all pupils and all staff convey positive and optimistic messages to our disadvantaged pupils.
- We have high expectations of everyone, from everyone and do not stereotype disadvantaged pupils as all facing the same barriers to learning or having less potential to succeed.
- We promote the power of positive, growth mindsets in our disadvantaged pupils to help inspire them to see and strive to meet their full potential.
We have a focus on the quality of teaching and learning in order to meet the needs of all our pupils. - Through our Pupil Progress meetings, we ensure that personalised provision is in place for children who are Pupil Premium-eligible and have their barriers for learning identified and educational needs accurately assessed and met.
- From these meetings, our teachers and leaders collect, analyse and use data to identify pupils’ learning needs and review progress regularly. Underperformance is addressed rapidly through additional support and interventions.
- The Pupil Premium lead utilises evidence, especially the Education Endowment Foundation Toolkit, to decide which strategies are likely to be most effective in overcoming the barriers to learning.
- We deploy staff effectively to work with pupils who need the most support and training is provided where this is necessary to support pupils’ learning.
- We have systems in place which carefully monitor, manage and support good behaviour and attendance for all our pupils. If poor attendance is an issue, this is addressed as a priority.
- Every effort is made to engage and empower parents and carers in the education and progress of their child.
- We believe in creating opportunities for our Pupil Premium-eligible children through extra-curricular activities and additional classroom or school-wide roles and responsibilities to promote cultural capital in our school.
- Through our Vision and Values, we aim to instil a passion for learning in all our pupils by providing a strong grounding in English and mathematics and a broad base of skills and knowledge acquired across our rich and varied curriculum.
- Our Governing Body is ambitious for pupils and closely monitors the academy’s effectiveness in closing the gap between different groups of pupils.
Information on our Pupil Premium grants and expenditure can be accessed by clicking on the links below:
