Pupil Premium

What is Pupil Premium and who is it for?

"The Pupil Premium (PP) is additional funding given to all publicly funded schools in England (mainstream and non-mainstream), to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and 'close the gap' between them and their peers." (https://www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and-alternative-provision-settings).

Schools are free to spend the Pupil Premium in the way they believe will best 'narrow the (attainment) gap' between disadvantaged pupils and their non-disadvantaged peers. Schools are held accountable for the impact of how this funding is being used.

The Pupil Premium is currently allocated under the following categories:

Free School Meals: Pupil Premium is allocated to children from families who are currently eligible for Free School Meals (FSM). It is currently set at £1,345 per child, per year. (Please note: this is not the free meals that are currenlty available for all Infant aged children.)

Ever 6: Pupil Premium is allocated to children from families who have been eligible for FSM at any point during the previous six years. This funding is currently at the same level as those children in receipt of FSM. £1,345 per child, per year.

Looked After Children (LAC) and Adopted Children: Children who are in the public care (and have been for 1 day or more), or who are adopted, are considered to be not only disadvantaged, but also vulnerable. Pupil Premium for adopted children is received into the school directly; whereas Pupil premium for LAC is held by the County Council. This Pupil Premium is currently set at £2,345 per child, per year.

Pupil Premium Plus (PPP):  A grant of £2345 is provided to the County Council, with £1000 of it being put straight into the child's school.  This grant is for promoting the educational achievement of recently previously looked-after pupils who are no longer looked after (in England and Wales) because they are the subject of an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order, or were adopted from ‘state care’ outside England and Wales.

Service Children (SPP): This funding is allocated to the children of families where at least one parent is a member of the armed forces. it is designed to assist schools in providing mainly non-educational support (pastoral care), but could be used for educational support as well. it is currently set at £310 per child, per year and is pad directly to the school. (For more information, go to: www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-service-pupil-premium) 

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following: 

• Universal Credit with no earned income or with net monthly earnings less than £616.67
• Income Support
• Income based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income related Employment Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit  - as long as you have a yearly household income of less than £16,190 (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs) and do not get Working Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll remain eligible until they finish the phase of schooling (primary or secondary) they’re in.

If you think your child may be eligible, please follow this link to apply to Lincolnshire County Council: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/school-pupil-support/apply-free-school-meals or call LCC on 01522 782030.

How is Pupil Premium used at Branston Junior Academy?

Branston Junior Academy is dedicated to ensuring that each of our pupils receive the help and support (academic or pastoral) that they need in order to achieve their full potential, regardless of whether they are in receipt of PP or SPP or not. Nevertheless, the Pupil Premium funding is a valuable tool which is used in a variety of ways to ensure that this aspiration is met. Whilst Pupil Premium funding is specifically targetted at 'narrowing the (attainment) gap' between our disadvantaged students and their peers, it is also used to provide support of the development of the 'whole child'.

Who is accountable for the way in which PP and SPP are spent?

The headteacher and governing body are ultimately accountable for evaluating the impact of Pupil Premium expenditure, although each stakeholder plays an essential role in ensuring that PP and SPP is working for those in receipt of it. This is done in a number of ways: 

1. Producing performance tables (for internal use), which robustly compare the performance and progress of disadvantaged pupils with their peers, throughout the academic year. This includes evaluating which interventions and support resources have proved their 'value' and subsequently making adjustments to practice and procedure where applicable.
2. Analysing the Year 6 SATs data (at the end of each academic year) to again compare the progress and achievment of our Pupil Premium children with that of our non-Pupil Premium children. We also compare this data with National figures, to see how well our 'gap' is narrowing, compared to the National 'gap'.
3. Publishing details online each year, to give an overall view of Pupil Premium expenditure and the impact it is having on pupil achievement, when compared to the achievment of non-Pupil Premium children in the school. Again, we compare our data with National data. 
4. 'Pupil Premium expenditure and its impact' is a particular focus of any Ofsted Inspections. (see: www.gov.uk.pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and-alternative-settings#accountability)

How do I find out how PP and SPP are being used at Branston Junior Academy?

Our school website shows information on how PP and SPP has been and will be spent, in order to 'narrow the gap' between these children and their peers. Details about how this spending has impacted on the attainment will also be shown. This information is updated annually, although parents are welcome to discuss their individual child's progress and attainment at any time on a one-to-one basis. The Deputy Headteacher, in liaison with the SENDCo, are responsible for the on-going monitoring and tracking of the progress and attainment of those children with PP and SPP funding.

What is PP and SPP currently being used for (or planned to be used for) at Branston Junior Academy?

The funding is spent (or may be spent, depending directly on the needs of the children) on the following: 

1. Individual 1:1 work to provide support in reading, spelling or mathematics for those children who require intense support to help them to increase their attainment and progress. (This includes therefore, the cost of resources and time for an adult to work with the children).
2. Access to numeracy programmes either 1:1 or individually to support the development of specific skills within mathematics. (Plus the cost for an adult to support the relevant children with the programme).
3. Purchase of equipment for individuals who need them; for example, ergo pencils, reading overlays, 'reading pens' or 'talking tins' to enhance children's independence when working in class and during Key Stage Assessments.
4. Small group tuition programmes in reading, writing, maths; for those children who need a boost in order to help them to reach their full potential. (Including the cost of the resources and the time of an adut to provide these sessions)
5. Providing opportunities for PP and SPP children to increase their aspirations and broaden their horizons.  
   Lessons currently available include guitar lessons, woodwind lessons and piano lessons.
6. Providing opportunities for those on PP or SPP, who are high achievers, to increase their aspirations through being selected to take part in a Latin Club.
7. Planning to provide children who are achieving well, to visit aspirational establishments.
8. Providing enhanced transition to Year 7.
9. Funding or part-funding of educational trips and in-school visits, as part of the 'creative curriculum' and enableing wider opportunities.
10. Providing some funding towards residential trips that broaden the children's knowledge and understanding of the world, and also help to develop their social skills and independence.
11. Funding towards a play mentor, to support the children during their 'free-time'; helping them to develop social and interaction skills at the same time as promoting independence.
12. Ensuring that those children who are PP or SPP have their needs and their progress monitored robustly throughout the school. (This includes the cost of staff time and resources to carry out this activity thoroughly, frequently and accurately.)
13. Providing after-school tuition for targeted pupils (usch as Booster Groups), to ensure they leave Branston Junior Academy having achieved the best they can and ready to participate in their next stage of education.
14. Purchasing reading books to support and encourage the development of reading.
15. Funding the use of Specialist Teachers and External Agencies to undertake detailed assessments of children's literacy or numeracy skills, where there are specific concerns.
16. Funding the use of Specialist Teachers and External Agencies, such as Educational Psychology and Counselling to undertake detailed assessments of children where there are concerns with behavioural or social skills; or it is felt that the child would benefit from counselling-type of support,
17. Funding to provide teaching assistant support for English and Maths lessons across the school, enabling focused group work alongside individualised work.
18. Funding to train and maintain ELSA TAs within school to offer social and emotional support to any child who needs it.
    
    

Please click here for the Pupil Premium Strategy Statement January 2024