At St. Stephen’s we are committed to securing the best outcomes for all our pupils. As a school we will challenge individual pupils to achieve the highest levels regardless of their prior attainment or personal circumstances. The Pupil Premium is a key resource for ensuring the realisation of these aspirations.

Overview

The Pupil Premium is paid to schools for pupils who are identified as being eligible for free school meals, who are ‘Looked After’ by the Local Authority, or who has a parent serving in the armed forces. It is a grant based on school census figures and data returns. The DfE has given schools the freedom to use the funding as they see fit, based upon their knowledge of their pupils’ needs. However, schools are accountable for the use of this additional funding.

All our staff and governors accept responsibility for disadvantaged pupils are committed to meeting their pastoral, social and academic needs within a caring environment.

The Pupil Premium is additional to main school funding and it will be used to address any underlying inequalities between children eligible by ensuring that funding reaches the pupils who need it most. These pupils are identified through on-going assessment and an annual needs analysis.

The school recognises that disadvantage does not mean, and is not an excuse for, low attainment or progress. We also recognise that not all pupils who are disadvantaged are registered or qualify for free school meals. Therefore, the school reserves the right to allocate the funding to support any pupil that the school has identified as being in need of intervention and support.

The Governing Body will ensure that there is annual strategy to parents and carers on how the funding has been used. This information will be published on the school’s website.

Objectives

The funding is used to:

• provide additional educational support to improve progress

• raise the standards of achievement for these pupils

• narrow and close the gap between the attainment of eligible pupils and their peers

• address any underlying inequalities between eligible pupils and their peers

• make a significant impact on the education and lives of the pupils who need it most

• support for assessments, training and advice from external specialists

• paying for or part subsidising activities that broaden the knowledge of the curriculum or participation in school activities

Strategies

• Pupil Premium will be clearly identifiable within the budget and the school will be accountable for how it uses the funding.

• The Headteacher, in consultation with the Governors and staff, will decide how the Pupil Premium is spent for the benefit of eligible pupils.

• The school will assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils.

• We will ensure that stakeholders are made fully aware of the attainment of pupils covered by the funding.

• We will seek to further develop strategies and interventions which can improve the progress and attainment of these pupils.

• We will monitor, evaluate and review the success of the impact of Pupil Premium funding.