Pupil Premium- what it is and what it is for!
Every child should be given the chance to realise their potential at school, regardless of their background.
We are committed to supporting all disadvantaged pupils in England and have put in place support, such as the pupil premium, for schools to address the challenges to success that these pupils face.
With £2.9 billion provided to schools in the 2023-24 financial year, the pupil premium is our largest support package for disadvantaged pupils – here’s what you need to know.
What is the pupil premium?
The pupil premium is extra money for schools to help disadvantaged pupils of all abilities achieve their full potential.
The amount of pupil premium funding schools receive is decided by how many disadvantaged pupils they have – schools then receive funding per pupil premium-eligible child.
We have recently updated our guidance to help schools with planning how to use their pupil premium, so that it best supports disadvantaged pupils.
Following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we also introduced the recovery premium grant.
Recovery premium is a time-limited grant which provided over £300million of additional funding for state-funded schools in the 2021 to 22 academic year and is providing a further £1billion across the 2022 to 23 and 2023 to 24 academic years.
What should schools be spending the pupil premium on?
Schools must spend their pupil and recovery premium in line with a ‘menu’ of approaches, based on expert evidence of what works when it comes to improving the outcomes of disadvantaged children.
Schools must allocate spending across the following three key areas:
- Support high-quality teaching, such as staff professional development
- Provide targeted academic support, such as tutoring
- Tackle non-academic barriers to academic success, such as difficulties with attendance, behaviour, and social and emotional wellbeing.
It is up to schools to decide how exactly to spend their pupil premium so that it supports pupils who need it most.
Who is eligible for pupil premium and recovery premium?
To be eligible for pupil premium or recovery premium, pupils must be:
- Currently eligible for free school meals (FSM) or have been eligible for FSM at any point in the last 6 years
- Looked after by the local authority
- Previously looked after by the local authority or other state care.
In addition to the above, for recovery premium, all pupils in special schools, special educational needs units in mainstream schools, Pupil Referral Units and general hospital schools are eligible.
Pupil premium and recovery premium are not a personal budget for eligible pupils.
Schools can also use the funding to support non-eligible pupils where they have identified needs, for example pupils who have or have had a social worker or are a carer.
In addition, schools can use the funding on whole class approaches, for example high-quality teaching, which will also benefit non-disadvantaged pupils.
Aims of the Pupil Premium Tutshill School
At Tutshill School Primary School, we aim to spend our Pupil Premium funding in the most effective ways. We consider both the academic and social needs of the children in our care. We target the funding well from the outset, being responsive and flexible to individual needs and use progress and tracking procedures to identify the strengths and weaknesses of individual pupils. Effective intervention strategies are used in order to close gaps in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, particularly in English and Maths. These strategies are routinely evaluated and analysed, as is the impact on pupil attainment.
Principles:
At Tutshill Primary School, we are passionate about developing the whole child. Therefore, at Tutshill Primary School we have adopted a 3-tiered approach to Pupil Premium spending to focus on strategies which will have the greatest impact.
1: Teaching: Improving the quality of teaching and providing professional development opportunities is at the forefront of our approach. Evidence strongly suggests that the most effective way to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children is through excellent classroom teaching. Ensuring an effective teacher is in front of every class, and that every teacher is supported to keep improving, is key to ensuring high-quality provision for all.
2: Targeted Academic Support: We use small group interventions led by additional teachers linked to effective classroom teaching and learning. Evidence consistently demonstrates the positive impact targeted academic support can have.
3: Wider Strategies: Providing support in tackling the most significant, non-academic barriers to success at school is the final, important tier. Such support includes addressing attendance issues and providing behaviour and social and emotional support, including focusing on the wellbeing of our children. Tutshill Primary School strongly believes that working together with parents, carers and the wider community is vital. The school works with parents and members of the local community, providing additional support and signposting external agency support, where necessary.
Use of Research and Evidence
The school uses both schools-based, County and National evidence to inform the work we do. The approaches we use are regularly evaluated to ensure a high impact upon learning and development and value for money. The work we complete with all children is monitored and evaluated closely and only approaches and interventions which have shown impact are used. Key sources of research used by the school include Sutton Trust and the Education and Endowment Fund toolkit.
How to claim your child’s Pupil Premium:
Your child may be eligible for Free School Meals – and accordingly Pupil Premium – if you receive any of the following benefits:
•Income Support;
•Income-Based Job Seeker’s Allowance;
•Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance;
•Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;
•Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit;
•Child Tax Credit, (provided that you’re not eligible for Working Tax Credit, and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190); or
•Universal Credit.