Please read the information below which gives details about our Pupil Premium Grant and how we allocate the funding. A copy of our school's Pupil Premium Policy can be found on the Policies page.
Rationale
Borrowdale Primary School is committed to providing the best possible education for every individual pupil. We have high aspirations and expectations for all of our pupils and we believe that no child should be left behind. This includes making appropriate provision for pupils who belong to vulnerable groups including those who may be socially disadvantaged. We believe that it is not background that is important but a child’s passion and thirst for knowledge, and dedication and commitment to learning that make the difference between success and failure. Consequently, we are determined to ensure that all of our pupils are given every opportunity to realise their potential.
Pupil Premium Budget for 2022-23: £13,080
Background
Pupil Premium funding is a government initiative that targets additional support at pupils from deprived backgrounds. This is because research has shown that such pupils underachieve compared to other pupils. The money is provided to ensure that schools are able to support these pupils in achieving their full potential. The government have used pupils who are entitled to free school meals (FSM) as an indicator of deprivation and they allocate a fixed amount of money per pupil to schools each financial year based upon the number of pupils who have been registered for FSM at any point during the previous six years. An amount of money is also allocated to children who are looked after (LAC) and service children. The government does not dictate how this money should be spent but school’s are expected to employ strategies that they are confident will ‘diminish the difference’ in attainment between those pupils which are considered to be deprived and those who are not. Schools are accountable for this allocation of resources and must demonstrate that pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium achieve well compared to other pupils. The funding is also used for the promotion of Extended services to raise aspiration e.g. residential trips annually and for widening pupils’ awareness of the wider cultural diversity e.g. trips, visitors to school.
Key Principles
By following these key principles we believe that we can maximise the impact of our Pupil Premium spending:
High expectations
Providing a culture where staff believe in all children and no excuses are made for underperformance. We will strive to overcome barriers to learning for pupils and give every individual the best possible chance of success.
High Profile
Diminishing differences in attainment will receive the highest priority in school. We adopt a whole school approach with all staff involved in identifying pupils in need and the barriers to their learning. Pupil premium profiles are completed each term.
Early Intervention
We recognise that high quality early years provision with a strong emphasis upon developing early reading and number skills is crucial to all pupils, but particularly those who have experienced disadvantage in early life.
Inclusive Provision
We acknowledge that pupil premium pupils are not always socially disadvantaged and at risk of underachievement. Likewise, there are many pupils that we would consider to be vulnerable that are not in receipt of pupil premium funding and do not receive this additional funding
High Quality Teaching and Learning
We recognise that the biggest factor in high standards of pupil attainment is high quality teaching and learning. We will continue to ensure that all pupils receive good teaching. We will ensure consistent application of key elements of teaching and learning such as planning, marking and assessment and carry out moderation activities to reinforce this. We give high priority to our appraisal systems for teachers and teaching assistants and ensure that high quality professional development is available to all staff.
Emphasis on Basic Skills
We will concentrate our spending on achieving the highest possible standards in English and mathematics. This may be in the form of direct teaching and intervention or may be indirect through improving attendance, behaviour or access to resources and support. We place the highest Importance on the breadth of the curriculum. Pupils must access the very broadest opportunities.
Strategies
Identifying Need
Staff will review the progress of PP pupils regularly. Pupils will also be consulted and asked how they feel they are progressing and if there are any areas in which they feel need additional support.
Identifying barriers to Learning
We recognise that pupils can experience many barriers to their learning and that these barriers can be long term or of a more short term nature. We believe that it is vital that these barriers are identified and addressed in order for pupils to achieve their maximum potential. Analysis has shown that typical barriers for Borrowdale School are:
attendance and punctuality issues
lack of support at home
weak language and communication skills
behaviour and emotional difficulties
low confidence and self-esteem
lack of resources to support homework
Use of Data
We acknowledge the importance of data and all staff are involved in its analysis so that they are aware of strengths and weaknesses across the school.
Performance data is analysed each term in order to evaluate the performance of all pupils. Comparisons are made between pupil premium and non pupil premium pupils within the school. This data is used to provide school improvement targets
Pupil Premium pupils are clearly identified on our school’s tracking system and their progress in reading, writing and mathematics is tracked at least termly.
Data is used to monitor progress against annual targets. Pupils who are not making expected progress will be identified to receive specific interventions aimed at accelerating their progress.
Provision
We recognise that all of our pupils are individuals with varying needs and as such we employ a wide range of strategies aimed at ensuring that they achieve the highest standards of attainment. Provision is changed annually according to need. Our provision includes:
Small group teaching and 1:1 tutoring
Support with transport to ensure punctuality and attendance
Support with speech and language in the early years
Support with IT resources and software at school and at home
High-quality feedback from staff
Activities to support the aspiration of pupils and support with the cost of visits
Reporting
We will ensure that we comply with guidance on reporting the use of Pupil Premium issued by the Department for Education by publishing the following information on our school website:
Our Pupil Premium strategy
Our Pupil Premium Expenditure Report for the previous academic year detailing how the funding was spent and the impact that this had.
Our Pupil Premium spending for the current academic year detailing how the funding is to be spent.
The head teacher provides reports to the Governing Body on how effective provision has been in achieving its objectives.
Date of next PPG strategy review: September 2023