pupil premium
What is Pupil Premium?
Pupil Premium is additional funding provided by the Department for Education (DfE) in England to help schools improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. It is allocated to publicly funded schools based on the number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals (FSM), have been eligible at any point in the past six years (Ever 6 FSM), are looked after (Children-in-Care) by the local authority, or have been adopted from care or left care under special guardianship or residence orders. The aim of the Pupil Premium is to reduce the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers by giving schools extra resources to address barriers to learning.
Schools are given autonomy over how they use Pupil Premium funding, allowing them to tailor support to the specific needs of their pupils, provided the spending is evidence-informed and focused on improving attainment and wider outcomes. The DfE holds schools to account through Ofsted inspections and requires schools to publish a Pupil Premium strategy statement outlining how the funding is used and the impact it has. Effective use of the Pupil Premium is expected to be guided by research, such as the Education Endowment Foundation’s evidence on what works best to support disadvantaged learners.
At Barnsole our main objectives are for all children to achieve equally: to do as well academically and to thrive socially and emotionally. We develop the whole child by offering a holistic approach to teaching by developing curriculum key substantive and disciplinary knowledge, balanced alongside everyday life and functional skills. We believe these are crucial in developing resilience, confidence and life- long 21st Century learners. Our focus is on supporting self-esteem through problem solving; developing communication and social skills; building resilience through mistake making and learning from one another; the promotion of independence and instilling pride in our learning whilst sharing it with a range of audiences. Our continuous focus on early reading and phonics aims to close the gap and open equal access to the rest of the curriculum.
At Barnsole, Pupil Premium funding is used to enable eligible pupils to fully access all aspects of school life and to ensure that financial disadvantage does not act as a barrier to participation or achievement. This includes supporting access to wraparound care and educational visits, so that all pupils can benefit from the wider curriculum and enrichment opportunities alongside their peers.
In addition, the funding is used to provide targeted academic support and to promote pupils’ emotional wellbeing. This may include interventions to support learning, pastoral and wellbeing provision, and resources designed to help pupils overcome barriers to engagement and progress, ensuring they are supported both academically and emotionally throughout their time at school.
Pupil Premium Strategy 2023-2024