Pupil Premium Statement 2023-24

‘Over time, the progress of disadvantaged pupils has improved, so that for current pupils there are no noticeable differences in the quality of work between disadvantaged pupils and others in school. Leaders make good use of pupil premium funding to ensure that pupils are taught consistently well throughout the school.’

(OFSTED, February 2018)

Schools receive £1,345 per primary school pupil who has free school meals or who has had school meals in the last 6 years.

For pupils who are looked-after or previously looked-after (adopted children), schools receive the usual pupil premium and an additional top up- the pupil premium plus – to total £2,345 per pupil.

The pupil premium grant ‘is designed to allow schools to help disadvantaged pupils by improving their progress and the exam results they achieve; (DfE 2020).

We take our responsibility ‘to secure high academic/vocational/technical ambition for all pupils’ (OFSTED handbook 2020) very seriously. Our pupil premium funding is used in a whole school inclusive context to ensure our pupils access the very highest quality provision.

The aim is to ensure that we prepare pupils to reach their full potential both academically and in a wider context.

Academically

Investing in outstanding class te4achers has been shown to be the most influential factor in securing the best outcomes for all pupils. We therefore use the bulk of our funding to provide extra teachers.

This strategy enables smaller teaching groups in key transitional year groups and an ever-increasing element of timetabled specialist teaching across the school. It also enables us to recruit a substantial senior leadership team, ensuring very experienced and talented senior staff teach in every phase across the school.

We recognise that the risk of under-performance can apply inclusively to low, middle and higher attaining pupils. We therefore ensure that the progress and achievement of every pupil at Alfred Sutton is rigorously tracked. Ambitious, better than national expected progress targets, are set for every pupil and bespoke teaching is planned to secure.

Our academic development strategy is working. Year after year, we celebrate achievement of very strong progress from pupils differing starting points.

A wider context:

We are committed to providing an education that develops the whole child.

Our curriculum enrichment opportunities are continually widening. Pupil premium funding allows us to go over and above. Recently, for example, it has enabled us to provide a full time ‘artist in residence’ whose work has benefited and inspired every pupil in the school. The extra creative dimension she has brought to Alfred Sutton is apparent across our whole school environment. We have been able to increase leadership time for senior staff due to our extra investment in specialist teachers. This has enabled us to plan careers week, our recent eco initiative and, going forwards, improved provision across outdoor and nutritional learning.

Our ever-expanding range of clubs are made possible because we use pupil premium funding to support staffing. We also use an allocation to help parents with the cost of clubs we have to charge for, ensuring that it is never an excluding factor for parents of disadvantaged pupils.

Pupil Premium Plus funding

The additional sum is ring fenced to spend specifically on the qualifying individual pupils.

It is recognised that children may be disadvantaged in ways that may present gaps in their social, emotional and academic development.

We use this money to offer additional support/enrichment activities flexibility, to suit the personalised needs of each pupil.

How it is spent is agreed between the school and the parents or carers. In the case of children who are looked after, this is decided during the PEP process, in conjunction with social workers and the Children Looked After team.

We can use it for services that pupils can access within school such as play therapy, ELSA sessions or to top up support offered within class (where appropriate). This funding can also be used for enrichment activities that a pupil takes part in outside of school hours to assist them in accessing and learning about a special interest.

We can also use this funding to access paid services such as bespoke assessments or nurture activities.

The use of this funding is detailed and monitored by our designated teacher for CLA- Mrs Sarah Tweddle.