Pupil Premium & Catch Up
What is Pupil Premium?
The Pupil Premium grant is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England. It is a school-level grant that gives schools extra resources to help them meet challenges, including those arising from deprivation. Schools receive this additional funding for those students who fall within the below categories or have done so at any time within the last six years:
- those who qualify for free school meals
- are receiving a child pension from the Ministry of Defence
- are a looked after child
- are adopted from care or have entered into special guardianship
- have a residence order
- children from the families of services personnel (at any stage in the last four years)
It is allocated for schools to:
- improve the academic outcomes of disadvantaged students of all abilities
- close the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their peers across the country
Schools receive funding for each disadvantaged student and can use the funding flexibly, in the best interests of eligible students. GLF leaders draw upon an evidence based approach to apply a ‘tiered’ approach to delivering their pupil premium strategy.
Tier 1: supporting training and continuous development to improve the quality of all teaching
Tier 2: targeting support for disadvantaged students through evidence-based interventions
Tier 3: supporting whole-school strategies to improve attendance, behaviour and readiness to learn
Tier4: supporting strategies that develop learning outside of the classroom to promote the development of the whole student
A longer term strategy
From September 2019 schools are encouraged to include a reference to a multi-year strategy that outlines how the school aims to address the needs of Pupil Premium students across all age ranges at the school. This will help school leaders to:
- take a longer view of the support the grant will provide as students pass through the school
- align their plans with the wider school improvement strategy
GLF’s Aspiration for All students to Grow, Learn, and Flourish
All GLF Schools are committed to our core remit of providing an outstanding educational experience. Raising the attainment of disadvantaged students is part of our commitment to help all students achieve their full potential.
We aim for:
- all students to enjoy their learning, attain high outcomes and be helped to become confident individuals and responsible citizens whilst making excellent progress in all respects
- all students to benefit from an inclusive ethos, excellent teaching and a broad and balanced curriculum underpinned by strong leadership, in a local school
- all students to be supported and encouraged to lead healthy and active lives
Pupil Premium Strategy 2021- 2024
Universal Catch-Up Fund
As a school, we have received funding equivalent to £80 per student for the 2020/21 academic year. The government intention is that the funding is spent to achieve the goal of “schools getting back on track and teaching a normal curriculum as quickly as possible” following the period of remote learning between March and July. We have the flexibility to spend this additional money in a way that best meets individual contexts and circumstances but there is a recognition that disadvantaged and vulnerable groups will have been hardest hit by the disruption to their education. As such, intervention strategies will target these students specifically.
We are accountable for ensuring the money is spent wisely, based on a clear assessment of need and has a demonstrable impact on addressing learning gaps or pastoral concerns. The effectiveness of the use of funds will be scrutinised by the School Strategy Board (SSB) and GLF Trustees.
In consultation with the other secondary schools within the GLF multi-academy trust, we have produced a plan which documents how we intend to spend the universal catch-up fund, a copy of which can be accessed below.