Pupil Premium

What is Pupil Premium?

At Oakfield Community Primary & Nursery School we have high aspirations and ambitions for all our children and we believe that no child should be left behind. We are determined that every child should be given the chance to realise their full potential, whatever their background. Approximately 55% of the children who attend our school are eligible for this funding. Pupil premium represents a significant proportion of our budget and this statement outlines how it is spent to maximum effect.

Pupil premium is additional funding, from the government, provided to schools for supporting pupils from low income families to ensure they benefit from the same opportunities as all other children. Research shows that pupils from deprived backgrounds underachieve compared to their non-deprived peers. The premium is provided to enable schools to ‘close the gap’ in attainment. 

There are three categories of children that qualify for pupil premium: 

• Children who are eligible for free school meals (FSM) 

• Looked after children 

• Armed forces children

Schools have the freedom to spend the Premium in a way they think will best support the raising of attainment for the most vulnerable pupils. All our staff and governors are committed to meeting all our children’s pastoral, social and academic needs within a caring environment. The targeted and strategic use of pupil premium will support us in achieving our vision.

Identification of barriers and challenges.

• Attendance – We are working hard to maintain our attendance inline with the National Average of 96%

• Working with families who experience challenges or difficulties

• Working with children who need extra help in communication and interaction in Nursery and Reception

• Working with parents and carers to ensure that they understand how their child is progressing and ways that they can support them

• Working with key groups of children; summer born / boys

• Working with parents who speak English as an additional language (EAL)

Principles

We seek to ensure that teaching and learning opportunities meet the needs of all of the pupils through:

• An emphasis on high quality first teaching and high expectations for all

• Fostering independence skills so that children take responsibility for their own learning

• A stable, consistent school environment where children feel safe

• All school staff are involved in school improvement – a drive and capacity to continually improve through school development planning and school self-evaluation

• All staff are involved in the analysis of data so that they are fully aware of strengths and weaknesses across the school

• We use research from the EEF ( Education Endowment Foundation)  to support us in determining the strategies that will be most effective

• All pupil premium children benefit from the funding, not just those who are underperforming

Commitment by Leadership team to:

• To ensure high quality staff training which focusses on achievement for all

• High quality, robust Appraisal and Performance management systems for all staff

• Continue to work with local High Schools to inform transition and ensure quality of standards are maintained

• Value staff health and well-being

Provisions

The majority of our work through the pupil premium will be aimed at accelerating progress, moving children to at least age related expectations. Initially this will be in communication, English and maths.The range of provision the staff and Governors consider making for this group include:

• Reducing whole class sizes: 

• Providing 1-1 and small group work with an experienced teacher or teaching assistant focused on overcoming gaps in learning;

• Additional teaching and learning opportunities provided through trained TAs or external agencies, enabling personalised learning to accelerate progress for individuals

• Provide a Familiy Support Worker and Mental Health Lead who will work and support families:

• Providing a whole THRIVE school approach to  support pupils SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health) needs.

• Work with families whose children’s attendance is below national average and also targetting families who are persistently late;

• In addition, the school recognises that the wider curriculum supports and enriches children’s development in communication, English and maths, and therefore funding will also be allocated to enable children to participate fully and actively in wider and extra-curricular activities; including class visits and residential;

• Provide wrap around care at a low cost and a breakfast bagel for all pupils under the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP); 

• Target all pupils who are prior higher attainers as well as prior lower attainers;

• Provision will not be aimed at statemented children as funding for need is already in place.

Reporting

It will be the responsibility of the Pupil Premium Lead to report to the Governors on: 

• The progress made towards narrowing the gap, for socially disadvantaged pupils;

• An outline of the provision that was made since the last meeting;

• An evaluation of the cost effectiveness and impact of the provision in terms of the progress made by the pupils receiving a particular provision.

• Parents will receive information as to the progress of pupils through end of term reports sent home and through parents evenings/ mornings during the academic year.

Published on our school website will be:

• Our pupil premium allocation for the current academic year

• Details of how we intend to spend our allocation including barriers to learning

• Details of how we spent our previous academic year’s allocation

• How it made a difference to the attainment of disadvantaged pupils

• The funding that is allocated for the current financial year