Pupil Premium

What is Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium is a government initiative that targets additional funding at pupils considered to be from deprived backgrounds because research has shown that such pupils underachieve compared to others.  The definition of a 'deprived background' varies and can incorporate a huge number of families who are not even aware their child could also be receiving this funding!

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 (Ever 6).  An amount of money is also allocated to pupils who are looked after by the Local Authority (LAC) and pupils who have a parent/parents who are serving in the armed forces. The government does not dictate how this money should be spent but we are expected to employ strategies that we are confident will 'narrow the gap' in attainment between those pupils who are considered to be deprived and those who are not.  We are accountable for this allocation of resources and must demonstrate that pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium achieve well compared to other pupils.

How much Pupil Premium Funding does Waberthwaite CE School receive?

The amount of Pupil Premium allocated to our school varies each year due to the varying numbers of pupils eligible for the funding. 

 When we make decisions regarding the use of Pupil Premium funding it is important that we consider the context of the school and the challenges faced by our pupils.  We recognise that pupils can experience many barriers to their learning and that these barriers can be long term, short term or can change over time. We believe that it is vital that these barriers are identified and addressed in order for our pupils to achieve their maximum potential. 

Pupil Premium Strategy Document