Pupil Premium Funding

Pupil Premium Policy

Pupil Premium Guidance

• The Pupil Premium is a government initiative designed to target resources on those pupils deemed to be from a disadvantaged background. The Pupil Premium is additional funding on top of the main funding a school receives to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers. Disadvantaged pupils should benefit from the same opportunities as pupils from less deprived families.
• Disadvantaged pupils are defined as those eligible for the Pupil Premium; currently this means pupils who have been eligible for free school meals at any point during the last 6 years (“ever6 FSM”) or those who have been in care continuously for at least six months (“LAC” / “CLA”) or who have left care under a Special Guardianship or Residence Order. Finally, £300 goes to pupils whose parent/parents are currently serving in the armed forces or are in receipt of a pension from the MoD.
• Neither the government nor any government agencies have dictated how the Pupil Premium money should be spent, but what is clear is that the money should be used to promote strategies, which narrow the attainment gap between the highest and lowest achieving pupils.

Allerton Grange

• Allerton Grange School believes that it is both a moral and professional duty for all staff to be uncompromising with the expectations they have for all of the pupils they teach, including the high proportion of disadvantaged pupils. All staff should be unwavering in their determination to ensure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are making substantial and sustained progress in line with national average and other groups of pupils with the same starting points.
• When planning any enhancement activity for our young people, all colleagues will make sure that provisions are put in to place to guarantee that the activity is inclusive and our disadvantaged pupils can take part.

Impact of Pupil Premium spending for 2016-17

The impact of Pupil Premium spending is measured by Academic Attainment, Academic Progress, Attendance and Student Voice results.

AGS Pupil Premium and catch up funding report 2016-17

English outcomes:

• The percentage of Pupil Premium students making expected levels of progress has increased by 37% over the last 2 years and is now above the national average for disadvantaged students. The achievement gap between disadvantaged and other students nationally has narrowed significantly.

 Maths outcomes:

• The percentage of Pupil Premium students making expected levels of progress has also increased by 37% over the last 2 years and is above the national average for disadvantaged students. The achievement gap between disadvantaged students and other students nationally has narrowed significantly. 

Other Subjects

Curriculum Leaders have focused on narrowing the gap between disadvantaged and other students nationally. Outcomes for our disadvantaged students in 70% of our Curriculum Areas are above the national average or improving. Notably, 100% of disadvantaged students made expected progress in German, Panjabi, Art, Music, Textiles and Hair and Beauty.

Allerton Grange School priorities for raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils 2017-18

The Headteacher has reviewed Senior Leadership roles to include a focus on raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. Gemma Turner-Lindley (Assistant Headteacher) has been given responsibility for intervention including raising the attainment of disadvantaged students. Chris Donlon (Assistant Headteacher) has been given responsibility for developing parental engagement for our disadvantaged students.

• We are actively working to further narrow the gap between disadvantaged students and other students nationally, particularly our disadvantaged students with Level 4 starting points in English and Maths. Curriculum Leaders for these areas have included this in their department action plans for 2017-18 and will meet regularly with the senior leaders responsible for student outcomes and intervention/disadvantaged student progress.
• A review of the current deployment of Pupil Premium funding is taking place. Spending for 2017-18 will be based on the Sutton Trust principles, which compare the cost of each expenditure/intervention per child with the impact on their progress. Only those interventions which maximise impact with reasonable cost will be used.
• The successful interventions which were put in to place in 2016-17 will be continued with a focus on disadvantaged student progress as well.
• The Pupil Premium handbook has been further developed and shared with all staff. It suggests evidenced based Teaching and Learning techniques which maximise Pupil Premium progress, guidance for Curriculum Leaders and guidance for non-teaching staff.
• Progress data will continue to be used to track the progress of disadvantaged pupils across the curriculum and actions will be put in to place when pupils aren’t making expected levels of progress. Aspirational flight paths are in place for more able disadvantaged pupils to encourage them to make 4 or 5 levels of progress.
• All quality assurance activities will include a focus on disadvantaged pupil progress.
• CPD sessions around promoting disadvantaged student progress have been reviewed.
• Our pastoral and academic mentoring scheme will continue to be developed to allow as many disadvantaged students as possible to take part.
• A new strategic overview of interventions has been put in to place.
• The Succeed Project will continue to be developed to provide further enrichment opportunities for our more-able disadvantaged pupils, to support them in raising their aspirations and making links with colleges, universities and the world of work.
• Attendance interventions will continue to be put in to place with those disadvantaged pupils who have previously had persistent absences.
• The Student Leadership Programme continues to be developed, with a target of having at least 30% of our disadvantaged students in a leadership role. Following on from the successful introduction of our Peer Mentors, Lead Learners and Exemplary Student Leaders, we are introducing Sport’s Leaders, MFL Ambassadors, and Community Ambassadors.

There will be a review, in September 2018, of how pupil premium funding is spent.