Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium at St Loys Primary Academy

The government believes that the pupil premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.

The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011 and is allocated to schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’).

Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months, and children of service personnel.

We currently have a small proportion of children at school who are entitled to free school meals. 

Our aims in deciding how to allocate Pupil Premium funding are:

  • To ensure that teaching and learning opportunities meet the needs of all of the pupils.
  • To ensure that appropriate provision is made for pupils who belong to vulnerable groups, this includes ensuring that the needs of socially disadvantaged pupils are adequately assessed and addressed.
  • In making provision for socially disadvantaged pupils, recognising that not all pupils who receive free school meals will be socially disadvantaged.
  • To recognise that not all pupils who are socially disadvantaged are registered or qualify for free school meals.  We reserve the right to allocate the Pupil Premium funding to support any pupil or groups of pupils the school has legitimately identified as being socially disadvantaged.
  • To allocate funds following a needs analysis which will identify individual needs.

We have identified how best to use this income to address inequalities, raise attainment and support these children.

During the academic year 2019/20 (pre-Covid and post-lockdown) this money was allocated in the following ways:

  • Targeted support, including the allocation of additional teaching assistant time providing opportunities for teachers to plan intervention tuition.
  • The provision of ‘one to one’ tuition in and out of the classroom environment with specific targeted support and materials.
  • Access to after school sports clubs and enrichment opportunities, eg. attending Premier Sports club sessions; music tuition, hire of musical instruments.
  • Covid response: The provision of IT equipment and school materials to support remote learning.

During 2018/19 this money was allocated in the following ways:

  • Extended school support, for example, to provide school clubs, residential visits, subsidised educational visits and uniform.  Which will raise self-esteem and confidence and to ensure access to curriculum enrichment.
  • Targeted support.  Additional teaching assistant time provides opportunities for teachers to plan effective interventions for groups and individuals.
  • The provision of ‘one to one tuition’ and booster individual support in maths and literacy.
  • The provision of Child Councillor sessions supporting both children and parents
  • Enrichment opportunities