Pupil Premium
What is the Pupil Premium?
The coalition government introduced a pupil premium payment in September 2011 which aims to increase attainment and aspiration for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.
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 disadvantaged children and their peers by ensuring that the funding reaches the pupils who need it most.
Characteristics of students eligible for Pupil Premium funding
- Lower literacy skills upon entry in Year 7. Reading skills are particularly low.
- Lower mathematical skills upon entry in Year 7.
- High Prior Attaining students who are also eligible for PP funding make lower than expected levels of progress.
- Progress of disadvantaged students is lower than non-disadvantaged students at KS4.
- Lower motivation and engagement is a common characteristic of PP students.
- Internal and fixed term exclusions are disproportionately high in students eligible for PP funding.
- Attendance levels for PP students is lower than non-PP students.
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This figure, taken from an article by EducationDataLab shows how progress levels for disadvantaged studens becomes progressively lower the longer they have been eligible for Free School Meals; information such as this much be considered when analysing student performance and structuring appropriate intervention.
Year 7 Catch Up Premium
Literacy Catch up
We have employed a Literacy specialist to carry out small group work with Year 7 students identified as being below the expected level for their stage based on their primary school SAT results and on their performance in a whole year group screening test which they take at Woodcote in their first week.
What actions are taken
A small group of up to 9 students is created and work in this group focuses on improving spelling, punctuation, grammar, reading accuracy and reading comprehension.. Pupils are assessed at the start of the intervention program and at the end of each term. If a pupil makes sufficient progress then they will return to their timetabled lesson earlier.
Results of the intervention
Last year 6 pupils exceeded their expected level of progress whilst 3 pupils made marginally less progress than expected. These pupils’ progress continues to be monitored in case further intervention is required.