Highfield's Pupil Premium
Schools receive a Pupil Premium payment for any child who has been in receipt of free school meals (FSM) any time during the last 6 years, who has been in foster care (CLA) for 6 months or more, or who has a parent in the armed forces.
Our aim at Highfield Community Primary School is to provide highly effective teaching and learning strategies to narrow the attainment gap and provide opportunities for children to develop as independent, confident, successful learners with high aspirations who know how to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider society.
In making decisions about using our Pupil Premium funding we have considered the context of the school and the challenges faced. We have taken into account a breadth of research including that conducted by the Education Endowment Fund. Common barriers to learning for our disadvantaged children can be:
- Limited access to wider enrichment activities
- Socio-economic factors impacting on families
- Mobility – inward and outward
- Covid-19 school closures
Our approach is personalised, taking into account everything we know about our children and their families.
We will ensure that all teaching staff are highly skilled in Assessment for Learning so they are fully aware of strengths and weaknesses in their class and across the school. Established systems through Pupil Progress termly reviews ensure our shared understanding of pupil needs and strategies to support improvement.
Principles:
- We ensure that teaching and learning opportunities meet the needs of all the pupils and have access to quality first teaching
- We 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, we recognise that not all pupils who receive free school meals will be socially disadvantaged
- We also recognise that not all pupils who are socially disadvantaged are registered or qualify for free school meals
- We allocate the Pupil Premium funding to support any pupil or groups of pupils the school has legitimately identified as being socially disadvantaged
- Pupil premium funding will be allocated following a needs analysis which will identify priority classes, groups or individuals
Our ultimate objectives are to:
- Remove barriers to learning created by poverty, family circumstances and background
- Narrow the attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their non-disadvantaged counterparts both within school and nationally
- Ensure ALL pupils are able to read fluently and with good understanding to enable them to access the breadth of the curriculum
- Develop confidence in their ability to communicate effectively in a wide range of contexts
- Enable pupils to look after their social and emotional well-being and to develop resilience
- Access a wide range of opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world