The pupil premium is a Government initiative that targets extra money at pupils from deprived backgrounds, which research shows underachieve compared to their non-deprived peers. The premium is provided in order to support these pupils in reaching their potential.
The Government have used pupils entitled to Free School meals as an indicator for deprivation, and have deployed a fixed amount of money to schools per pupil, based on the number of pupils registered for Free School meals or those pupils who have ever been registered. At Thornaby Church of England School we will be using the indicator of those eligible for Free School meals, or ever have been eligible (Ever6) as one of our target groups of children to ‘narrow the gap’ regarding attainment.
The Government are not dictating how schools should spend this money, but are clear that schools will need to employ the strategies that they know will support their pupils to increase their attainment, and ‘narrow the gap’. Schools will be accountable for narrowing the gap, and school performance tables include the attainment of pupils who receive the pupil premium compared with their peers.
Provision
In order to meet the above requirements, the Governing Body of Thornaby Church of England will ensure that provision is made which secures the teaching and learning opportunities that meet the needs of all pupils. Our priority will be focused on ‘narrowing the gap’ for those pupils not on track to achieve Expected at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
As part of the additional provision made for pupils who belong to vulnerable groups, the Governors of the school will ensure that the needs of socially disadvantaged pupils are adequately assessed and addressed through half termly pupil progress meetings.
In making provision for socially disadvantaged pupils, the Governors of the school recognise that not all pupils who receive free school meals will be socially disadvantaged.
The Governors also recognise that not all pupils who are socially disadvantaged are registered or qualify for free school meals. The Governors reserve the right to allocate the Pupil Premium funding to support any pupil of groups of pupils the school has legitimately identified as being socially disadvantaged.
Click on the links below to find out how the Pupil Premium money has been allocated each year.
Pupil premium strategy statement 2024.25
Pupil premium strategy statement 2023.24