What is the Pupil Premium?
The Pupil Premium (PP) was introduced in April 2011. It is additional funding provided by the Government for eligible pupils, to improve education outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. It is allocated to children from lower income families who are eligible for free school meals (FSM), children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months and for children from families that are in the Armed Forces. In 2012, funding was extended to include pupils who have been eligible for free school meals within the past 6 years.
From April 2015 schools, pre-schools and nurseries can also claim funding called Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) that supports children’s early learning and development.
How should schools use Pupil Premium?
Schools are free to choose how they allocate their Pupil Premium funding. However, it must be used to support disadvantaged pupils and raise attainment. From September 2012, the government required schools to publish online information about how they use the Pupil Premium. This format changed in 2021 and a longer term, research driven approach is recommended.
How do we spend Pupil Premium?
At Brookland Infant and Nursery School we are committed to raising the attainment and progress of all our children and diminishing the difference between our disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged children. We have identified the most significant challenges for our disadvantaged pupils and use the tiered model which focuses on:
We ensure all staff are aware of which children are eligible for the Pupil Premium and they provide additional, regular and targeted support for these children when necessary. Professional Development is provided to focus on addressing the challenges identified in order to provide high quality teaching for all and subsequently to raise attainment. A large proportion of our funding is spent on staffing. This can include support in the classroom and also through interventions.
A three-year Pupil Premium Strategy outlines how the Pupil Premium funding will be spent and is published below. It will be evaluated regularly and updated on the website annually to ensure it continues to meet the needs of our disadvantaged children. By the time our disadvantaged pupils leave us, we want them to have made good or better progress from their starting points and leave fully prepared for the next stage of their learning.
At the end of the school year, Brookland Infant & Nursery School produces a Pupil Premium Impact Report to show the impact that this funding has had.
Free School Meals
All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to government funded Free School Meals. However, we still encourage all families to allow us check to see if they are eligible for any additional Pupil Premium funding by providing school with parents’ Date of Birth and National Insurance Numbers on the Contact Details form when their children join our school.