Pupil Premium
Introduced in 2011, the pupil premium is a sum of money given to schools each year by the government to improve the attainment of disadvantaged children – those who are known to be on low incomes or eligible for free school meals currently or at any time in the last six years. It also includes any students who have been looked after in care at any time over the last six years (LAC). Almost all of the students at LHS who receive PP funding are considered disadvantaged because they meet the deprivation criteria – between 30 and 40% of each year group
The aim is to reduce the considerable gap evident in student outcomes between the achievement of those eligible and their non-eligible peers. The attainment gap between children from rich and poor backgrounds is detectable at an early age (22 months) and widens throughout the education system. It is estimated that just 14% variation in individuals’ performance is accounted for by school quality and most is explained by other factors, underlying the need to look at a range of children’s experiences, inside and outside school, when seeking to raise achievement. All schools spend this money in a variety of ways to support students with the aim of narrowing the national gap.
At Longbenton High School we aim to use the pupil premium allocation to provide opportunities, resources and staffing to narrow these gaps between PP and non-PP students in terms of academic achievement and pastoral support, increasing cultural capital and wider life experiences that will broaden their career pathways post-16 and post-18.
Pupil Premium
Year 7 Catch-Up Funding 2016 / 17
The government has provided the catch-up premium which gives schools additional funding to support year 7 pupils who did not achieve the expected standard at the end of key stage 2 (KS2). The funding is to enable schools to deliver additional support for those pupils who need it.
Strategic View
The data for our Year 7 shows that the intake is broadly in-line with national averages. However, there are weaknesses, particularly within reading and associated skills for boys. In moving into our new school we have made the LRC library a focal point in the school with all English classrooms facing out on to the library.. However, there is a shortage of reading material that will appeal to 11-13 year old boys with a reading age that is much younger. A greater focus on reading is important across the wider school but we need to provide a more engaging reading scheme to these students in particular.
Having researched options and taken advice the decision that has been reached is to use catch-up funding to equip the school to deliver the Renaissance Accelerated Reader programme.