At North Ridge Community School we have used the Pupil Premium payments to promote social skills, independent learning and positive behaviour in order to increase pupil progress and raise attainment, as per the Department for Education guidelines.
Pupil Premium Academic Year 2017-2018
Please click here for the Pupil Premium Strategy 2017-2018
Pupil Premium funding at North Ridge Community School is “used to sustain provision targeted at a wide range of disadvantaged pupils.” (DfE 2013 Evaluation of Pupil Premium) to help overcome their individual barriers to learning. Over the last academic year, the focus was to draw on the expertise of our teaching staff to ensure that the pupils in our school can access a curriculum that is individualised and appropriate to their learning needs with the intention of diminishing the difference between the performances of groups of pupils in the school.
School data analysis has been used to identify achievement gaps and determine priorities as a whole school. Pupil Premium money has been combined with funding from other sources in order to sustain provision for all our targeted pupils and students, including members of those groups of pupils who attract the Pupil Premium. Not all support was directly aimed at raising attainment. Some support focussed on wider issues in children’s and families’ lives and was intended to promote good attendance and shared high expectations between home and school. Where home support directly impacted on learning, the targeted support delivered by the Pastoral Team was successful and this will continue to be a key element to our targeted support.
Our use of targeted staffing for support and use of expenditure is on staffing is an informed decision and we are finding this type of targeted support effective. The evaluation of the Pupil Premium Research Report July 2013 states that around 75% or more of surveyed schools using additional staff to support disadvantaged pupils also considered that this was effective. Additional support outside the classroom was thought to be effective by at least 60% of the schools offering this. Additional support inside the classroom was thought to be effective by around 70% of primary schools, special schools and PRUs.
At North Ridge Community School, we commissioned a pupil premium review for last academic year and this will form the actions to move our practice and provision forward for this academic year, 2017/2018.
At North Ridge Community School, we used Pupil Premium Funding to ensure that we diminished the difference between all groups of learners. Whether the pupils have severe learning difficulties or moderate learning difficulties with additional, secondary difficulties, additional funding has been used to support learning and communication. The impact of all additional funding, including Pupil Premium spending, will be measured through data collection and analysis. Following this analysis, appropriate interventions and supportive resources which mainly consist of adult support, are put in place. Case studies for selected children from these groups will also be written to demonstrate progress towards the reduction of social and communication barriers to learning.
Local Authorities are responsible for Looked After Children in care and will make payments to schools and academies where an eligible looked after child is on roll. The amount allocated to the Virtual School is £1900 per child for post Looked After Children. Children who have been in local-authority care for one day or more also attract £1,900 of pupil premium funding. The Virtual Headteacher decides on the allocation funding schools will receive for Looked After Children which equates to £1600 (or more can be applied for if needed).
In the wider context, the Department for Education has a draft consultation document in circulation at the moment called ‘Schools Causing Concern, Intervening in failing, underperforming and coasting schools.’ This will provide guidance for Local Authorities and Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs). One of the indicative factors listed that RSCs should take into account in determining the course of action for coasting schools is “The school’s use of pupil premium and how the school has evaluated the impact of that use.” This indicates the high level of importance attached to a school’s use of this funding. This will then be discussed with Governors.
Please click here for the Pupil Premium Strategy 2016-2017
Please click here for the Pupil Premium Strategy 2015-2016
Please click here for the Pupil Premium Strategy 2014-2015
100% of students in this year’s Year 7 intake did not achieve Level 4 at the end of Key Stage 2 in Reading/Literacy and/or Maths. The Department for Education (DfE) provides us with an additional £500 for each student to provide them with extra support to ‘catch up’.
About the Year 7 Catch-up Premium
Using the Funding
Effective use of funding to support catch-up may include:
For 2017-2018 we have been allocated £3,500 (£500 per pupil) Year 7 Literacy and Numeracy Catch-up Grant funding to facilitate additional intervention for seven students. Our spending plan will be available to view as soon as possible.
All of our Year 7 pupils are eligible. The money was spent on QFT in both subjects, through a carefully planned series of differentiated lessons targeting basic skills in literacy, including communication, as well as in basic number comprehension, selection and basic problem solving to ensure progress is made.
In 2016/2017 we received £4,500 (£500 per pupil) Year 7 Literacy and Numeracy Catch-up Grant funding to facilitate additional intervention for nine students.
North Ridge Community School delivers a literacy curriculum that meets the communication needs for our pupils and provides the necessary skills to access and progress their learning in a range of environments whether it be at work, home or leisure. North Ridge will concentrate on exploring the ways in which literacy teaching can include alternatives to conventional reading and writing, some of which are related to books and magazines but others of which are usually found in media associated with IT and Media Studies.
To improve consistency we have decided to invest in the Lexia programme. It is a Reading Software Programme that helps with both reading and writing. As it is web based, it can be accessed both at school and at home. This will ensure that specific reading/phonics/letter recognition is available throughout the school and not just with the Accelerated Reading Programme.
It has an internal assessment system and provides assessment for teachers/staff to be able to know instantly which areas need addressing and which areas pupils are competent in.
At North Ridge we use many types of literacy activities, during the Autumn term the English Co-ordinator will be assessing the use and impact of the range of literacy strategies we use including:
Please click here to see additional information about our Inclusive Plan for Literacy in SLD
The aim of our funding in 2016-2017 is to ‘Bridge the Gap’ between Primary and Secondary so that pupils have a smooth and quick transition.
Diverse and engaging teaching and learning will enable all pupils to consolidate their mathematical subject knowledge, skills and progress towards their targets.
We plan to spend our Year 7 Catch-up Grant for numeracy on resources so that each pupil has an individual Maths tool kit. We will purchase Easimaths Software which is designed to help improve maths skills and capabilities of the pupils and we will send out our year seven teacher on ‘Muddy Maths’ training.
Please click here to read the Numeracy Spending Plan for 2016-2017
About the Premium
The Department for Education, Health and Culture, Media and Sport announced in 2013 that new funding would be made available to support the provision of P.E and sport in state maintained schools.
The grant will improve the provision and outcomes of P.E and sport for KS1 & 2 students to enable them to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle, whilst having fun. Through participation in sport and physical education our younger students will learn the importance of key values such as: Honesty, Teamwork, Fair play and Respect for themselves and others.
North Ridge School P.E & Sport Provision
North Ridge Community School provides physical education both inside and outside of the school which helps students to learn and develop important life skills.
We support and encourage students through curriculum based subjects and an enrichment programme which allows them to make healthy lifestyle choices.
Students are involved in a variety of activities that encourage life-long participation in physical activity and these include:
North Ridge Community School believe that Physical Education is an essential part of all pupils’ and students’ educational development. We support the government’s initiative for all children to enjoy being active. Through PE including sport and dance, our pupils and students learn to develop the important qualities of communication, positive attitude, motivation, building self-esteem and resilience. We aim to provide high quality teaching in PE and provide a wide variety of opportunities for children that encourage and inspire every individual child regardless of their ability and starting point.
Primary PE & Sports Grant Academic Year 2017-18 £16,370
A Primary & PE Sports Grant Spending Plan 2017-2018 will be provided as soon as possible.
Primary PE & Sports Grant Academic Year 2016-2017 £8,170
Please click here to read a copy of our Primary & PE Sport Grant Spending Plan 2016-2017
The EFA 16-19 Bursary Grant
The 16-19 Bursary Fund helps 16 to 19-year-olds continue in education, where they might otherwise struggle for financial reasons. It is made up of two parts – bursaries of £1200 a year to the most vulnerable young people and a discretionary fund for schools, colleges, academies, training providers and local authorities (providers) to distribute as they feel is necessary where a pupil is eligible.
Priority Award
Young people in the defined vulnerable groups will receive bursaries of £1200 a year (awarded in three equal payments, each term). Pupils in the priority group fall in to one of the following:
Discretionary Award
A discretionary award may be granted because of a low household income (currently £20,000 or below, unless there are exceptional circumstances). Discretionary payments are awarded to cover expenses relating to:-
The Priority award is funded each year once the initial claim has been submitted and eligibility has been confirmed (an eligibility check is performed automatically each year). Pupils must submit a new claim for each discretionary award.
Further info: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-education-financial-support-for-students
