Pupil Premium
What is pupil premium?
Pupil Premium (PP) is a government initiative that provides additional funding to disadvantaged pupils. Research shows that pupils from deprived backgrounds underachieve compared to their non-deprived peers. The Pupil Premium initiative was started to help schools close this attainment gap.
School context
When making decisions about PP funding it is important to consider the context of the school and the subsequent challenges pupils may face. Stanton Vale is a special school for children aged 2-19 and currently there are 114 pupils on roll. The additional support we offer to each PP pupil is uniquely tailored to their individual needs and barriers to learning. We recognise that at Stanton Vale pupils attainment is greatly influenced by their SEND, rather than predominantly by social deprivation.
Strategy
To make effective use of PP funding Stanton Vale analyses pupils’ attainment data to identify trends and spend the funding most effectively in areas it is needed. However, we recognise that some pupils at Stanton Vale have complex medical needs, and most pupils have impairments in communication, cognition, mobility, social interaction and sensory processing. As a result of this, many factors, including external factors, can influence pupils’ attainment. Therefore, to ensure we gain a holistic and accurate picture of pupils’ barriers to learning, we also analyse pupils’ behaviour, vulnerability, attendance and engagement. This way we ensure that pupils are thriving socially and emotionally, as well as academically. Data analysis is always combined with teacher reports to ensure that the needs of the pupils are accurately identified. Our priority is to ensure every pupil continues to make progress and is able to live as independently as possible when they leave Stanton Vale.
How we plan our spending
The PP lead oversees the needs and barriers to learning of all PP pupils across the school and implements whole school Continued Professional Development (CPD) when training needs are identified.
One size doesn’t ‘fit all’ and in addition to whole school strategies, funding may be spent on individualised strategies, unique to a particular pupil to ensure the best outcome for every pupil.
Spending decisions are informed by research evidence. When staff make a spending request, they state how their request has been informed research. We use research from a range of sources such as the Education Endowment Foundation alongside research from experts who specialise in the specific needs of our pupils.
Funding is allocated to the following areas:
1) Teaching. Research shows that high quality teaching is the best lever for improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.
2) Academic strategies.
3) Wider strategies. This includes attendance, behaviour, social and emotional support.
How do we know spending is effective and how do we assess the impact?
Through effective leadership and management. Stanton Vale has a PP lead.
Through regularly monitoring and reviewing the impact of spending. The PP lead analyses a range of data, including: attainment, behaviour, attendance and engagement to track and monitor interventions, techniques and pupil progress.
The PP lead reports to governors on pupil progress, the impact of spending and the subsequent action plan