Pupil Premium
The Department for Education recognise that an attainment gap exists between disadvantaged students and their peers across the country. The Pupil Premium comprises a grant provided to publicly funded schools in England to help them meet the challenges in addressing this issue and is allocated to students in particular personal circumstances. The three identified groups are: students who have been entitled to free school meals at any time in the past six years; students who have a parent who has worked for the armed services at any time in the past four years; children in local authority care and those adopted from care since 1 January 2006.
Our Pupil Premium strategy is underpinned by the premise that quality-first teaching (alongside personalised pastoral care) benefits both disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students alike. High-impact teaching and learning will ultimately have the most significant impact on students who qualify for Pupil Premium funding. Tackling the ‘barriers to learning’ that are identified in this strategy remains crucial, but within a mindset that is pre-emptive in anticipating problems and immediately acting to mitigate them, rather than reacting once they emerge. Closing existing attainment and achievement gaps between students who qualify for the Pupil Premium and those who do not (and keeping them closed), lies at the heart of our resolve to continually provide high quality education for all.