‘Leaders use the pupil premium funding well. As a result, disadvantaged pupils currently in the school are making good progress in English and mathematics. Leaders are quick to identify barriers to learning so that additional support can be provided.’- Ofsted 2019

St Faith’s commitment to pupils eligible for the pupil premium has its starting point in the Christian Gospel, which recognises the uniqueness and value of the individual and which touches every area of human need. Christ’s ministry is characterised by His openness to, and concern for, each person, in particular those needing support.

St Faith’s offers a positive, safe learning environment for its community, in which everyone has equal and individual recognition and respect. We celebrate success and are committed to the continuous improvement and fulfilment of potential in every child. We encourage increasing independence and self-discipline amongst the pupils. Everyone within the school has an important role to play in sharing responsibility for the development of positive behaviour and attitudes.

Aims

At St Faiths, we have high aspirations and ambitions for all our children and we believe that no child should be left behind. We strongly believe that it is not about where you come from but your passion and thirst for knowledge and your dedication and commitment to learning that make the difference between success and failure. We are determined to ensure that our children are given every chance to realise their full potential.

Background

The pupil premium is additional funding which is allocated to schools on a basis of the number of pupils who have been eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any point over the last six years (known as “Ever 6 FSM”). The pupil premium is aimed at addressing the current underlying inequalities which can exist between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers.

The Pupil Premium also provides funding for children who are looked after or adopted from care, and the children in armed forces families.

The DfE has given us the freedom to use the pupil premium as we see fit, based upon our knowledge of our pupil needs. However, we are accountable for the use of this funding, and must provide evidence of its impact.

“It is for schools to decide how the Pupil Premium, allocated to schools per FSM pupil, is spent, since they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their responsibility.” DfE

Context

At St Faith’s when we make decisions about using pupil premium funding it is important to consider the context of the school and the subsequent challenges faced. Although eligible pupils are a very diverse group and it is important not to generalise about their needs, some of the barriers they face can be less support at home, weak language and communication skills, lack of confidence, more frequent behaviour difficulties, and attendance and punctuality issues. There may also be complex family situations that prevent children from flourishing. The challenges are varied and there is no “one size fits all”.