What is Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium is allocated to children from low income families who are currently known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM) in both mainstream and non-mainstream settings, children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months, and children from Services families. This also includes any pupils eligible for FSM at any point in the last six years.

Schools are free to spend their Pupil Premium as they see fit. However, we will be held to account for how we have used the additional funding to narrow the gap between those targeted pupils. We are required to publish online how we have used the premium. This is to ensure that parents and other stakeholders are made fully aware of the impact of this additional resourcing on learning and achievement outcomes within our school.

Your child may be entitled to pupil premium funding if you receive one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
• Child Tax Credit Only (with income up to £16,190) with no element of Working Tax Credit
• National Asylum Seekers Support
• Guarantee Element of the State Pension Credit
• Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
• Universal Credit (income dependant)

To self check your eligibility for free school meals please click to use the online Free School Meal Checker. Alternatively you can contact the school office who will be happy to check eligibility on your behalf.

What is Pupil Premium funding spent on?

The amount of money allocated to schools under Pupil Premium is clearly identifiable. It is, however, at the discretion of the school to decide how it is spent, since they are in the best position to assess what intervention strategies or additional support will be best placed to support their individual pupils to make progress.

All schools are required to report on the amount of funding received, how it is being used, and the impact of any work done.

This money is not 'ring fenced'. However, as good practice has shown, the way this money is used should be planned and allocated at the start of the financial year.  The statement below shows how we plan to spend this money.

Swingate's Pupil Premium Intent

We are committed to supporting improved outcomes for our disadvantaged pupils as we recognise that disadvantaged children can face a wide range of barriers which may impact on their learning.  In order to help our children who are at a disadvantage overcome their barriers to learning and be happy and successful both at Swingate and in their future lives, we are guided by the following objectives:

• Remove barriers to learning created by family circumstances and background,
• Narrow the attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their non disadvantaged counterparts both within school and nationally
• Ensure that all vulnerable children attend school regularly and are monitored daily when they do not.
• Provide all teachers with high quality CPD to ensure that pupils access effective quality first teaching
• Provide targeted intervention and support to quickly address identified gaps in learning, including the use of small group work, 1:1 tuition
• Target funding to ensure that all pupils have access to trips and first-hand learning experiences 
• Provide opportunities for all pupils to participate in enrichment activities including sport and music
• Provide appropriate nurture support to enable pupils to access learning within and beyond the classroom
• Ensure that pupils are able to read and write fluently and with good understanding, enabling them to access the breadth of the curriculum.
• Develop confidence in their ability to communicate effectively in a wide range of contexts
• Enable pupils to look after their social and emotional wellbeing and to develop resilience.
• Access a wide range of opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world and to ensure that their cultural capital is expanded upon.
• Work closely with outside agencies to support children who are both socio-economically disadvantaged and on the SEND register.

Our mission, the Bluebell Way, is for all children to flourish from a wealth of experiences which positively impact on their academic, emotional and physical success.  This 3-year strategy sets out how we ensure all children will achieve that.