Pupil Premium is additional funding to help schools close the attainment gap between children from low-income and other disadvantaged families and their peers.
If a child has been eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any point over the past 6 years the school receives an amount per head within their budget.
However, the Government guidance states that;
“Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils, and schools do not have to spend pupil premium so that it solely benefits eligible pupils.”
Shepton Mallet Community Infants’ School & Nursery is committed to ensuring maximum progress for all groups of children and strives to close any gaps. We actively promote equality of opportunity for all staff, governors, pupils and parents, creating a harmonious learning community where all can succeed.
We have a clear strategic approach to the use of Pupil Premium funding and plans are integrated into wider school support and improvement systems. These are monitored and evaluated regularly to ensure that the correct support and strategies are identified to maximise progress.
Our most recent Ofsted report stated:
” Disadvantaged pupils are well supported and make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because their needs are quickly identified, allowing teachers and teaching assistants to provide good support.”
Ofsted 2018
Covid has potentially reversed a decade of progress in closing the attainment gap. The evidence is clear that disadvantaged pupils have fallen further behind during the pandemic. And we know that these pupils will also face the biggest challenges in educational recovery.