Pupil Premium Vision
At St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School we believe that all pupils have an entitlement to achieve their potential whatever their circumstances. As a school we will provide opportunities to break through barriers, increase resilience and place inclusivity at the heart of all we do. We will ensure that all resources are effectively deployed to ensure that every child has access to what they need to succeed.
What is Pupil Premium?
Introduced in 2011, pupil premium is a sum of money given to schools each year by the Government to improve the attainment of disadvantaged children.
This is based on research showing that children from low income families perform less well at school than their peers. Some, children who are entitled to pupil premium face challenges such as poor language and communication skills, lack of confidence and issues with attendance and punctuality. The pupil premium is intended to directly benefit the children who are eligible, helping to narrow the gap between them and their classmates.
Is your child eligible?
Primary schools are given pupil premium funding for:
- Children in Reception to Year 6 who are, or have ever been, entitled to free school meals based on their family income
- Children in care
- Children previously in care who have been adopted, or who have a special guardianship order, a child arrangements order or a residence order
- Children recorded as being from service families
How is it spent?
Schools can choose how to spend their pupil premium money, as they are best placed to identify what would be of most benefit to the children who are eligible. However, they are accountable for how they use the additional funding to support pupils. The aim of pupil premium funding is to support schools in maximising potential and to close the attainment gap between pupils eligible for pupil premium and their peers.
The Governing Body are responsible for monitoring the impact of spending and how effectively the school is spending its Pupil Premium to maximise achievement and close the attainment gap between Pupil Premium children and their peers. All measures introduced are effectively monitored by using a robust system for tracking and evaluating the effectiveness of our spending in terms of accelerating progress and raising aspirations.
St. Joseph's is proud of the number of interventions put into place at our school and the plans for future spending in this area. Here are some of the ways in which we spend our pupil premium fund:
- We provide a variety of classroom interventions to support children's academic, social and emotional progress
- We employ a dedicated Inclusion & Pupil Premium Co-ordinator in school to track and monitor progress and the impact of spending
- We employ a Family School Support Worker to provide practical and valued support to a number of children and families within our school community
- We ensure that all staff are well trained and contribute to making a real difference for each and every one of our pupils
- We respect that each pupil is an individual and should be entitled to the best possible education as they only get one chance
- We provide a school breakfast club for those children and families who need it
- We fund music lessons for children whose families would be unable to pay for them
- We fund educational trips and visits
The amount of the school's allocation from the Pupil Premium funding for this academic year with details of how it is intended that the allocation will be spent; details of how the previous academic years allocation was spent, and the effect of this expenditure on the educational attainment of those pupils at the school in respect of whom grant funding was allocated can be seen on the links below.
How to check if your child is eligible?
Free school meals and Pupil Premium
Getting the right information to make sure that Pupil Premium money can be claimed for your child is sometimes complicated for schools. When a child applies successfully for a free school meal, their application includes allocation of Pupil Premium money for the school. However some children don't claim for the meal - for instance, because they bring a packed lunch and all children under the age of 7 are given a free school meal automatically.
Both of these situations mean that Schools miss out on funding because they don't have the right information from parents that would enable them to apply for the Pupil Premium.
How to apply for free school meals
Free School Meals (FSM) are provided to children whose parents/guardians are in receipt of:
- Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
- Income Support
- Income Based Job Seekers Allowance*
- Income related Employment Support Allowance
- support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (from the National Asylum Support Service)
- the guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, provided you're not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of no more than £16,190
- Working tax credit run on-paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- *Children who receive Income Based Job Seekers Allowance in their own right are also eligible to receive free school lunches.
Applying for Free School Meals
To apply for free school meals at West Berkshire schools and maintained nurseries:
Apply online - it's quick and easy and you can do this at any time that is convenient for you – you will be contacted directly about your application and to confirm that you qualify
Apply over the phone through West Berkshire Councils Customer Services – they will take you through the form right there and then - just have your National Insurance number ready
Who to Contact
Free School Meals Team: For queries about Free School Meals
freeschoolmeals@westberks.gov.uk
Telephone: 01635 503622
PPG PROPOSED SPEND AND IMPACT REPORTS
Proposed PPG Spend 18-19 - CLICK HERE
PPG impact Report 18-19 - CLICK HERE
Proposed PPG Spend 19-20 - CLlICK HERE
PPG impact Report 19-20 - CLICK HERE
Proposed PPG Spend 20-21 - CLICK HERE
PPG impact Report 20-21 - CLICK HERE
Proposed PPG Spend 21-22 - CLICK HERE
PPG impact Report 21-22 - CLICK HERE
Proposed PPG Spend 22-23 - CLICK HERE
PPG Report - December 2023 - CLICK HERE