Pupil Premium Funding

Context:  Battling Brook is a large primary school with a higher than average proportion of pupils with SEN, many of whom have social and emotional needs.

The number of pupils registered for free school meals is lower than average however we suspect that more are eligible than this figure suggests and that there are many vulnerable families who do not qualify for free school meals.

Principles:

• We will use the limited funding available carefully to target as many pupils as possible but it means that not all children in receipt of free school meals will be in receipt of pupil premium interventions at any one time.
• Importantly, it is noted that not all children that are eligible for Pupil Premium are socially disadvantaged or making less than ‘expected’ progress. It is also noted that, not all children who are eligible for Pupil Premium come up against barriers to learning. It is, however, understood that a need may arise at any point during a child’s education in primary school therefore groups and individuals are prioritised and interventions reviewed at regular intervals during the school year. It is our aim that every child that is eligible for Pupil Premium will have an intervention or work that has directly impacted on them during their time at primary school. The provision for this is continuous in areas such as: Pastoral Care and Support, Homework Club and other Teacher led groups designed to secure and extend learning and tailored resources.
• The school closely monitors pupil progress and the impact of interventions. Much of the support or intervention in our provision cost more than any one child is entitled to at any one time. Therefore, the school uses other budgets to contribute to this provision as well. Pupil Premium children are prioritised when provision mapping. We have a range of groups that require intervention therefore the school also uses other school funds to add to this provision to enable other children to access these effective interventions too.

Approach:  The school has high expectations of all its pupils. Support is given to pupils, who need it most, and vulnerable pupils are identified through the school’s tracking system and their results are monitored to decide on the best actions to take place. Frequent tracking and thorough interrogation of the data ensures that English and Maths interventions are put into place quickly and these interventions are rigorously monitored. 

A top priority for the school is to raise aspirations of children through a carefully planned curriculum, teaching and support for vulnerable groups. Pupil Premium has been used to maintain high staffing levels and has funded training, for all staff but especially for teaching assistants, who lead most of the intervention programmes.

Intervention is closely tailored to meet the needs of the children and teaching assistants are trained to use specialist resources and strategies. This includes emotional and social support as well as academic intervention.

The school has a “low cost” policy for trips, activities and visits so that the children have experiences and topics to talk or write about in their learning.

Battling Brook understands how important it is to involve parents with the school and in their children’s learning. Within the whole school staff there is a successful pastoral team; these two members of staff have liaison with parents as part of their specific role in school in addition to a trained counsellor who provides deeper support over a longer period of time. One of the Pastoral Team has completed the ELSA (Emotional Literacy) and Thinkwise training as a result of the Pupil Premium.

Support for pupils’ social and emotional needs is extremely important and there are a number of ways in which the school supports pupils. Before school nurture groups and lunchtime groups provide vital structure and support for children outside the classroom and within the often challenging times for children.

A high proportion of children in the nurture groups are eligible for Free School Meals or are looked after children. All borderline vulnerable pupils are considered for the groups.

Aims:

• To accelerate progress in Reading, Writing and maths, to ‘diminish the difference’ so that the vulnerable group achieve in line with the National ‘Others’ group.
• To ensure Teaching and Learning meets the needs of ALL pupils; to remove or reduce the barriers to learning, especially for children with Social and Emotional Needs.

Attendance:

2022-23 (August 2022-July 2023) 

103/593 children Disadvantaged

All pupils: 95.54% 

Those who received Pupil Premium: 94.1%

Next Steps:  It is intended that the Premium continue to fund specific staff roles in order to continue to provide academic and social and emotional support for our children. In addition, the subsidiaries towards trips and events will continue to provide all pupils a wide and enriched learning environment and opportunities.

Free School Meals

Since September 2012, new Government funding has become available.  All pupils eligible for Free School Meals are entitled to additional funding to further support their education and raise their attainment.  If your child is, or ever has been, eligible to Free School Meals, or if you are unsure, please contact the school office.

Are you entitled to Free School Meals?

There are funding opportunities available to parents of children who are entitled to Free School Meals.

To receive Free School Meals you only need to have any one of the following:-

• Income Support (IS)
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance (IBJSA)
• An income-related employment and support allowance
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income which from 6th April 2010 does not exceed £16,190 as assessed by His Majesty's Revenue and Customs
• Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Children who receive Income Support (IS) or Income Based Jobseekers Allowance in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals.

If you claim for a Free School Meal then your child will be entitled to the following:-

1. £100 funding towards trips and music lessons or school uniform
2. A free school meal that you may choose to receive.

Also, the school will benefit by receiving extra funding for all children in school. 

This year we are promoting school uniform.  By registering for a F.S.M. your child has the option to have a school meal at lunchtime or, alternatively, you can still provide a packed lunch if they prefer not to have a hot dinner.  Either way you will become eligible for £100 funding as detailed above. 

To apply for a F.S.M. please ring 0116 305 6588 or visit the Leicestershire County Council website on www.leics.gov.uk - simply put in the search ‘free school meal’.  Any questions or queries please contact the school office.

Looked After Children/Adopted Children (including S.G.O. or R.O.)

From April 2014, pupils enrolled at the school who are looked after or adopted, will be eligible to receive additional funding through a new government initiative.  If you believe that your child should be entitled to funding under this criteria, please contact the school office for further information.

Individual Yearly Allocation

Financial Year 2020/2021: The school received £104,460 during this financial year to further support pupils.

Financial Year 2021/2022: The school received £108, 495 during this financial year to further support pupils.

Financial Year 2022/2023: The school received £120,015 during the financial year to further support pupils.

Financial Year 2023/2024: The school received £138,225 during the financial year to further support pupils.

Should you require any further information concerning Pupil Premium Funding, please contact the school office and speak to the School Business Manager.