The principles of the Pupil Premium are:

• To ensure that teaching and learning opportunities meet the needs of all pupils.
• To ensure that appropriate provision is made for pupils who belong to vulnerable groups. This specifically includes ensuring that the needs of socially disadvantaged pupils are addressed.
• To ensure that any gap in attainment for pupils in receipt of FSM is narrowed.

We aim to ensure that all pupils at North Newton Primary School succeed and thrive. The targeted and strategic use of Pupil Premium funding will support us in achieving our aims. In making our provision, we recognise that not all pupils who are eligible for free school meals, (or have been eligible in the last 6 years) are socially disadvantaged. Pupil Premium funding will be allocated following annual needs analyses which will identify priority classes and groups. We will reflect on the research findings and guidance of the Sutton Trust in formulating our decisions.

Typical barriers to learning that may be faced by vulnerable pupils in our school include:

• Low language levels when starting EYFS, leading to social communication difficulties, difficulties with reading and writing, which can also limit a child’s ability to access other areas of learning
• Complex or broken family structures, which can lead to family stress, limiting the level of learning support at home and preventing children from flourishing
• Having additional Special Educational Needs or Disabilities, which increases the challenges for learning
• Experiencing limited or a narrow variety of learning / life opportunities outside school compared with peers
• Emotional & social needs including low self-esteem, low parental aspirations or a fixed mindset, which limits learning

By knowing individual children very well, speaking with parents and drawing on research identifying effective support strategies, the school aims to use the PPG to improve the academic progress and hence future life chances of vulnerable pupils.

Governors may use the pupil premium resources to:

• Support targeted interventions, providing small group work focused on overcoming gaps in learning in reading, writing and/ or maths
• 1-1 support, or paired work.
• Reducing class sizes thus improving opportunities for more effective teaching and accelerating progress.
• Additional teaching and learning opportunities provided through external tutors e.g. Literacy tutors, Speech & Drama teachers or training for teaching assistants.
• Paying or subsidising activities that broaden the curriculum and offer opportunities which would otherwise not be possible.

Our Governors will ensure that there is an annual statement to parents and carers on how the Pupil Premium funding has been used to address the issue of ‘narrowing the gap’, for socially disadvantaged pupils. We also annually write to parents with an update if funding changes, or it is necessary to alter elements.

To ensure all interventions are effective and best-suited for specific children requiring to make additional progress, initial assessments are carried out and recorded as a starting point. After a specific number of sessions (depending on the Intervention) assessments are then retaken to monitor the progress made. Children do not remain on any intervention if progress is not sufficient and other interventions are used in consultation with the SENCo and class teacher.

Reviews of effectiveness of the Pupil Premium Strategy are carried out at each of the Finance and Business Committee meetings through the year. Furthermore, during the termly Pupil Progress Meetings, all children who are on the Pupil Premium register, as well as all other children who are not making sufficient progress are discussed and other interventions are introduced.