Pupil Premium at Abbotswood Junior School

The pupil premium is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers.

School leaders are best placed to assess their pupils’ needs and use the funding to improve attainment, drawing on evidence of effective practice. Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils and schools are not required to spend all of the allocated grant on eligible pupils.

It is for school leaders to decide how to spend the pupil premium within the requirements of the conditions of the grant.

Evidence suggests that pupil premium spending is most effective when used across 3 areas:

1. High-quality teaching, such as staff professional development.
2. Targeted academic support, such as tutoring.
3. Wider strategies to address non-academic barriers to success in schools, such as attendance, behaviour and social and emotional support.

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) recommend that schools particularly focus their pupil premium on supporting high-quality teaching.

Source - DfE website.

Pupil Premium at Abbotswood Junior School

At Abbotswood Junior School, we have high aspirations and ambitions for our children and we believe that no child should be left behind. We strongly believe that it is not about where you come from but your passion and thirst for knowledge, and your dedication and commitment to learning that make the difference between success and failure.

We are determined to ensure that our children are given every chance to realise their full potential. Pupil premium funding, along with allocations made from the school’s own budget will help ensure this money is spent to maximum effect.

Information to be Published to Parents

In place of the current requirements regarding information about pupil premium expenditure, schools are now required to publish their  'PUPIL PREMIUM STRATEGY.' by 31st December. Please click on the link above to view the Pupil Premium Statement for AJS.

This should include:

1. In the previous academic year:(2021-2022)
   - how the pupil premium allocation was spent
   - the impact of the expenditure on eligible and other pupils
    
2. The current academic year:(2022-2023)
   - the amount of the school's allocation of pupil premium grant
   - details of the main barriers to education achievement
   - how the allocation will be spent to address the barriers and why these approaches were taken
   - how the school will measure the impact of the pupil premium
   - the date of the next pupil premium strategy review

Pupil Premium Policy - Download

Pupil Premium Spending 

Our pupil premium money has been used to provide a range of additional support for our children (including individual and group interventions). Through targeted interventions, we are working hard to eliminate barriers to learning and progress. One of the school’s aims is to ensure that ALL groups of pupils make good progress in order to reach age related expectations as they move through the school.

How will the school measure the impact of the pupil premium?

To monitor progress on attainment and progress, the usual cycle of data collection and the monitoring and tracking of the cohort’s attainment, will be used to inform pupil progress and enable the early identification of need, support and appropriate intervention.  At each assessment point, the school will review the impact of actions taken and will plan for how the funding will be specifically allocated over the next phase. The next review will be in July 2022. 

Designated staff member in charge: Mr Sam Swift
Nominated governor: Mrs Sarah Hamblyn

Eligibility for free school meals

A parent may wish to check their child's eligibility for free school meals and HC3S has an online system for this.

You will need to enter your name, address, national insurance number or asylum support service number.  In addition, you will need to provide your child's name, date of birth and identify the school they are attending.

Eligibility Criteria

Pupil Premium Letter to Parents

Parents/guardians in England do not have to pay for school meals if they receive any of the following:

• Income Support

• Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance

• 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 (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190

• Working Tax Credit 'run-on' - the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

• Guarantee element of State Pension Credit

Pupil Premium is an important payment for schools and a really good opportunity for eligible parents to get even more support for their children in schools. For more information about free meals in Hampshire, please contact HC3S on 023 8062 9388.

If you think your child may possibly be eligible for free school meals, even if you don't want your child to eat school meals, please call into the office to collect a claim form.  Every child who is eligible generates valuable income for the school. Thank you.