Pupil Premium and Catch Up Funding

The Pupil Premium is allocated to schools based upon the number of low-income families who are currently known to be eligible for FSM as well as students who have been looked after continuously for more than six months. The pupil premium is calculated on the number of students who have been eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any point in the last 6 years. Some of the barriers that some pupil premium students face include some of the following:

• Increased responsibility outside of school which can impact on attendance
• Access to consistent healthy diet and lifestyle
• Limited access to digital & educational resources
• Limited access to cultural capital opportunities

Pupil Premium is directly overseen by the Headteacher. The Deputy Headteacher has the responsibility of tracking the impact of pupil premium spending on student progress. However, it is the responsibility of all leaders in the school through the overt focus in every school system and a clear feature of accountability through leadership line management systems. 

The targeting of the Pupil Premium spend has been devised on a tiered approach based on the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) toolkit and evidenced based best practice and aims to address the barriers some students may face:

Tiered Approach:

• Teaching & Staffing Support
• Targeted Academic Intervention
• Involvement in enrichment activities

For the forthcoming academic year (2022-23) the Local Governing Body of the school has allocated almost 90% of the budget to focus upon high quality learning in English and Maths at Key Stage 4 as well as in improving the basic literacy and numeracy of the students in The Bridge (Year 7) and The Gateway (Year 8). The governors believe that providing additional resources to improve the development of these basic skills will improve the life chances of President Kennedy School students and ensure their success at each stage of their education.

The Governing Body continually target the Pupil Premium in order to raise the attainment of students entitled to free school meals. Analysis of GCSE outcomes indicate that our pupil premium students on average achieve higher across all their eight subjects compared to all (not just other PP) students nationally. This outstanding achievement means that students now make much better progress than would be expected given their attainment when compared to other schools.

In addition, governors targeted funding at improving the transition between primary and secondary school in the establishment of The Bridge. OFSTED have commented that The Bridge:

“Is providing an effective bridge between primary school and secondary school environments.”

“The curriculum is carefully designed to develop students’ skills, and the progress of every student is closely monitored.”

“The least able students have already made very good progress in their literacy skills. At the same time, the most able have also made rapid progress as their needs are also fully met”

In the school's most recent inspection, Ofsted commented that:

"The Bridge is a very safe and supportive environment which helps students to make the transition from Primary School to Secondary School"

Parent and student satisfaction as demonstrated through questionnaires is also high.

1.President Kennedy School Allocation

April 14 – March 15           £367,455

April 15 – March 16           £429,195

April 16 – March 17           £445,060

April 17 – March 18           £457,215

April 18 – March 19           £455,345

April 19 – March 20           £476,347

April 20 – March 21           £496,833

April 21 - March 22           £470,000

2.On which students does President Kennedy School use the money to prioritise its spending?

• Free school meal (FSM) students and other vulnerable students who are underachieving at KS4

• FSM students and other vulnerable students who are in danger of underachieving at KS4

• FSM students and other vulnerable students who are underachieving at KS3

• Other underachieving students, including SEND

3.Support

 

• Leader of Literacy and Numeracy appointed to work in The Bridge (Year 7) and across the school.

• An additional primary teacher is now based in the Gateway (Year 8). There is now a coherent and progressive intervention programme running from Year 7 into Year 8.

• There is now a full time English Teacher and Learning Mentor based in the Hub.

• 3 teaching assistants, including a HLTA in The Bridge and 2 in the Gateway provide small group intervention for both numeracy and literacy, including guided reading programmes.

• The Bridge and The Gateway (Year 8) Colleges are generously staffed to provide support all day for the students focused upon attendance, punctuality and the progress made by students.

• Staffing in each college includes a Learning Mentor, Pastoral Leader, Progress Leader and College Director

• Year 7 and 8 intervention programmes focus upon providing high quality learning programmes in The Bridge and The Gateway to ensure students who need to catch up with their peers and are on track to achieve their targets and make accelerated progress.

• The two Primary School Teachers focuses a significant portion of their time on CPD for teacher and TAs to embed the school Communication Plan and therefore raise standards of literacy and numeracy across the school and to upskill them in delivery of specific interventions such as Fresh Start, Rockstars and Lexonik.

• Overstaffing in Year 9 English to deliver the Fresh Start Programme/additional English support.

• Rigorous performance management system which involves discussion about performance of pupil students within individual classes.

• For the last 9 years our PP students make more progress (from their starting points) in E&M than all students nationally.

 

4.Intervention

 

• All students entitled to the pupil premium are highlighted on SIMs and Class Charts marks sheets and the focus throughout the school is on accelerating their progress

• Monthly data is monitored at Key Stage 4 to track the progress of pupil premium students and adjust interventions where necessary. Pupil Premium students’ involvement in intervention is tracked by Year 11 Progress Leader and is a key item on the year 10 and Year 11 RAP meetings.

• Weekly meetings amongst key colleagues within the colleges focused upon student progress and removing barriers to learning (OB2L Meetings)

• Pupil Premium students’ attendance is tracked weekly and college leadership teams have targeted caseloads.

• Additional classes in English and Maths at Key Stage 4 allows for smaller classes and flexible programmes and intensive lessons close to the exams

• Additional staffing enables Maths and English to be taught in small groups to our most vulnerable students

• Learning Mentors and a TA team in English and Maths provide tailored support to targeted groups of students.

• Pupil Premium student performance is compared with national data rather than local in order to raise expectations to reach national levels of ‘all pupils’ rather than just the ‘pupil premium’ group

• Place pupil premium spending within the School Improvement Plan

5.Enrichment

• Using Government funding during Covid to target computers for disadvantaged students.

• Subsidising student visits so that they can see performances of plays for example, English Blood Brothers Theatre Trip.

• Purchase of text books and revision resources for Maths and English so that students can have their own copy and take them home.

• Revision guides are provided for KS4 subjects.

• The Library and Bridge & Gateway homework clubs are available after school for targeted Pupil Premium Students.

• Work related learning courses to motivate key students

• Funding our staff to work in primary schools so that students achieve Expected progress at KS2.

• Other enrichment opportunities are subsidised.

• All Pupil Premium Students’ involvement in extra-curricular activities is monitored by the College Director through the use of ‘College PASSPORT’ tracker. 

6. How the school will measure the effect of pupil premium funding?

• The school has a robust system of measuring the impact on pupil premium students:

• Standing review of PP progress at PK LGB Meetings.

• Monthly analysis of KS4 & KS5 data with specific evaluation of PP sub-group.

• Half Termly KS4 & KS5 RAP meetings by DHT & AHT with middle leaders, evaluates progress of PP students.

• Termly analysis of KS3 data with specific evaluation of PP sub-group.

• Termly analysis of College Passports and PP engagement in enrichment activities.

• The school has a robust system of measuring the impact on pupil premium students.

The date of the next pupil premium strategy review: September 2023

“Pupil Premium provides an important focus for prioritising the achievement of children from disadvantaged backgrounds in our education system. When it is most effective, the Pupil Premium will sit at the heart of a whole school effort, with all staff understanding the strategy and their role within it.”

Education Endowment Foundation 2019: A Guide to Pupil Premium.

Year 7 Catch Up Funding

In 2019-20, President Kennedy School received £23,000 Year 7 Catch Up Funding. For further details of what this is and how the school spent the money, please download the Year 7 Catch Up Funding pdf file attached below.

COVID-19 Catch Up Premium Funding

In 2020-21, President Kennedy School has been allocated COVID-19 Catch Up Premium Funding, as well as a 16-19 Premium Funding budget allocation. For further details of what this is and how the school intends to use these funds, please download the Funding Statement pdf file attached below.