Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium (PP) at Cedars

Mr Crowther is our Associate Assistant Headteacher responsible for Pupil Premium. He can be contacted via email using this address acrowther@cedarsupper.co.uk or telephone on 01525 219335.

He is supported by four members of staff who work with students in small groups and in 1:1 sessions, as well as in the classroom.

For any requests for support for pupil premium, please contact Mr Crowther via email.

What is PP and for what kind of student?

Pupil premium targets additional government money at students aged 5-16 from the most deprived backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. This includes all students who are or have been at any point in the last 6 years eligible for Free School meals, looked after (in the care of the LA or with foster parents), and / or who have parents in the Armed Forces. At Cedars the majority of PP students are from the FSM category.

How do we decide what we spend the money on?

The DfE has given us the freedom to use the Pupil Premium as we see fit, based upon our knowledge of our pupil needs. However, we are accountable for the use of this additional funding. In making decisions on the use of the Pupil Premium we:

Ensure that Pupil Premium funding allocated to our school is used solely for its intended purpose.
Use strategies which work to narrow the attainment gaps and adapt these as necessary to meet the needs of our pupils.
Are transparent in our reporting of how we have used the Pupil Premium, so that our parents, interested stakeholders and Ofsted are fully aware of how this additional resource has been used to make a difference.
Encourage take up of FSM by working proactively with our parents and carers in a sensitive and supportive manner and to remove any potential barriers or stigma attached to claiming FSM.
Are mindful of the fact that eligibility and take up of FSM does not equate with pupils being considered to be of ‘low ability’ because of their social circumstances.
Ensure there is robust monitoring and evaluation in place to account for the use of the Pupil Premium, by the school and governing body
Recognise the fact that FSM pupils are not an homogeneous group and cover a wide range of needs. As such the strategies we use to raise attainment will take individual needs fully into account.
Use high quality teaching and learning as the preferred way to narrow the gaps in attainment in the first instance. We also use high quality interventions with proven evidence of impact to assist our pupils who need additional support.
Use the Pupil Premium for all year groups not just those taking examinations at the end of the year.

We prioritise a number of areas across years 9-11 to maximise impact on achievement by:

Supporting students’ progress and
Providing equal access to learning opportunities.

The school tracks the progress of the PP cohort in each year group to measure impact, especially by looking at the gap between achievement of PP and non-PP students.

Barriers to learning

Attendance: PP attendance is below that of other students. We have prioritised actions to address this through our Student Welfare Manager.
Resources: Students lack the necessary equipment, books, and / or electronic resources /access; and uniform/kit. We support this.
Lack of progress from earlier years: PP students frequently join us in year 9 with big gaps. We address this through 1:1 targeted support in core subjects especially.
Lack of motivation: Some PP students lack motivation. We identify this and support this through our use of Learning Mentors and resources in our LM room, ASPIRE. Careers IAG is prioritised for PP students.
Lack of parental involvement: our pastoral system, and counselling and other targeted sessions, help support students who lack significant parental support.
Teaching and learning: PP students are flagged as a priority for all teachers in lessons – seating arrangements to optimise this, classroom intervention and marking of books (mark PP first); Cedars feedback forms to identify key areas for development for each student and to support 1:1s and other interventions

Cedars Upper

Pupil Premium