Pupil Premium
How Hele’s School uses the Pupil Premium
The Pupil Premium is additional funding provided by the Department for Education to enhance the education of the most socio-economically deprived students. Allocation of funding is made according to the number of students entitled to free school meals currently or at any time within the last six years (known as Ever 6 FSM) and children in care (known as LAC) who attend the school in Years 7-11. There is also additional Pupil Premium funding (known as the Service Premium) for any student who has or has had within the last five years a parent in the Armed Forces (known as Ever 6 service child). This year, as a result of COVID-19, schools have also received a ‘Recovery Premium’ to use with disadvantaged students and others who may benefit from additional support to catch up on learning lost through the pandemic. This money is predominantly used to facilitate school-led tuition and input through the National Tuition Programme.
Hele’s School targets the additional funding directly at eligible students and does not simply absorb it into the whole-school budget.
Funding and use of the Pupil Premium
Current number of eligible Pupil Premium students 2023-24
Year 7 – 42
Year 8 – 43
Year 9 – 51
Year 10 – 46
Year 11 – 34
This represents 18% of the total number of students at Hele’s School –below the national average.
Year 7 – 42
Year 8 – 43
Year 9 – 51
Year 10 – 46
Year 11 – 34
This represents 18% of the total number of students at Hele’s School –below the national average.
Total Pupil Premium funding (including Recovery Premium funding) for 2023/24 — £280,000 approx.
At Hele’s School, we have identified several common barriers to learning for disadvantaged students that are addressed through our Pupil Premium Strategy. These are commonalities across the cohort and will not apply to every child within the cohort. The key learning barriers are:
a. Historical poor progress from KS2-4
b. Lower than average literacy and numeracy skills
c. Lower aspiration and educational ambition
d. More frequent behaviour incidents than other cohorts within school
e. More diverse SEND needs than other cohorts within school
f. Attendance issues dating back to Primary school
g. Limited access to resources
h. Issues with emotional wellbeing and safeguarding concerns
Hele’s School’s Pupil Premium Strategy for the current academic year can be viewed below.
Impact and Outcomes
To see our Review of the Impact of our Pupil Premium funding for 2022-2023 please see the current strategy document below.
Hele’s School Pupil Premium Team
All staff at Hele’s School are fully committed to closing the attainment and progress gaps that exist between eligible students and their peers. For us, it is a very high priority, and we see it as our moral duty to ensure that disadvantaged children make outstanding progress.
Key staff with specific responsibilities for leading improvements in outcomes for disadvantaged students are:
- Deputy Principal: Emma Clapham (Pupil Premium budget and strategic lead)
- Pupil Premium Champion: Jenny Clegg (Pupil Premium operational lead)
Adoption Premium
Was your adopted child formally a ‘looked after child’ and adopted on or after 30 December 2005?
Schools in England can now receive the Pupil Premium funding for children adopted from care, or who left care under a Special Guardianship Order on or after 30 December 2005. Schools can also claim the Pupil Premium for children who left care under a Residence Order on or after 14 October 1991.
To enable us to claim the Pupil Premium, which can then be used to further support your child, you will need to inform us about your child and provide supporting evidence, for example, show the school the original Adoption (Court) Order. You will need to self-declare before 1st January of each year, which is the date schools complete the annual School Census. This will then trigger the payment of the Pupil Premium to the school from April of that year.
Please send any supporting evidence to the school addressed to Ms E Clapham, Deputy Principal.
If you have any further queries regarding the Pupil Premium, including eligibility for Free School Meals, please do not hesitate to contact Main Reception at school who will be able to provide further guidance.
