PUPIL PREMIUM AT OAKS PARK HIGH SCHOOL

Oaks Park High School aims to provide opportunities for its students that enable them to ignite a passion for learning and fully engage with the world around them. All students at Oaks Park High have full access to and experience of the curriculum regardless of race, class, gender physical ability and religious belief. The Pupil Premium is therefore a key resource for ensuring the realisation of this inclusive and aspirational ethos.

HOW IS THE SCHOOL ALLOCATED FUNDING?

A Pupil Premium allowance of £1035  is allocated to the school for every student on their roll that:

• is currently able to claim Free School Meals OR
• has claimed Free School Meals in the last 6 years OR
• is a child of parents serving in the armed forces (£335  allowance only)

In addition, the Local Authority receives £2530 per Looked After Child (in the care of the local authority) which they can use to support Looked After Children’s educational progress and pass onto the school. The school also receives £2530 per pupil for pupils who have previously been a Looked After Child.

HOW MUST THIS FUNDING BE USED?

This additional funding has been allocated to every school due to national figures which show that these students do not achieve as well as their peers.  The funding is therefore to support schools to address barriers to learning faced by these students in the pursuit of reducing the attainment gap between them and their non-PP peers.

Schools are free to spend the Pupil Premium as they see fit.  There is no requirement for this money to be spent on individual students simply because they fall into this category.  However, it is expected that the funding will be used to support, as necessary, students in this group so that this group has every opportunity to make the same progress as their peers.  It is also acceptable to use this money to support high quality provision in the classroom for all students, as students thrive in such environments.

It is important to note that it should not be assumed that all Pupil Premium students need some or all of this support. There are a number of this group of students in this school and elsewhere who are making excellent progress already, and who will need minimal support as a result.   However, in Years 10 and 11, the school make available £100 each academic year to Pupil Premium students which can be used to support their learning and educational experiences. In Years 7-9, Pupil Premium students can apply for support with school trips, ingredients for Food Technology lessons and materials for Year 9 Option subjects. Pupil Premium students are also able to request the loan of a school Chromebook to support them with accessing homework and independent study.

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL USE THIS FUNDING?

Evidence nationally suggests that common barriers for students eligible for Pupil Premium funding include: attendance and punctuality; behaviour and exclusions; transition from Primary to Secondary education; literacy levels; parental engagement; student engagement in school visits; completion of work at home and access to ICT facilities; low aspirations and poor guidance.

At Oaks Park we seek to use this funding to provide support for all of our Pupil Premium students via support structures for those students that need additional help in order to achieve success in line with, or better than, school and national expectations.

These are based on combating the main barriers to learning that have been identified. Our approach intends to individualise and target provision where it is needed. It a rolling programme of support and is updated on an annual or semi-annual basis but can include:

• Small group intervention in English and Mathematics
• Social skills, self-esteem and other specialised support programmes
• Additional behaviour and learning support
• Attendance related support structures and incentives
• Homework support and independent learning resources
• Financial support for: revision guides and other resources and equipment that will help pupils progress and are not needed as part of the taught course; access to school events such as visits, trips or leavers’ events that may otherwise not be accessible to students due to cost; enrichment opportunities designed to address students’ pastoral needs and foster key skills in students
• Alternative provision e.g. college taster courses or college provision; external agency support
• Mentoring and advice for students in this group, in order to raise aspirations and remove barriers to success
• Close liaison with parents/carers, sharing concerns and celebrating successes

 

In addition, members of the Senior Leadership Team have been appointed whose role includes specific responsibilities with respect to this group of students. Their role will include monitoring, tracking and ensuring appropriate intervention as needed as well as parental liaison.

HOW WILL THE SCHOOL MEASURE SUCCESS?

The school tracks the progress of all students, including students in this particular group.  Success will be evidence that shows that students in this group at Oaks Park High are making the same progress from starting points as non-Pupil Premium students nationally or are making good progress towards this aim.

MONITORING USE OF FUNDS

The school records expenditure and reports annually to the governors on how Pupil Premium Funding has been used.  In addition, the school reports the comparative progress of different groups of Pupil Premium students during the year to measure impact.

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IMPACT

Please find below documents which show the planning to support students eligible for Pupil Premium at Oaks Park High School

For further information relating to Pupil Premium, please email pupilpremium@oaksparkhigh.org.uk