Please read the information below which gives details of our Pupil Premium Grant and how we allocate the funding.

The pupil premium is additional funding provided to schools to support disadvantaged pupils to ensure they benefit from the same opportunities as all other children, reach their full potential and to close the gap in attainment that exists between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

There are three categories of children that qualify for pupil premium funding:

• children who are currently eligible for free school meals (FSM) or have been in receipt of FSM at any point in the last 6 years,
• children who have been looked after by Social Care continuously for more than 6 months and
• children of those employed in the armed forces.

Pupil Premium makes up part of the school’s funding, is received into our budget and is made available for use throughout the whole school. Schools are free to decide how to allocate this funding to best support the raising of attainment for the most vulnerable pupils.

At Thythorn Field, we allocate the funding to support our curriculum development, the quality of teaching and intervention.  Our strategic focus is driven by:

• observation of the children and their needs,
• data analysis at school and national level,
• review of the last plan and best value and
• educational research e.g. the EEF Pupil Premium Guide and Teaching and Learning Toolkit and the Sutton Trust's What makes great teaching?

Main barriers to educational achievement faced 

• Narrow vocabulary, poor oracy and specific writing difficulties (including Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)
• Poor phonological awareness and reading fluency
• Poor general knowledge and limited life experiences
• Mental ill health, poor self esteem and emotional wellbeing (including Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)

Our Pupil Premium allocation for the academic year 2020 - 2021 is £52,110

How do we decide how to spend the Pupil Premium Grant?

In deciding how to use our Pupil Premium Grant, we draw upon the following sources:

• Sutton Trust report: “The Pupil Premium: Next Steps” available here.
• Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit, available here.
• Research on disadvantaged pupils and the vocabulary gap, available here.
• Our combined professional experience of what works best

Details of Pupil Premium spending at our school and the principals supporting this can be found below. If you have any questions about pupil premium funding at Thythorn Field please talk to Mr Smyton.

Pupil Premium - Are you Eligible?

The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011 and is allocated to schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’). There is also an allocation for children who are “Looked After”, adopted or children of service personnel.
Since the introduction of Free School Meals for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, these children may miss out on this additional funding. We do encourage parents to complete a form if they think they may be eligible, even if they do not need to claim a free meal.

What is the difference between Pupil Premium and Free School Meals (FSM)?

Pupil Premium Grant: 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.
Free School Meals: this is one aspect of support available to families of lower income. Free School Meals is part of the Pupil Premium Grant

How might a child be eligible for FSM or Pupil Premium Funding?

A child may be eligible to receive the Pupil Premium Grant/Free School Meals if the parent receives any of the following Income Support

• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit

Children who get any of the above benefits in their own right (i.e. they get benefits payments directly, instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get the Pupil Premium Grant/Free School Meals.
Children under the compulsory school age who are in full time education may also be able to get Pupil Premium Grant/Free School Meals.

How do I apply?

If you think that your income is low and you receive any of the benefits listed above then contact our school office for advice on applying.