Overview of the School
| Number of pupils and pupil premium grant (PPG) received | |
| Total number of pupils on roll | 220 |
| Total number of pupils eligible for PPG | 41 |
| Amount of PPG received per pupil | £1,480 |
| Total amount of PPG received | £60,680 |
Pupil Premium Strategy Statement 2024-2025
RationaleDearham Primary School is committed to providing the best possible education for every individual pupil. We have high aspirations and expectations for all of our pupils and we believe that no child should be left behind. This includes making appropriate provision for pupils who belong to vulnerable groups including those who may be socially disadvantaged. We believe that it is not background that is important but a child’s passion and thirst for knowledge, and dedication and commitment to learning that make the difference between success and failure. Consequently, we are determined to ensure that all of our pupils are given every opportunity to realise their potential.
Due to lockdown, and the subsequent school closures during the last school year, school staff are aware that pupils’ lives and routines have been disrupted, and some areas of the curriculum will not be as securely covered as others. At Dearham Primary School we are committed to closing any gaps in their learning, and make up for lost time, while providing a secure, safe environment in which our pupils may thrive.
Pupil Premium funding is a government initiative that targets additional support at pupils from deprived backgrounds. This is because research has shown that such pupils underachieve compared to other pupils. The money is provided to ensure that schools are able to support these pupils in achieving their full potential. The government have used pupils who are entitled to free school meals (FSM) as an indicator of deprivation and they allocate a fixed amount of money per pupil to schools each financial year based upon the number of pupils who have been registered for FSM at any point during the previous six years. An amount of money is also allocated to children who are looked after (LAC) and service children. The government does not dictate how this money should be spent but schools are expected to employ strategies that they are confident will ‘diminish the difference’ in attainment between those pupils which are considered to be deprived and those who are not. Schools are accountable for this allocation of resources and must demonstrate that pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium achieve well compared to other pupils. The funding is also used for the promotion of Extended services to raise aspiration e.g. university trips annually and for widening pupils awareness of the wider cultural diversity e.g. trips, visitors to school
By following these key principles we believe that we can maximise the impact of our Pupil Premium spending:
Providing a culture where staff believe in all children and no excuses are made for underperformance. We will strive to overcome barriers to learning for pupils and give every individual the best possible chance of success.
Providing a culture where staff believe in all children and no excuses are made for underperformance. We will strive to overcome barriers to learning for pupils and give every individual the best possible chance of success.
We recognise that high quality early years provision with a strong emphasis upon developing early reading and number skills is crucial to all pupils, but particularly those who have experienced disadvantage in early life.
We acknowledge that pupil premium pupils are not always socially disadvantaged and at risk of underachievement. Likewise, there are many pupils that we would consider to be vulnerable that are not in receipt of pupil premium funding and do not receive this additional funding.
We recognise that the biggest factor in high standards of pupil attainment is high quality teaching and learning. We will continue to ensure that all pupils across the school receive at least good teaching with increasing percentages of outstanding teaching achieved across each year. We will ensure consistent application of key elements of teaching and learning such as planning, marking and assessment and carry out moderation activities to reinforce this. We give high priority to our appraisal systems for teachers and teaching assistants and ensure that high quality professional development is available to all staff. We use the Sutton Trust as a supportive document.
We will concentrate our spending on achieving the highest possible standards in English and mathematics. This may be in the form of direct teaching and intervention or may be indirect through improving attendance, behaviour or access to resources and support. We place the highest Importance on the breadth of the curriculum. Pupils must access the very broadest opportunities.
All pupils who are in receipt of Pupil Premium will be identified and a Pupil Premium profile produced. Staff will review this and the progress of PP pupils regularly. Pupils will also be consulted and asked how they feel they are progressing and if there are any areas in which they feel need additional support.
We recognise that pupils can experience many barriers to their learning and that these barriers can be long term or of a more short term nature. We believe that it is vital that these barriers are identified and addressed in order for pupils to achieve their maximum potential. Analysis has shown that typical barriers may be:
We acknowledge the importance of data and all staff are involved in its analysis so that they are aware of strengths and weaknesses across the school.
We recognise that all of our pupils are individuals with varying needs and as such we employ a wide range of strategies aimed at ensuring that they achieve the highest standards of attainment. Provision is changed annually according to need. Our provision includes:
We will ensure that we comply with guidance on reporting the use of Pupil Premium issued by the Department for Education by publishing the following information on our school website:
Date of next review: November 2025
