Pupil Premium
What is Pupil Premium Funding?
Pupil Premium is additional funding given to publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils to try to ensure they attain as well as and make as much progress as their peers.
How the funding is allocated?
It is paid to schools according to the number of pupils who have been: registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the past six years or been in care for six months or longer.
Summary of Barriers to Educational Achievement
The challenges faced by eligible pupils are wide-ranging, their attainment on entry varies and the school takes account of each child’s entry point and ensures they are well supported to achieve their potential. Below are shared some of these barriers which can apply to pupils in our school.
- Pupils entering school are in some instances below the national expectation in the areas of understanding, speaking, self-confidence and awareness, reading, number, the world, technology, expressive arts and design.
- Find it difficult to interact with other pupils
- Require additional support to access phonics, reading and developing their writing skills
- Require additional support in mathematics
- Attendance issues may impact on progress and attainment
- If parents have had poor educational experiences themselves, we work hard to establish strong links and provide a positive educational experience.
We measure the impact of pupil premium by closely monitoring our intervention programmes, through learning walks, pupil progress meetings, data and work scrutiny. We monitor the progress of these children and provide support as described below if it is required. These children have priority access to these interventions. In practice, this means that if their progress is borderline for their ability, they will receive additional support. The impact of this will be reviewed every six to eight weeks and the overall impact evaluated in the summer / autumn term.
What is Sports Premium?
The Government provides funding directly to primary school headteachers to spend on improving the quality of sport and PE for all their children, the funding is ring-fenced and can only be spent on physical activity, sport and PE provision in schools.
Purpose of funding
Schools will have to spend the sport funding on improving their provision of PESSPA, but they will have the freedom to choose how they do this.
How we spend the funding and who benefits
The staff, children and governors at St. Cuthbert’s Primary all agree that the money must be used so that:
- all children benefit regardless of sporting ability;
- children are given the opportunity to compete and participate in festivals and competitions;
- children are taught to be active for 60 minutes daily and we provide 30 minutes in school time to be active daily;
- play times, which make up about 50 minutes of our school day, give pupils opportunities to be active and develop coordination, strength, balance and teamwork;
- staff have access to resources and training opportunities, plus continued professional development to improve the quality of teaching and learning in physical education;
- we explore ways to ensure that as many pupils as possible leave us able to be water safe and swim at least 25 metres,
- children are exposed to a range of traditional and non-traditional sports and health enhancing activities through the curriculum, clubs and school visits.
Highlights of the Academic year 2024/2025
- Participation in a range of competitions through Easington School Sports Partnership and local football leagues;
- Participation in many themed events for the whole school e.g. Santa Dash, Dance With Me, Silent Disco, Colour Run, Hoopstarz, Skipping School and a Splash Run
- Winning medals in a wide range of competitions;
- Continued investment in OPAL training and resources so our playtimes are more active and engaging – SILVER AWARD
- Maintaining PLATINUM SCHOOL GAMES MARK – this shows that we have sustained GOLD status for 5 years and made improvements in that time.
Our Priorities for 2025/2026
- To ensure our staff and young sports leaders encourage pupils to be active at break times;
- To continue to develop our after school club provision linked to sport;
- To continue to ensure all children are active each day and to link this with our wellbeing and PSHE work;
- To develop our outdoor areas so children are active at playtimes;
- To extend Forest Schools so that more classes benefit.