Pupil Premium

The 'Pupil Premium' is direct government funding for schools designed to ensure that all pupils make the best possible progress whilst in school, regardless of their socio-economic background. A sum of money is given to the school for each pupil on role who is currently or who has ever been in receipt of means tested 'Free School Meals' (as opposed to the Universal Infant Free School Meals). There is also a small amount of funding given for any pupil with a parent currently serving in the British Armed Forces and for any child 'looked after', either in foster care or in Local Authority care.

How do I know if my child is eligible for the pupil premium?
Your child may eligible for pupil premium funding if you or your partner receive one or more of the following:

• Income Support
• Income Based Job-seekers Allowance
• An 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 they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,100​

If you think that your child may be eligible to qualify for pupil premium funding please do not hesitate to contact a member of the school office team. This funding, if eligible, will be received each year that they remain at primary school, regardless of how your circumstances may change.

How do we spend our pupil premium funding?
In 2018/19 the school's allocation of Pupil Premium funding is £21,680.
This funding will be used to raise attainment through:

• Funding of extra Teaching Assistant provision to lead various intervention programmes and support learning of those in receipt of funding.
• To fund the purchase of resources to aid learning and pay for training.
• To support families with the funding of extra-curricular and peripatetic tuition.

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Please click here to view our Pupil Premium strategy for 2017-18 (including evaluation for 2016-17).

The Curriculum Focus of Pupil Premium Grant

• To ensure all children make at least expected progress across the year in Reading, Writing and Maths.
• To allow opportunities for pupils to achieve aspirational phase-end targets.
• To ensure pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium have the same opportunities to achieve at St Mary’s, and to close any gaps in attainment and/or progress.
• To ensure a rich, varied and substantial extra-curricular provision for all.

Evaluating the impact of Pupil Premium Grant

• Progress is measured termly by teachers and reported to SMT within Pupil Progress meetings where pupils will be identified to receive additional targeted intervention programmes to raise attainment.
• Pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium are tracked closely to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of Premium funding.​

Sports Premium

The Government is providing funding of approximately £150 million per annum to provide new, substantial primary school sport funding. This funding is being jointly provided by the Department for Education, Health and Culture, Media and Sport and will be going directly to primary school head teachers to spend on improving the quality of sport and PE for all their children.
The sport funding can only be spent on sport and PE provision in schools.

This academic year, the school received £17,780 Sports Premium funding which is set aside for developing sport, exercise and health across the school.

This funding has been allocated to:

• Platinum membership of the Gateshead Schools Sports Partnership.
• Transportation to extra-curricular sports events.
• Training for staff who lead sports in school.
• Sports equipment.

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Click here to see our Sports Premium plan for 2018/19.