Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium is additional funding given to schools so that they can support their disadvantaged pupils. It 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’). It is for schools to decide how to use the funding, as they are best placed to assess what additional provision will best impact on the learning and achievement of their pupils.

The government believes providing additional funding is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most. Testwood School, in line with national policy, aims to close the gap between the progress of disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students.

The amount of Pupil Premium allocated to Testwood School during the academy financial year 2023-24 is £241,025.00, based upon students eligible for this support under this framework.

Testwood School Pupil Premium Strategy

Our Pupil Premium Strategy is focused on improving academic outcomes for disadvantaged students. Therefore the main focus of our Pupil Premium Expenditure is to support and further improve the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils, primarily in the core subjects of English & Maths. This will take the form of additional small group teaching or through targeted support with individual students.
The Pupil Premium funding is spent in the following areas to support our disadvantaged students:

  • Leadership and management
  • Numeracy and literacy support and intervention
  • Pastoral support, especially through our Attendance Officer, Pastoral Support Worker, LSA team and our ELSA
  • Teaching and learning
  • Curriculum and enrichment to support teaching and learning within the curriculum

Main Barriers to Progress and Attainment for Disadvantaged Students

  • In some cases disadvantaged students may have low expectations of their ability to perform well in their educational setting based on poor experiences leading to underachievement. Internal measurements through progress checks show that some students, especially boys, have low independent learning at Testwood School. The school should strive to achieve high expectations for all, especially disadvantaged students and ensure they can rapidly catch up
  • There are some cases at Testwood School where some students do not have sufficient access to educational resources at home to support their learning. Testwood School must ensure disadvantaged students are fully equipped for learning both in and outside of the classroom
  • Persistent low attendance of some disadvantaged students. Historically, attendance figures confirm disadvantaged students do not attend school as regularly as their non-disadvantaged peers. The school will work relentlessly to work with students and their parents/carers to improve their attendance

Accountability

The government believes that headteachers and school leaders should decide how to use the pupil premium. They are held accountable for the decisions they make through:

  • The performance tables
  • Ofsted – who will focus on the attainment of pupil groups, and in particular those who attract the pupil premium
  • Internally, the school is tracking the academic progress of every student in receipt of the Pupil Premium. Any student identified to not making at least expected progress, strategies are put in place and monitored by key members of staff
  • The reports for parents that schools have to publish online
  • The Pupil Premium strategy for the school is overseen by an allocated member of the senior leadership team who is held to account by the headteacher and the school trustees

Pupil Premium Policy

Pupil Premium Strategy Statement

Previous Years Statements

2022-2023

2021-2022

2020-2021

2019-2020

2018-2019

2017-2018