Pupil Premium

The Featherstone Academy is committed to investing funding from the pupil premium, and the Year 7 Catch-Up premium, to provide opportunities for all students to achieve their full potential.

The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011 to provide additional funding to support children who are looked after and those from low income families, including those eligible for Free School Meals. Interventions should have a positive, meaningful impact. It is important to be able to track the spending of the additional funding and also to be in a position to evaluate the effectiveness of measures that have been put in place regarding the improvement of outcomes. We encourage eligible parents to register their child for Free School Meals so that the maximum Pupil Premium entitlement is correctly allocated. The Pupil Premium, funding for which is additional to main school funding, is a crucial way of addressing inequalities by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the students who need it most.

From September 2012, schools are required to report on how their Pupil Premium Funding (PPF) has been deployed. Schools are also asked to track and report on the impact that PPF has had on student attainment. The PPF is allocated to each student who has FSM, or has done in the last six years, as well as children who are Looked After (LAC), adopted and Armed Services children. The data below provides the relevant information about our school roll and the use of the funding received.

Year 7 Catch-Up Premium
The Year 7 Catch-Up Premium is allocated to any Year 7 who did not attain the national benchmark of a Level 4 in Reading and/or Mathematics in their KS2 SATs.

The Service Child Premium is a strand of the Pupil Premium paid to schools in respect of students whose parents are currently serving in the armed forces.

According to the Department for Education schools have the freedom to spend the funding as they see fit based upon their knowledge of student needs – “Schools will decide how to use the Pupil Premium as they are best placed to assess what additional provision be made for individual students”.

Financial year 2016 to 2017

In the 2016 to 2017 financial year, schools will receive the following funding for each child registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years:

• £935 for pupils in year 7 to year 11
• £1900 for Looked After pupils
• £300 for pupils of Armed Forces families
• £500 for Year 7 Catch-Up Premium (pupils who not achieving a level 4)

Schools will also receive £1,900 for each pupil who has left local-authority care because of 1 of the following:

• adoption
• a special guardianship order
• a child arrangements order
• a residence order

If a pupil has been registered as eligible for free school meals and has also left local-authority care for any of the reasons above, they will attract the £1,900 rate.

No single intervention provides a complete solution to the complex educational needs of any of the school and therefore there are many strategies adopted to support our students.

The Pupil Premium and Year 7 Catch Up Premium is spent in an integrated and targeted way, to ensure that students receive the opportunity for additional support and access to learning opportunities. We chose the classroom approach and intervention strategies which research has shown works. The progress of these students is monitored throughout the year at each assessment point and the strategies are monitored for their effectiveness.

Sutton Trust research indicates that effective support comes from improving feedback (a whole school focus), reduced class size, early intervention and extending the breadth of the curriculum.

Parents will know the progress that their child is making through regular reports and Parents’ Evenings. The needs analysis for the Pupil Premium is an ongoing process throughout a student’s education at The Featherstone Academy:

• Transition into the school
• Following the publication of school report data
• During Pastoral Education Plan meetings for ‘Children Looked After’
• As part of a review of any other plan or provision.

Furthermore, circumstances for individual students may change, meaning that a needs analysis results in some students becoming eligible for additional support.

What We Believe In

At the Featherstone Academy, we believe in narrowing the educational attainment gap.

• We believe that it is a priority to unlock the potential of those students entitled to the Pupil Premium and Free School Meals and so narrow any gap between those entitled to this support, and their peers.
• We use performance data to identify gaps. Therefore we seek to identify students at risk of underperforming and challenge those whose progress needs to accelerate.
• We aim to intervene effectively, track progress and change approach where necessary.
• We aim to listen to students and engage them in dialogue regarding their attitudes to learning.
• We aim to develop effective ways of engaging both students and their parents/carers.
• Crucially we do not accept excuses and seek to evaluate, celebrate and share success.
• We communicate the vision of narrowing the gap and provide the drive and commitment necessary to motivate.
• We should maintain a consistent focus on the key underachieving group of PP/FSM students.
• We have a robust tracking system that provides regular, accurate feedback on the progress of students that helps to shape provision
• We advocate the development of a Growth Mindset, rewarding hard work and resilience. We strongly believe that any student can succeed.

Summary of Funding 2015-2016

Total number of Students on Roll: 329

• Students eligible for Pupil Premium: 171
• Funding from the Pupil Premium: £160,952.950
• Students eligible for the Year 7 Catch-Up Premium :10
• Funding from the Catch-Up Premium £ 5000

Total amount of Funding for Pupil Premium and the Year 7 Catch Up Premium:

2015-2016: £165,952.950

At the Featherstone Academy, we have implemented a range of strategies which support the students who qualify for pupil premium. No single intervention provides a complete solution to the complex educational needs of any school, and therefore our strategies are as individual as our student are.  Our overarching aim is to close the gap in achievement between those students who are eligible for FSM, LAC and Services Children and those who are not.

• Provision of daily contact with form tutors who build relationships with members of their form
• A specialist SEN department who provide support for students with particular educational needs
• A dedicated member of the pastoral team who supports and nurtures; including vulnerable students
• A Pastoral Manager who supports our most challenging students
• 1:1 support and intervention for all students who require it
• Small group intervention and support for all students who require it
• A curriculum under constant review which is designed to offer maximum flexibility to meet the needs of individuals
• A broad and varied enrichment programme that offers outside of the classroom opportunities
• Constant staff development and training to ensure that all staff in school are able to provide for each student
• Specialist EAL intervention for students for whom English is not their first language
• Leadership from a designated member of the senior team

Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Students

A member of the Senior Leadership Team, Mrs K Little, is responsible for the analysis of data to identify target groups of underperforming, disadvantaged, vulnerable students, Looked After Children and minority ethnic groups.

This analysis is then discussed with the Senior and Extended Leadership Team, and drilled down to groups and individual students in order to facilitate and target action for improvement with a focus on narrowing the gap.  

Action Taken in 2015/2016

1. Analysis data is required of all staff showing which groups have underachieved or relatively underachieved, focussing on current progress against targets, for all classes.
2. Evaluation of results of analysis, thereby identifying and discussing potential causes and effects with Subject and Pastoral Leaders.
3. Visibility increased and focus sharpened so that specific progress groups have been identified and individuals identified and published. This has ensured that every teacher is aware which students are eligible for FSM and especially those who need to accelerate their progress.
4. A report on the use and impact of Pupil Premium funding produced by the Senior Leadership Team for the Trust Executive Board. Governors have been informed of the data analysis linked to the School Self-Evaluation Form (Updated September 2015) and the School Improvement Plan (September 2015).
5. Whole staff training on differentiation including the identification of disadvantaged groups. Training on using data to identify and intervene where students are not making expected progress. The development of class data sheets which allow staff to be proactive in the progress and outcomes for all students.

What was the impact of pupil premium expenditure in 2016?

Pupil Premium at the Featherstone Academy: Examination Results

External Results show a marked improvement in the outcomes for Pupil Premium students since the school became the Featherstone Academy. The tables below outline some of the success of pupil premium students in the 2016 exam series:

The levels of progress that students have made in both English and Maths has increased significantly.

From the charts – it is clear that both English and Maths are out-performing national by a significant margin. 2016 has seen a significant improvement in the % of pupil premium students achieving expected progress.  In English there has been a 12% increase from last year meaning that 94% of pupil premium students made expected progress in English. Whilst in Maths there was a staggering 22%, meaning that 66% of pupil premium students made expected progress. This shows that these interventions has had a more significant impact on PP students, although they are still behind their counterparts, they are catching up.

Attainment and Progress of Pupil Premium Students 

It is clear that in every single measure, the 2016 results have improved the outcomes for all students at Featherstone Academy. It is also apparent that in every single measure pupil premium students have improved in performance from 2015.  The difference between pupil premium and non-pupil premium students has diminished in the key headline measure (5A*-C incl Eng/MA). The difference has narrowed from almost 25% to just under 20%, this is below the national average. However, a widening difference in some measure indicates that there is still some work to be done to secure parity in outcomes for Pupil Premium students.  

2016-2017 Pupil Premium Priorities

Pupil Premium Funding Expenditure at the Featherstone Academy

Total number of Students on Roll: 328

• Students eligible for Pupil Premium: 143
• Funding from the Pupil Premium: £142,120.00
• Students eligible for the Year 7 Catch-Up Premium: 17
• Funding from the Catch-Up Premium (2016-2017): £8500

Total amount of Funding for Pupil Premium and the Year 7 Catch Up Premium:

2015-2016: 150,620.00

  Pupil Premium Breakdown by Year Groups & Gender– 2016-2017

 Frequently Asked Questions

 Who is eligible for the Pupil Premium?

Pupil Premium students fall into three groups:

• Students who have been on Free School Meals at any time during the last six years (Ever 6).
• Children in Care or looked after who have been so for at least six months as of 1 April the previous year.
• Service children.

How many Pupil Premium students?

Currently we have 44% of our 11-16 year old students eligible.

How do we spend the allocated funding?

According to the DfE we have the freedom to spend the funding as we see fit based upon their knowledge of student needs. We spend the funding on strategies to support student achievement including mentoring programmes, IT resources and educational visits.

How are we accountable?

We publish our income and performance data on our website and report impact. We monitor the performance of eligible students to ensure that gaps in achievement are closed.

How do staff know who is in the Pupil Premium cohort?

Students eligible are identified on SIMS and staff are provided with an updated list of students at the start of the year.  

Attendance figures; Including PP Students – 2016