Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium is additional funding provided by the government to support schools in improving the educational outcomes of pupils who may experience barriers to learning. The funding is intended to help schools identify and address these barriers, reduce differences in attainment and progress, and ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to achieve and flourish.

Pupil Premium funding is allocated to schools for eligible pupils, including children who are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), pupils who have been eligible for FSM at any point during the previous six years (the Ever 6 FSM measure), children who have been looked after continuously for six months or more, and eligible children of service personnel.

Schools have the autonomy to determine how Pupil Premium funding is used, allowing provision to be responsive to the needs of their pupils and the context of the school. At Christ Church Ainsworth CE School, we use this funding as part of a wider strategy to identify and remove barriers to learning, strengthen teaching and learning, support attendance and engagement, and provide targeted support where this will have the greatest impact.

Our approach is rooted in the belief that every child should have the opportunity to make strong progress, develop their confidence and achieve their potential. Pupil Premium funding is therefore used strategically, based on evidence, assessment and an understanding of the needs of individual pupils and groups.

Our Principles

• High-quality teaching for every pupil
  We ensure that teaching and learning are ambitious, inclusive and responsive to the needs of all pupils, with high expectations for every child regardless of their background or circumstances.
• Identifying and removing barriers
  We seek to understand the individual barriers that may affect a pupil's learning, progress, attendance, wellbeing or engagement and put appropriate support in place to address these.
• A needs-led approach
  We recognise that pupils eligible for Pupil Premium are not a homogenous group. Their needs and circumstances will differ, and provision will therefore be carefully considered rather than applying the same intervention to every pupil.
• Supporting wider outcomes
  We recognise that educational attainment can be influenced by a range of factors. Where appropriate, Pupil Premium funding may support attendance, wellbeing, pastoral provision, enrichment, access to wider opportunities and other areas that help pupils to engage successfully with their education.
• Supporting pupils beyond the eligibility criteria
  We recognise that not every pupil experiencing disadvantage will be eligible for Pupil Premium funding. Where appropriate and within the school's wider approach to supporting disadvantaged pupils, we may use Pupil Premium funding to support pupils or groups of pupils where a clear need has been identified.
• Evidence-informed decision making
  Decisions about the use of Pupil Premium funding are informed by assessment information, pupil progress, attendance data, staff knowledge, identified barriers and evidence of what is likely to have the greatest impact.
• Targeted and proportionate support
  Funding is allocated according to identified need and school priorities. This means that not every pupil eligible for Pupil Premium will receive an individual intervention or additional provision at the same time.
• Monitoring impact
  We regularly review the impact of our Pupil Premium strategy, using appropriate evidence to evaluate whether the support provided is improving outcomes and reducing barriers to learning. Provision is adapted where necessary to ensure that funding is used effectively.

Pupil Premium Strategy 2026-2027 (due December 2026)