In common with other schools, we believe that it is still too early to assess fully the impact that the Pupil Premium is having on raising achievement and/or improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. As a school, we track the performance of all pupils very carefully and will continue to use indicators such as eligibility for Pupil Premium (in the same way that we do for SEN, ethnicity, EAL etc) to identify the performance of groups of pupils against their peer groups and to address the agenda of Narrowing the Gaps. The longer that tracking continues for pupils, the more secure the judgement that can be made with regard to progress. Short time scales and small numbers of pupils produce data that are prone to misrepresentation.
In common with other schools, we also recognise that is it is difficult to disaggregate the impact of Pupil Premium work from the other things that we do to support vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils both now and in the years prior to Pupil Premium funding.
In judging the impact of the Pupil Premium it should be understood that the school has over many years had a focus on inclusion and support of all pupils where staffing levels both within the classroom and through support staffing (and the cost to the school in providing this) have reflected this practice. What is therefore effectively a different funding mechanism for disadvantaged students cannot be expected to be transparent in proving a meaningful impact.
The school monitors with close scrutiny the academic attainment and progress of all pupils but particularly those pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium interventions.