Pupil Premium Champion - Mrs Bell

Pupil Premium Statement of Intent 

Our definitive intention at St. James’ Catholic Primary School is that no child, irrespective of background or daily challenges is left behind. We aim to ensure progress is made, first and foremost, through first quality teaching in all curriculum areas - ultimately closing the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. Staff will focus specifically on the areas in which these pupils need the most support as ultimately this will have the greatest impact. Furthermore, disadvantaged children who are already high attainders will also be explicitly targeted in order to ensure accelerated progress and instil a motivated mind-set therefore raising lifelong aspirations. In addition to high quality teaching, our approach includes rigorous assessment and tracking procedures, targeted personalised support and a robust monitoring process. Staff work closely as a team with a shared vision where all children are at the heart.

We will continue to develop the extensive personal development of disadvantaged children by ensuring that all have access to a wide range of rich opportunities which develop their cultural capital, talents, skills, interests and character thus leaving no gap between them and their peers. High quality pastoral support and robust safeguarding procedures guarantee that the mental health and well-being needs of all children are met and take into account the impact daily challenges may have. Relationships between our pastoral support lead and our disadvantaged families are nurtured so that they are able to approach school and gain support for their children without any feeling of judgement. These strong relationships ensure our disadvantaged children are supported as individuals as and when needed.

Our strategy is integral to wider school plans including: the school improvement plan, staff appraisals, curriculum action plans, planned CPD and the SEND offer. Our approach is not rigid but is responsive to individual needs and is based on robust diagnostic assessments rather than assumptions. To guarantee that our intent is implemented and has the desired impact we will:

• Ensure disadvantaged children are suitably challenged as well as supported.
• Ensure early intervention is planned as needs are identified.
• Ensure that staff know that the attainment, progress and personal development of our disadvantaged children is a shared responsibility and that no limit should be set on what they can achieve.
• Use metacognition and self-regulation teaching approaches which allow disadvantaged learners to retain knowledge and take control of their own learning.
• Offer children who have been most effected by school closures (particularly those who had low prior attainment) targeted support through the National Tutoring programme; including non-disadvantaged pupils.  
• Continue to place CPD as high priority for all staff with pupils needs always paramount

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