Pupil Premium

CONGRATULATIONS to our PP class of 2017.  80% of students achieved levels 9-4 in English and 70% achieved levels 9-4 in Mathematics.

The Pupil Premium (PP) is additional funding given to schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the achievement gap between them and their peers. The funding is available to the following groups of students:

  • Students who are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM).
  • Students that have been eligible for FSM in the last six years (FSM Ever 6).
  • Students who are under special guardianship.
  • Students from a forces background.

The funding for each of these groups of students must be used to support the students or take away financial barriers that could be hindering their progress within school. The government expects the school to track each of the student’s progress and how the funding is being spent.

At Bishop Challoner this is done via regular Pastoral Council meetings, specified Senior Leadership meetings and through regular data collections covering both academic achievements and attitudes to learning.  This tracking can then inform effective interventions.  Interventions come in a variety of forms but must be specific to the needs of the pupil/group of pupils and not simply generic strategies.  Examples of such strategies at Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School include: the creation of extra English and Maths classes to give smaller class sizes for those pupils in need of closer monitoring / intervention and / or show a poor attitude to learning; 1-2-1 tuition sessions, using Year 11 Student Leaders to help motivate pupils and a staff mentoring scheme where specific pupils are allocated to a key member of staff who oversees their progress both academically and in terms of their attitude to learning.  We also know that for pupils to succeed attendance is critical.  Improving and maintaining attendance has been a fundamental part of improving standards at Bishop Challoner.  During an OFSTED inspection it was observed that ‘…the school offers a good range of care, guidance and support for students. Students with acute and complex needs, and those identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities, are particularly well supported.’ This comment captures the dual philosophies adopted at Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School of The Challoner Way and Walk with Me.

The Pupil Premium funding is spent in a variety of ways with the direct and explicit aim of eradicating the gap between the highest and lowest achievers.  This included investment in both academic and pastoral initiatives.  A breakdown of the projected expenditure for the year 2017/2018 is shown below.

Strategies for eradicating the gap – a brief overview

Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School is a multi-cultural, VA school with approximately 10% of pupils being eligible for Pupil Premium funding.

No single intervention provides a complete solution to the complex educational issues in any school and it is therefore a multi-faceted approach that we feel offers the best opportunity for pupils to succeed.  The key to eradicating the gap between the highest and lowest achieving students is via the careful monitoring and tracking of pupil attainment and progress and careful reference to the Sutton Trust Toolkit.

Pupil Premium Funding and Spending

The Pupil Premium funding is spent in a variety of ways with the direct and explicit aim of eradicating the gap between the highest and lowest achievers.  This included investment in both academic and pastoral initiatives.  A breakdown of the projected expenditure for the year, along with outcomes for previous years, are shown as attachments below.

Pupil Premium Funding 2018 – 2019

Pupil Premium Funding 2017 – 2018

Scroll to Top