Pupil Premium

At Willow Bank Primary we have high aspirations and ambitions for all our children, and we believe that no child should be left behind. We are committed to ensuring that our children have equal opportunities to achieve their full potential. To ensure this happens, schools in England are provided additional funding through a Pupil Premium Grant (PPG).   

The Pupil Premium Grant (PPG) is additional funding given to state-funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and reduce the difference in achievement between them and other pupils.

The grant may be spent:

  • For the educational benefit of pupils registered at the school or at other maintained schools or academies;
  • On community facilities, such as services whose provision furthers any charitable purpose for the benefit of pupils at the school or their families, or people who live or work in the school's locality.
  • Pupils in Reception or Years 1 to 11 recorded as ‘ever 6 free school meals (FSM)’ (meaning they have been registered as eligible for FSM at any point in the last 6 years);
  • Looked after children (LAC) and post-LAC;
  • Children from Services families.

A pupil is eligible for FSM if their parents receive certain benefits, such as income support, or if the child receives these benefits in their own right.

Our school is committed to increasing the rate of progress and overall achievement for children based on assessment of children’s needs, drawing on evidence of effective practice.  Pupil Premium is not a personal budget for individual children and we are not required to spend all of the allocated grant on eligible children.   As a school we note evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation that suggests spending is most effective when targeted through three key areas of focus:

  1. Quality First Teaching & Learning – all children are entitled to this provision and is delivered through our broad, balanced and bespoke curriculums
  2. Targeted academic support – strategies include one to one and small group learning
  3. Wider strategies – a focus on social and emotional development, attendance, behaviour and family engagement strategies.

The government announced £1 billion of funding to support children and young people to catch up lost time after school closure. This is especially important for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds

To support schools to make the best use of this funding, the Education Endowment Foundation has published a support guide for schools with evidence-based approaches to catch up for all students. 

Please click here for our current Pupil Premium Strategy Statement - 

WBP PPG Statement 23 24

PPG Statement 24 25 WBP