Pupil Premium

Our Approach

At Flitcham Primary Academy and Sandringham and West Newton CE Primary Academy, we are committed to ensuring that all children — including those eligible for the Pupil Premium Grant (PPG) — can thrive academically, socially and emotionally. In line with our Christian values and Federation vision, we work in partnership with families, staff and governors to remove barriers to learning and provide the highest quality education for every child.

We recognise that high‑quality teaching is the most effective way to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Our curriculum is designed to be challenging, enjoyable and knowledge‑rich, enabling all children to develop strong foundations for future learning.

Our Pupil Premium strategy is evidence‑informed and shaped by national guidance, including the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). We do not allocate funding on a per‑pupil basis; instead, we identify the needs of our disadvantaged pupils and invest in approaches that have the greatest impact across the Federation.

Our Priorities

We use the Pupil Premium Grant to:

• Ensure all pupils have access to high‑quality teaching and learning.
• Close attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.
• Provide targeted academic support for pupils who need additional help.
• Address non‑academic barriers such as attendance, wellbeing, behaviour, rural isolation and adverse childhood experiences.
• Ensure funding reaches the pupils who need it most.

Barriers to Learning

We recognise that barriers vary for each child. These may include:

• Academic barriers such as low literacy, numeracy, oracy, language and communication needs, or lack of school readiness.
• Non‑academic barriers such as attendance difficulties, social and emotional needs, limited access to enrichment, rural isolation, or experiences of trauma and adversity.

Our strategy is designed to respond flexibly and compassionately to these needs.

Our Tiered Model

We follow the DfE‑recommended tiered approach, ensuring a balanced use of funding:

Tier 1: High‑Quality Teaching

• Strong curriculum and assessment practice.
• Evidence‑informed professional development for staff.
• Teaching approaches that help pupils embed and apply knowledge confidently.

Tier 2: Targeted Academic Support

• Structured interventions in reading, writing and maths.
• Small‑group tuition and one‑to‑one support.
• Additional teaching and learning opportunities delivered by skilled staff.

Tier 3: Wider Strategies

• Support for readiness to learn, including breakfast/early drop‑off provision.
• Pastoral and nurture support, including mental health provision and leadership support.
• Programmes that build confidence, resilience and social skills.

Implementation and Review

Our Pupil Premium strategy follows the EEF’s implementation guidance. We:

• Identify priorities using evidence and school context.
• Develop clear, feasible plans.
• Support staff through training and ongoing review.
• Use data and professional insight to monitor impact.
• Sustain successful approaches and adapt where needed.

The progress of disadvantaged pupils is reviewed regularly by class teachers, the SENDCo, and the Executive Headteacher, ensuring timely support and strong oversight. The Deputy Headteacher and Executive Headteacher maintain responsibility for ensuring an effective Pupil Premium strategy is always in place.

As the EEF states:

“What really matters is how an idea manifests itself in the day‑to‑day work of people in schools.”

Accountability

Ofsted evaluates the attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils as part of its inspection process. Schools are accountable for how Pupil Premium funding is used to improve outcomes, but inspectors do not require evidence of impact for individual pupils or specific interventions.

The school publishes its strategy for using the pupil premium here :-