Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium Statement updated December 2024

Pupil Premium Letter to Parents 2023-24

Pupil premium and Free School Meals

If your child is eligible for ‘free school meals’ and you register them for this, we’ll receive extra funding called ‘pupil premium’. We use this extra money to improve the educational provision and resources at the school.

What is pupil premium funding?

Pupil premium funding from the government is given to schools to help pupils reach their full potential, regardless of their background or financial situation. It’s provided for pupils who:

• Are registered for free school meals
• Have been registered for free school meals at any point in the past 6 years
• Are, or have been, in care
• Have parents in the armed forces

At Holcombe Brook, we get extra money for every eligible pupil who is registered for free school meals. This extra money could make a real difference to the quality of education we offer.

For example, we’ve previously used pupil premium funding for:

• Educational provision/resources
• Academic interventions
• Wellbeing and self-esteem building interventions

Is my child eligible for free school meals?

 Your child might be eligible if you access:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on
• Universal Credit, provided you have an annual net earned income not exceeding £7,400 (£616.67 per month)

Universal infant free school meals

Currently, pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2 are entitled to a free school meal thanks to a different government funding scheme known as universal infant free school meals (UIFSM). You shouldn’t confuse UIFSM with free school meals and the pupil premium. If your child is in reception, year 1 or year 2 and is eligible for free school meals according to the criteria above, you should still register because we’ll receive the extra pupil premium funding.

Does my child have to eat the free school meals?

 No. Pupils who are registered for free school meals don’t have to eat them. If you’re eligible but you want your child to have packed lunches you should still register because the school will receive the funding which can support your child in other ways.

How do I apply?

To apply, please visit Bury Council Website where there is further information and a link to apply.

https://www.bury.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/school-meals/free-school-meals

If you have any questions or specific concerns, please contact the School Office.

Going forward  our strategy for Pupil Premium spend is as follows:

• To raise attainment of pupils at risk of underachieving in English and Mathematics
• To provide support for those pupils who are at risk of underachieving in English and
  Mathematics
• To ensure the emotional needs of PPG pupils are met
• To ensure high attainment of more able PPG pupils
• To ensure high attendance and punctuality of PPG pupils
• To ensure that PPG pupils have equal access to our enriched curriculum
• To provide a broad and balanced curriculum to all pupils

We  will continue to focus the spend on the areas with most impact – see below

• 1:1 support in all subjects where required
• additional SATs preparation1:1
• funded summer scheme places
• after school club funded places
• additional small group TA support
• enrichment clubs
• training updates for staff working closely with pupils entitled to pupil premium funding (reading, phonics, mastery maths)
• subsidy to trips and enrichment activities
• half term forest school scholarships
• ICT resources
• resources and training to allow PPG pupils with specific behavioural and emotional needs to self-regulate
• access all areas of learning and make a supported transition into the next class/phase or stage of education.

For more general information regarding Pupil Premium funding for schools, you can read more here on the government website.

PE and Sports Premium

At Holcombe Brook we aim to provide a rich and varied programme of sport. This includes competitive and non-competitive games which  ensure our children develop appropriate attitudes and skills.

Whilst games is taught as part of the PE National Curriculum, at Holcombe Brook Primary School we offer the children the opportunity to take part in a variety of age appropriate extra-curricular activities.These are open to children regardless of gender or ability.

Our funding for last year was £18700. The majority of this was spent buying in  the service of sports coaches to enhance the opportunities already on offer within the school day and as extra curricular activities.

These include the following:

• We subsidise twice weekly after school karate sessions.
• Swimming lessons take place for year 5 pupils and funding is offered to parents of any Y6 pupil who is still unable to swim 25 metres.
• Pupils attend Forest School sessions over the year
• A drama/movement group, run through Helen O Grady, also operates in school every week with children from across school. Many pupils continue to take up drama sessions after sessions in school.
• Using supplementary funding from the PTA we have had an area of the school field surfaced with rubber mulch to allow wider access in winter.  This area now has several outdoor gym stations added for use by all pupils on a timetabled basis. A successful lottery bid for £10,000 has seen further fitness stations and a climbing wall added to the area.
• An area at the front of the school has been fenced and  a sensory garden created in which pupils can spend lunchtimes and breaktimes.
• We have  sports coaches in school for a day a week and every child has at least one session with them every week and 2 PE sessions each week as well as regular after school clubs that are available for all ages at various times of the year.

Holcombe Brook has a strong sporting tradition and  last year won the Bury swimming gala as well as achieving third place in the Bury Athletics competition. We participated in tournaments for rounders, cricket, netball, football and gymnastics.

Please read the following reports for details of how we intend to spend our PE and Sports funding allocation for the current academic year, how we spent our previous academic year’s allocation and how it made a difference to our pupils:

Sports Premium 2024

For more general information regarding PE and Sports Premium funding for primary schools, you can read more here on the government website.