Pupil Premium

Our intention is that all pupils, regardless of background or circumstance, achieve highly and make strong progress across the curriculum. We are committed to ensuring that disadvantaged pupils, including those who are already high attainers, are supported to overcome barriers to learning and achieve ambitious outcomes.

We recognise that disadvantage is not defined solely by eligibility for free school meals. In our context, a significant proportion of families experience social and economic disadvantage. We serve a highly deprived community with socioeconomic indicators revealing that 22.9% of pupils fall within the lowest decile of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), and with 90.9% residing within the 0-30% most deprived national bandings. Notably, 82.1% of pupils live in the 20% most deprived areas nationally, positioning the school as the 9th most deprived out of 181 schools in the region. Therefore, our approach reflects the needs of the wider disadvantaged cohort within the school community.

We focus our Pupil Premium spending on delivering high-quality teaching in language rich environments, effective and targeted interventions, enhancing the cultural capital of our disadvantaged children and supporting children to develop their independence and resilience and promoting positive mental health.

Impact of Pupil Premium Funding 2025-26

Good Level of Development

By the end of Reception, 62.9% of pupils achieve a Good Level of Development, marking a clear improvement and a significant narrowing of the gap to national outcomes, which has reduced from 24% in 2018-19 to just over 10% currently. This improvement has been sustained over the past three years, indicating that leaders’ actions are having a lasting and positive impact.

While outcomes remain below national averages, three-year contextual data indicates performance slightly above predicted levels (+0.6 percentage points). This demonstrates that the school is achieving stronger outcomes than would be expected, given the context and starting points of its children.

Phonics Years 1 and 2

As pupils move through the school, the ambitious curriculum continues to support accelerated catch-up, particularly in reading and maths. Outcomes in the phonics screening check are strong, with 80% of pupils meeting the expected standard, compared with the national average of 81%. Notably, 82% of pupils eligible for Pupil Premium passed the check, in line with national outcomes, with the 3-year average above national. Disadvantaged pupils achieve 70% achieving better than their national peers. 55% of pupils with SEND passed the screening. In Year 1, 80% of pupils passed the screening, in line with national outcomes. The three-year average indicates a higher than national averages outcome. This demonstrates that the school’s approach is helping disadvantaged pupils to catch up quickly and achieve highly.

Key Stage 2 Data 2025-26 

At Key Stage 2, 81% of disadvantaged pupils achieve the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Mathematics, compared with 47% nationally for disadvantaged pupils. Pupils with low prior attainment also outperform national benchmarks, reflecting the strength of the school’s inclusive practice and its commitment to enabling pupils with additional needs to thrive. Three-year average outcomes further demonstrate that the school’s pupils are at least in line with, and often above, national figures for non-disadvantaged pupils.

Targeted interventions and well-planned support are used effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils secure the knowledge and skills required to progress confidently, in all subjects and in particular with Mathematics and EGPS.

Leaders use Pupil Premium funding strategically to prepare eligible pupils well for the next stage of their education. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils achieve highly and are well placed for future success.

What is the Pupil Premium?

The pupil premium is a government initiative aimed at providing additional funding to schools in order for them to close the gap between children from disadvantaged families to their peers. It is the school’s decision as to how the Pupil Premium is spent, as schools are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their own school. However, schools will be held accountable for how they have used the additional funding to support pupils eligible for the Pupil Premium. Any child who is eligible or has been eligible for free school meals (FSM) over the last six years is seen as a child with disadvantage. Any child who has been looked after for one day or more (LAC) is also eligible for this funding. A provision is also made for children who have a parent in the armed services.

Why is this funding needed?

This additional funding is provided by the Government, because research suggests that children from low income families perform less well at school than their peers. The Government recognise that often, children who are entitled to Pupil Premium face challenges, such as: poor language and communication skills, less family support, lack of confidence and issues with attendance and punctuality. The pupil premium is intended to directly benefit the children who are eligible, helping to narrow the gap between them and their peers.

How much additional funding is provided?

The funding allocated is £1320 per child of Primary School age, and £1900 for Looked After Children.

A useful guide for parents, which explains about the 'Pupil Premium' in more detail can be found by clicking here

What do we do at Mount Pleasant Primary School?

The attached files shares our challenges, approach and aims further with how we intend to spend the allocated funding. Impact from the previous year is also shared.

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