Pupil Premium Pledge

Our Pupil Premium Pledge

At Excel Learning Trust, we are committed to ensuring all of our students, regardless of the barriers they face, are able to thrive, both academically and socially, in order to reach their full potential and achieve success in adult life.

One in four children in the UK grows up in poverty and for these children, the impact on their chances of education and life success is profound. We receive additional funding, called the Pupil Premium, which allows us to narrow the gap in attainment for our disadvantaged pupils. Maslow’s hierachy tells us that anything that caters to children’s physical or mental wellbeing, or their sense of belonging and self-worth, will ultimately impact on their ability to learn and (through their improved engagement and behaviour) that of their peers.

The EEF is clear that ‘good teaching is the most important lever schools have to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.’ Alongside this however, our schools offer wide-ranging strategies in order to support our most disadvantaged pupils.

Pupil Premium Strategies (identified by EEF)

• Detailed and frequent assessment and monitoring
• Collaborative learning opportunities
• Learning ‘hooks’
• Link governors
• Quality careers education
• Mastery approaches to learning
• Meta-cognitive approaches
• Peer tutoring
• Attendance support
• Support to attend trips and residentials
• Visitors into schools
• Forest school
• Sports premium
• IT software eg TT Rockstars
• Site improvements
• Resources sent home
• School:school support
• Targeted intervention
• Every pupil a reader
• Personal Development at the heart of the school
• Wellbeing approaches eg Boxall; mental health leader
• Wrap around care and access to free breakfast
• Pastoral care is a priority
• Staff CPD
• Performance management
• Reading comprehension
• Use of technology eg chromebooks
• Speech and language focus in EYFS/KS1

Our Pupil Premium Offer

As a minimum, all pupils at schools in Excel Learning Trust, who are in receipt of Pupil Premium funding, can expect financial support towards the following:

• School uniform (including PE kit)
• Extra-curricular clubs
• Curriculum-linked school trips (including negotiated costs for residential visits)
• Free school meals
• Revision guides and other essential school equipment
• Cooking ingredients (food technology)

Pupil Premium Reports

Each of our schools have their own Pupil Premium Report that details how their funding is being spent:

• Knavesmire Primary
• Scarcroft Primary
• Woodthorpe Primary
• Carr Junior School
• Millthorpe School
• York High School
• Inspire Academy