How to make the most of your pupil premium funding: A GCSEPod review

Understanding Pupil Premium Funding

What is Pupil Premium Funding and How Does it Work?

Pupil Premium funding is a form of government funding that aims to provide additional support to pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. The funding is provided to schools in England and is based on the number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals or have been in the past six years. It is also provided for pupils who have been in care for more than six months or are adopted from care.

The purpose of the Pupil Premium funding is to help these pupils achieve their full potential and to close the gap between them and their peers. The funding can be used to provide a wide range of support, including extra teaching staff, one-to-one tuition, after-school clubs, and resources such as laptops and books.

Schools have the flexibility to decide how to spend the funding, but they are required to publish a statement detailing their plans and the impact they expect to achieve. The statement should also be updated annually to reflect progress made.

In addition, schools are held accountable for the use of the Pupil Premium funding. They are required to report on the impact of their spending and the progress made by pupils who are eligible for the funding. This is to ensure that the funding is being used effectively and that pupils are benefiting from it.

Overall, the aim of the Pupil Premium funding is to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their background, have an equal opportunity to succeed and achieve their full potential.

For more information visit the DfE Guideline

Who is Eligible for Pupil Premium Funding?

In England, the following groups of pupils are eligible for Pupil Premium funding:

1. Pupils who are currently eligible for free school meals or have been in the past 6 years. This includes pupils in reception to Year 11 who receive, or whose parents receive, certain types of benefits such as Income Support or Universal Credit.
2. Pupils who have been in care for 1 day or more, including those who have been adopted or are under a Special Guardianship Order, Child Arrangements Order or a Residence Order.
3. Pupils who have a parent in the Armed Forces, or have had a parent in the Armed Forces in the last 5 years.

It is important to note that eligibility for Pupil Premium funding is not based on academic ability or achievement, but rather on the pupil's background and circumstances. Schools receive the funding for eligible pupils regardless of their academic performance.

It is also worth noting that eligibility for free school meals is not automatic and parents/guardians need to apply through their local authority or school.

What are the Benefits of Pupil Premium Funding?           

The Pupil Premium funding has several potential benefits for disadvantaged pupils and schools, including:

1. Improved academic outcomes: The additional support and resources provided through Pupil Premium funding can help disadvantaged pupils to achieve better academic outcomes and close the gap between them and their peers. This can lead to improved exam results, higher levels of achievement, and better opportunities for further education or employment.
2. Increased attendance and engagement: Pupil Premium funding can be used to provide extra support and resources to encourage disadvantaged pupils to attend school regularly and engage fully in their learning. This can include providing extra-curricular activities, one-to-one support, and mentoring programs, which can improve motivation and self-confidence.
3. Better mental health and wellbeing: Pupil Premium funding can be used to provide support for disadvantaged pupils' mental health and wellbeing, which can have a positive impact on their academic outcomes. This can include access to counseling, therapy, and mindfulness programs.
4. Increased parental involvement: Pupil Premium funding can be used to support parental involvement in their child's education, which can have a positive impact on academic outcomes. This can include providing workshops, resources, and information to parents to help them support their child's learning at home.
5. Improved school performance: Pupil Premium funding can help to improve overall school performance by providing additional resources and support to disadvantaged pupils, which can lead to improved exam results and higher levels of achievement across the school.

Pupil Premium funding can provide vital support for disadvantaged pupils and help to ensure that they have an equal opportunity to succeed. By addressing the barriers to learning faced by disadvantaged pupils, Pupil Premium funding can help to close the gap in academic achievement and improve the life chances of these pupils.

How GCSEPod helps Maximizing Pupil Premium Funding

GCSEPod is an online learning platform that provides high-quality educational resources to help students prepare for their GCSE exams. The platform offers a range of resources, including videos, podcasts, and quizzes, which can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

One way in which GCSEPod can help maximise Pupil Premium funding is by providing access to high-quality educational resources for disadvantaged pupils. Schools can use Pupil Premium funding to purchase access to the platform for eligible pupils, which can help to close the gap between them and their peers. The platform can provide additional support for these pupils, including targeted revision and exam preparation, which can improve their chances of academic success.

GCSEPod also offers a range of features that can help schools track the progress of eligible pupils and monitor the impact of their Pupil Premium spending. For example, schools can use the platform to set assignments and track completion rates, which can help to identify areas where additional support may be needed. They can also use the platform's analytics tools to monitor pupil engagement and progress, which can help to ensure that Pupil Premium funding is being used effectively.

Overall, GCSEPod can be a valuable tool for schools looking to maximise the impact of their Pupil Premium funding. By providing access to high-quality educational resources and tools for monitoring progress, the platform can help to improve the academic outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and ensure that they have an equal opportunity to succeed.

How to Use Pupil Premium Funding Effectively

At the Ashby School in Leicestershire, GCSEPod is being used to engage successfully with Pupil Premium students as the centuries old education establishment looks to ensure all its learners can achieve outstanding results.

Having spent a couple of months researching the barriers faced by the Leicestershire-based school’s 200 Year 10 and 11 Pupil Premium students – especially the boys – they found their ideal e-learning platform: GCSEPod.

The edtech teaching and learning tool is dedicated to improving the working lives of teachers and making GCSE learning stick..

One of its many unique selling points is its short three to five-minute audio-visual learning aids, known as Pods, written by skilled specialists and covering more than 30 GCSE and IGCSE subjects, that can be easily downloaded and watched on any mobile device, whether it be a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

For Donna, who is on a two year secondment as a member of Ashby School’s Extended Leadership Team, GCSEPod ticked a host of boxes.

“One of the main issues we have with our Pupil Premium students is engagement, and I was very keen to get something that would help with this, especially for the boys who don’t achieve as well academically as the girls. GCSEPod is proven to help in this area,” Donna explains.

“I also wanted something that would help our low-attenders stay up-to-date, which given the way the platform is set-up and how the material is presented, I really felt GCSEPod could make a difference with.

“GCSEPod also struck me as a great way to encourage parental engagement. I know the majority of parents of our Pupil Premium students want to support their children, but sadly for many of them school wasn’t a good place.

“But GCSEPod exploits something students and their parents are already enjoy doing – watching videos on their phone or tablet.

“Moreover, it’s a great way of ensuring students are getting the right information, and it has the added bonus that we can keep tabs on who is and isn’t engaging with it and intervene if needed.

“Finally, I needed something that was modern to appeal to today’s students, wasn’t clunky, that they could quickly grasp, and could be easily used in school and remotely – something that has become essential since we were forced to close in March because of the coronavirus lockdown.”

Due to its unique set-up, Ashby School faces a number of singular challenges when it comes to its Pupil Premium students, as Donna explains. “As students start at the school in Year 10, a particular challenge is that poor attendance has become habitual for some. Some students are low-attenders or persistent absentees from the outset.”

Added to that, for some, is low student engagement, aspirations, and parental support, coupled with economic difficulties with regards to paying for uniform, trips and equipment.

Donna is lucky that she has control of the Pupil Premium budget, which has been used to not only fund the introduction of GCSEPod, but attendance initiatives, visualisers in classrooms, PP-focused parents’ evenings, counselling, trips, a school PP coordinator and small group tuition.  The fact the GCSEPod benefits the whole school is the icing on the cake.

Donna continues: “Prior to lockdown things were looking very positive, and the general feeling was that a number of parents who had perhaps become disenchanted were getting back on board and that students were feeling motivated and believing they could achieve.

“Sadly, our Year 11 Pupil Premium students never got the chance to make that final push as the GCSE exams were cancelled, and the lockdown came before all the mock exam results could be processed.

“But we were definitely seeing improvements amongst our Year 11 students.

“Our Year 10 students have really gone for it with GCSEPod, though. We have a timetable running whilst they are off school and they are actively using GCSEPod. Usage has been increasing and peaked in April, probably due to the lockdown.

“We have seen some outstanding results. Our top performing Pupil Premium student has accessed 988 Pods, and our second highest user 492. Our 20 highest users, ranging from 59 to 988 streams and downloads, have been using GCSEPod very efficiently during this period.”

The gender comparison has been especially heartening. On average male students have viewed 45.44% more Pods than their female counterparts – music to Donna’s ears with boys traditionally underperforming girls.

The average number of Pods viewed per female has been 26.5, but for the males it has been 86.96.

Donna is in no doubt as to why GCSEPod is proving such a big hit. “It’s very accessible. A lot of the students using it are those that wouldn’t want to be seen walking around school with a revision guide or text book, but they are happy to access information on their phone. People won’t know what they are reading or listening to and it takes away the embarrassment factor.

“A really positive thing about GCSEPod is that it can so easily be viewed on a smartphone, so those students who don’t have access to a laptop or tablet can still use it.”

Previously, Donna says money had been spent on providing every Pupil Premium student with revision guides. “They were being sent home with these guides and, for many, they were just sitting in a pile in their bedroom.

“With GCSEPod we can see who is using it, which subjects are getting the most streams, and we can easily intervene and give the students a nudge if they aren’t tapping into it.

“One of the things I really love is the Check and Challenge which evaluates students’ knowledge and understanding, and the fact there are so many ready-made assignments that teachers can set.

“For me, GCSEPod gives our Pupil Premium students that extra push they wouldn’t be getting.”

Examples of Successful Pupil Premium Projects

A pupil premium student at St Paul’s Catholic School in Leicester is looking to her summer GCSE examinations with optimism thanks to GCSEPod. The school, a Catholic comprehensive school for students aged 11-18, located in the suburbs of Leicester city centre, subscribed to GCSEPod to support pupil premium students. They rolled out the resource immediately to their Year 11 students to provide additional support for their pending mock examinations.

While usage across the board at St Pauls has been amongst some of the highest in the country, it is the usage of one of the school’s Year 11 PPG students that has particularly grabbed the attention of the school’s GCSEPod lead and Assistant Head Nora Ward.

Nora tells us: “In my role I work closely with all our Pupil Premium students. One young girl was particularly high on my radar as we just knew she wasn’t fulfilling her full potential. With a difficult home life, her poor attendance was falling well below an acceptable level. She completed her Year 10 mocks and despite being capable of grades 5 and 6s, she achieved only 1’s and 2’s. We knew we needed to provide additional support to get her grades back on track, both for her benefit and the overall school P8 measure. Whilst we recognised the barriers to fulfilling her potential we needed to find a different way to engage with her. “I was confident that GCSEPod might just be the answer for her. “I was confident that GCSEPod might just be the answer for her. She could use it outside of school quickly and easily on her phone as the resource is very intuitive and very much like some of the popular content sharing sites she was already familiar with. After installing it on her phone, I set her a few personal challenges to see if this would encourage her to familiarise herself with it and perhaps whet her appetite for more.

“To our amazement she quite quickly became one of the top users in school, winning the GCSEPod pin, which she wore with pride, and earning privileges such as a fast track in the lunchtime queue. Within just a few weeks after she started to use GCSEPod, she sat her Year 11 mock exams. As I sat and marked her English mock paper, I could not believe what I was reading, it was quite literally the best thing I had ever seen her write. From a hugely disappointing grade 1 less than 6 months earlier, she scored a comfortable grade 6.” Not only has her English Language improved, this young student is now on track with all her subjects and strongly believes her usage of GCSEPod has made the difference. She said she just listened to the podcasts on her phone as often as she could and went in to exams and wrote down everything that she remembered.

Nora added: “GCSEPod has provided her with a structure for learning outside of the school environment which she has never had before. This has helped to instil a confidence and belief in her that she can do it. In her mock exams she was able to recall the information that she had learnt through the podcasts and apply her knowledge to answer the questions thoroughly. “In terms of supporting our pupil premium students across the board, we are easily able to evidence impact, and I can honestly say GCSEPod really is the best money we’ve ever spent.”

Tips for Maximizing Pupil Premium Funding

Selby High School caters for 11 to 16 year olds across a wide spectrum of backgrounds. Amanda initially subscribed to GCSEPod at the end of 2017, in a bid to engage the school’s Year 11 pupil premium students. For many this is the most important time within the British education system, culminating as it does in the summer exams. Amanda’s confidence in the product, which allows students to learn and revise what they need whether on the move or in the classroom, appears to have paid off.

“It has been used effectively in the isolation area. The children can access GCSEPod on a computer, and are encouraged to do so. It means we can be confident that they are still learning.

“It has been so successful that we have had one child who was in isolation win our monthly competition for the school’s highest overall GCSEPod user. We know these children are also using it in their own time.”

While GCSEPod was introduced first and foremost as a pupil premium resource, Laura quickly recognised its worth for supporting students across the board.

“When we first launched GCSEPod to Year 11 in January 2018, it was just days before our mock exam series started,” Laura explains.

“The Pod got off to a flying start and we got a hugely positive response from the Year 11s. Due to the positivity around the product, we decided to roll it out to all KS4 students that same year.”

Of the reaction after the initial launch, Laura says: “Students were using it at home, in their lessons, and everywhere between. Everyone was very impressed by how quickly the students came around to the idea; we had massive usage in the run-up to the mocks.

“I did a presentation to the Year 11s when we introduced it, and I got everyone to download the app to their phone there and then. That was one of the big selling points for them – that they could access it on the go through their phones or tablets, and that it’s so easy to use and understand.”

Nearly a year into Selby High’s GCSEPod subscription and its worth is apparent. “We are getting results higher than expected,” Laura continues. “Amongst our top 20 users, the average is 3.5 grades higher than predicted over all of their subjects per student.”

GCSEPod was rolled out to Year 10s in March 2018 and Year 9s on their return to school in September. Around 750 children currently have access to it in the three upper year groups.

Laura is also looking to introduce it to the Year 7s and 8s, to “challenge them to stretch themselves”. This would mean that all 1,150 of Selby High’s pupils would gain access to the platform, where students can stream informative and engaging, 3-5 minute videos known as ‘Pods’ on everything from Maths to English, History, Geography, the Sciences, languages, DT, Computer Science, Business Studies and PE. They can also do homework and assessments on the platform. Laura is also hoping to introduce GCSEPod student ambassadors from among the more enthusiastic users to help mentor their peers.

To further engage pupils, the school runs a monthly competition for the highest overall user. They acquire points which convert into money, and there is also a prize draw which sees the top 20 from each of Years 9, 10 and 11 in with a chance to win a £10 Love2Shop voucher.

So far, the best performing subjects in terms of Pod streaming and engagement have been English, Maths and Computer Science. “They really like it in English, with the breakdown of the books and the set texts. The students are really on board with that, Laura says. “The language department is really committed to it too.

“For the children, it’s great that they don’t have to get 10 different text books out to revise, they can just go to their phone and do everything quickly and easily from there. “For the teachers, GCSEPod backs up the work we are doing in school and helps us to get the best out of everyone.”

Evaluating the Impact of Pupil Premium Funding

The Importance of Evaluating the Impact of Pupil Premium Funding

Evaluating the impact of Pupil Premium funding is essential to ensure that the funding is being used effectively and to identify areas for improvement. Here are some reasons why evaluating the impact of Pupil Premium funding is important:

Accountability: Schools have a responsibility to ensure that Pupil Premium funding is being used effectively and is having a positive impact on disadvantaged pupils. Evaluating the impact of the funding helps schools to be accountable to stakeholders, including parents, governors, and Ofsted.

Continuous improvement: Evaluating the impact of Pupil Premium funding helps schools to identify areas for improvement and to make changes to their interventions as needed. This can help to ensure that the funding is being used in the most effective way possible to support disadvantaged pupils.

Evidence-based decision-making: Evaluating the impact of Pupil Premium funding helps schools to make evidence-based decisions about how to allocate resources and interventions. By collecting data and using it to inform decision-making, schools can ensure that their interventions are targeted and effective.

Meeting statutory requirements: Schools are required to report on the impact of Pupil Premium funding and to demonstrate how the funding is being used to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Evaluating the impact of the funding helps schools to meet these statutory requirements.

Closing the achievement gap: The ultimate goal of Pupil Premium funding is to close the achievement gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. Evaluating the impact of the funding helps schools to track progress and to ensure that their interventions are making a difference.

Overall, evaluating the impact of Pupil Premium funding is essential to ensure that the funding is being used effectively and to support the academic success of disadvantaged pupils. By regularly monitoring progress and evaluating the impact of interventions, schools can ensure that they are using the funding in the most effective way possible to support the needs of their pupils.

Key Metrics to Measure the Success of Pupil Premium Funding

Here are some key metrics that can be used to measure the success of Pupil Premium funding:

Attainment: One of the primary metrics for measuring the success of Pupil Premium funding is attainment. This includes measures such as GCSE grades, SATs results, and other standardised test scores. Comparing the attainment of disadvantaged pupils to their peers can help to identify whether the funding is closing the achievement gap..

Progress: Progress is another important metric for measuring the success of Pupil Premium funding. This includes measures such as progress scores, which track how much progress pupils have made over time. Comparing the progress of disadvantaged pupils to their peers can help to identify whether the funding is helping to accelerate progress and close the achievement gap.

Attendance: Attendance is another important metric for measuring the success of Pupil Premium funding. Disadvantaged pupils are more likely to have poor attendance, which can impact their academic progress. Monitoring attendance rates and comparing them to the wider school population can help to identify whether the funding is helping to improve attendance and engagement.

Engagement: Engagement is a broader metric that can help to measure the success of Pupil Premium funding. This includes measures such as participation in extracurricular activities, involvement in school life, and overall engagement with learning. Improving engagement can help to create a positive learning environment and support academic progress.

Wellbeing: Wellbeing is another important metric for measuring the success of Pupil Premium funding. Disadvantaged pupils are more likely to experience mental health and wellbeing issues, which can impact their academic progress. Monitoring wellbeing and mental health outcomes can help to identify whether the funding is supporting the wellbeing of disadvantaged pupils and creating a positive learning environment.

By measuring these key metrics, schools can monitor the impact of Pupil Premium funding and identify areas for improvement. Regular monitoring and evaluation can help to ensure that the funding is being used effectively and that it is having a positive impact on disadvantaged pupils.

How to Report the Impact of Pupil Premium Funding

Reporting the impact of Pupil Premium funding is an important part of the process, as it helps to ensure accountability and transparency. Here are some steps to follow when reporting the impact of Pupil Premium funding:

1. Collect data: Before you can report on the impact of Pupil Premium funding, you need to collect data on the outcomes and progress of disadvantaged pupils. This should include data on attainment, progress, attendance, engagement, and wellbeing. It's important to collect data throughout the year to get an accurate picture of the impact of the funding.
2. Analyze data: Once you have collected data, you need to analyse it to identify patterns and trends. This will help you to identify areas of strength and weakness and to evaluate the impact of interventions that have been put in place.
3. Create a report: Once you have analysed the data, you need to create a report that summarises the impact of Pupil Premium funding. The report should include information on the outcomes and progress of disadvantaged pupils, as well as an evaluation of the impact of interventions and strategies that have been put in place.
4. Share the report: Once the report has been created, it should be shared with key stakeholders, including parents, governors, and Ofsted. This helps to ensure transparency and accountability and demonstrates how the funding is being used to support the needs of disadvantaged pupils.
5. Review and reflect: Finally, it's important to review and reflect on the impact of Pupil Premium funding on an ongoing basis. This will help you to identify areas for improvement and to make changes to your interventions and strategies as needed. Reporting the impact of Pupil Premium funding can help to ensure that the funding is being used effectively and that it is having a positive impact on disadvantaged pupils.

By following these steps, schools can create a comprehensive report that demonstrates the impact of the funding and supports ongoing improvement.

GCSEPod and Pupil Premium Funding

GCSEPod provides pupil premium students with a structure for learning outside of the school environment which they've never had before. This helps to instill a confidence and belief that they can do it. We've found students were able to recall the information learnt through the content and apply this knowledge to answer the questions thoroughly in exams.

How Does GCSEPod Support Pupil Premium Funding?               

GCSEPod content and assessment provides all students, not just Pupil Premium students, with a structure for learning outside of the school environment. This helps to instil a confidence and belief that they can do it. Our Pod format helps all students retain and apply knowledge and improves their results.

GCSEPod is a resource your whole school can benefit from but if you're wondering how you might invest your Pupil Premium money effectively, keep reading.

Success Stories of Schools Using GCSEPod with Pupil Premium Funding

Selby High School in Yorkshire initially subscribed to support their Year 11 Pupil Premium students. However, they have found both students and teachers have embraced GCSEPod resulting in great success in last year's results...

“A year into our GCSEPod subscription and its worth is apparent… We are getting results higher than expected. Amongst our top 20 users, the average is 3.5 grades higher than predicted over all of their subjects per student.”

For Students "It’s great that they don’t have to get 10 different text books out to revise, they can just go to their phone and do everything quickly and easily from there."

For Teachers "GCSEPod backs up the work we are doing in school and helps us get the best out of everyone. Plus, with homework and assessments on the platform it reduces workload."

It has been so successful that we have had one child who was in isolation win our monthly competition for the school’s highest overall GCSEPod user. We know these children are using it in their own time

At St Paul’s Catholic School, GCSEPod helped a student go from failing to a comfortable grade 6 in less than 6 months

“Within days of launch most of the Year 11 students had logged on and started to download and stream podcasts to their mobile devices. However, having been purchased as a Pupil Premium resource first and foremost, we worked more closely with Pupil Premium students."

“One young girl was particularly high on my radar as we just knew she wasn’t fulfilling her full potential, only achieving 1’s and 2’s in Year 10 mocks."

"Within just a few weeks after she started to use GCSEPod, she sat her Year 11 mock exams. As I marked her English mock paper, I could not believe what I was reading, it was the best thing I had ever seen her write."

Tips for Using GCSEPod to Maximise Pupil Premium Funding 

Here are some of the ways in which GCSEPod can support Pupil Premium funding:

1. Personalized learning: GCSEPod provides a personalised learning experience, allowing pupils to work at their own pace and to focus on areas where they need additional support. This can help to support the progress of disadvantaged pupils and ensure that they are able to keep up with their peers.
2. Accessibility: GCSEPod is accessible on any device, making it easy for pupils to access learning resources outside of the classroom. This can help to support the learning of disadvantaged pupils who may not have access to technology or resources at home.
3. Multimodal resources: GCSEPod provides a range of multimedia resources, including podcasts, videos, and quizzes, which can help to engage pupils and support their learning. This can be particularly important for disadvantaged pupils, who may struggle to engage with traditional classroom resources.
4. Exam preparation: GCSEPod provides resources and support for exam preparation, including practice papers and revision guides. This can help to ensure that disadvantaged pupils are well-prepared for their exams and can perform to the best of their abilities.
5. Progress tracking: GCSEPod provides progress tracking tools, allowing teachers to monitor the progress of individual pupils and identify areas where they need additional support. This can help to ensure that disadvantaged pupils are receiving the support they need to make progress.

Pupil Premium Funding Best Practices

Here are some best practices for applying for Pupil Premium funding:

Best Practices for Applying for Pupil Premium Funding

Here are some best practices for applying for Pupil Premium funding:

Identify eligible pupils
Ensure that you have accurate and up-to-date information on eligible pupils, including those who are currently or have previously been eligible for free school meals, those who have been in care, and those with parents in the armed forces. It's important to regularly review and update this information to ensure that all eligible pupils are identified.

Develop a clear plan
Develop a clear plan for how you intend to use the Pupil Premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils. This plan should be based on evidence of what has been effective in the past and should be tailored to the specific needs of your school and pupils.

Involve parents and carers
Involve parents and carers in the planning process and communicate with them regularly about how the funding is being used to support their child's learning. This can help to build trust and engagement with the school and ensure that parents are supportive of the interventions being put in place.

Monitor progress and evaluate impact
Monitor the progress of eligible pupils and evaluate the impact of the interventions being put in place. This can help to identify what is working well and where improvements can be made. Regularly review and update your plan based on the evidence of what is effective.

Collaborate with other schools and providers
Collaborate with other schools and providers to share best practice and learn from each other. This can help to identify new approaches and interventions that may be effective in supporting disadvantaged pupils.

Be transparent and accountable
Be transparent about how the Pupil Premium funding is being used and accountable for its impact. Publish an annual statement detailing your plans and the impact you expect to achieve, and regularly report on progress made to governors, parents, and Ofsted.

By following these best practices, you can ensure that you are making the best use of Pupil Premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils and improve their academic outcomes.

How to Create a Pupil Premium Funding Plan

Creating a Pupil Premium funding plan involves identifying the needs of disadvantaged pupils in your school, setting clear objectives for how the funding will be used to support them, and regularly monitoring progress to evaluate the impact of the interventions being put in place. Here are the steps to create a Pupil Premium funding plan:

1. Identify eligible pupils: Ensure that you have accurate and up-to-date information on eligible pupils, including those who are currently or have previously been eligible for free school meals, those who have been in care, and those with parents in the armed forces. Use this information to identify the needs of disadvantaged pupils in your school.
2. Set clear objectives: Based on the needs of disadvantaged pupils, set clear objectives for how the Pupil Premium funding will be used to support them. These objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, your objectives might include improving the academic outcomes of eligible pupils, increasing attendance rates, or improving their mental health and wellbeing.
3. Plan interventions: Develop a plan for how the Pupil Premium funding will be used to support disadvantaged pupils. This plan should be evidence-based and tailored to the specific needs of your school and pupils. Consider a range of interventions, including one-to-one support, extra-curricular activities, mentoring programs, and access to educational resources.
4. Allocate resources: Allocate resources to each intervention based on the expected impact and cost-effectiveness. Consider how you can make the most of existing resources and partnerships with other schools and providers.
5. Monitor progress: Monitor the progress of eligible pupils against your objectives and evaluate the impact of the interventions being put in place. This can involve tracking attendance rates, academic progress, and other relevant indicators. Use this information to regularly review and update your plan.
6. Evaluate impact: Evaluate the impact of the interventions being put in place and use this information to inform future planning. Regularly report on progress to governors, parents, and Ofsted.

By following these steps, you can create a Pupil Premium funding plan that is evidence-based, tailored to the needs of your school and pupils, and focused on improving academic outcomes and closing the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

Tips for Ensuring Equity and Inclusion with Pupil Premium Funding

Here are some tips for ensuring equity and inclusion with Pupil Premium funding:

1. Use data to identify gaps in achievement and participation between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. This will help you to target resources more effectively and ensure that interventions are tailored to the specific needs of your pupils.
2. Involve parents and carers in the planning process and communicate with them regularly about how the funding is being used to support their child's learning. This can help to build trust and engagement with the school and ensure that parents are supportive of the interventions being put in place.
3. Ensure that all eligible pupils have access to the resources they need to succeed, including educational resources, equipment, and support services. Consider providing additional resources for disadvantaged pupils, such as free school meals, access to technology, or extra-curricular activities.
4. Provide targeted support to disadvantaged pupils to help them overcome barriers to learning. This may involve one-to-one support, mentoring, or access to additional educational resources.
5. Foster an inclusive school culture that values diversity and supports the needs of all pupils. This can include providing training for teachers and staff on issues related to equity and inclusion, and creating a safe and welcoming environment for all pupils.
6. Regularly monitor the impact of interventions and evaluate their effectiveness in closing the achievement gap. Use this information to adjust interventions as needed and ensure that the funding is being used effectively.

By following these tips, you can ensure that Pupil Premium funding is used to promote equity and inclusion in your school and support the academic success of all pupils, regardless of their background or circumstances

What Next?

GCSEPod is the ideal way to support your pupil premium students as well as the rest of your GCSE cohort.

Evidence-based it is proven to help students achieve one grade higher on average than non-users. Prices start from as little as £1 per student per month.