Jersey Pupil Premium Policy

Background 

Jersey Premium funding has been introduced to help all children get the very best from their education, regardless of their socio-economic background or barriers to learning. The funding is a commitment from the States of Jersey to ensure that every pupil has an equal opportunity to access the full curriculum, to receive high-quality teaching tailored to their needs and to perform to the best of their ability. Schools will strive to raise the aspirations and educational attainment of all pupils, regardless of their eligibility for Jersey Premium.

Our Aims 

We aim to nurture happy, confident, caring students, who enjoy positive relationships and show compassion and respect for others. We want students to grow as individuals, to feel valued and to forge a strong and supportive community that reaches out around the world. We hope they will demonstrate a growing awareness about the choices they make and the impact these have on their environment.  

At JCP we are committed to ensuring that all children make at least good progress, grow in independence, are reflective in their thinking, eager for challenges and be resilient enough to able to cope with setbacks. Strategic use of Jersey Premium funding will support us in ensuring that all pupils will achieve their full potential. Our focus in using the funding will be aimed at raising the attainment of pupils eligible for Jersey Premium to meet and exceed age related expectations in line with their peers and to raise their aspirations.

Context 

When making decisions about using Jersey Premium funding it is important to consider the context of the school and the subsequent challenges faced. Common barriers for Jersey Premium children can be reduced support at home, weak language and communication skills, lack of confidence, more frequent behaviour difficulties, and attendance and punctuality issues. There may also be complex family situations that prevent children from flourishing.

We are aware that under Education Department’s Jersey Premium Policy there is specified information which has to be to be published on a school’s website. In meeting this requirement we will observe our continuing responsibilities under the Jersey Data Protection Act so that individuals or groups of individuals, including children funded through the Jersey Premium cannot be identified.

Key Principles 

By following the key principles below, we believe we can maximise the impact of our Jersey Pupil Premium spending.

Building Belief 

We will provide a culture where: 

• staff believe that there are “no limits” to what our children can achieve 
• there are “no excuses” made for underperformance 
• staff support children to develop metacognitive strategies to aid them in their learning process 

Analysing Data 

We will ensure that: 

• All staff are involved in the analysis of data in order to target support when identified 
• We use research (e.g. Education Endowment Foundation Toolkit) to support us in determining the strategies that will be most effective 

Identification of Pupils 

We will ensure that: 

• All staff are aware of who Jersey Pupil Premium and vulnerable children are 
• All Jersey Premium children benefit from the funding, not just those who are underperforming 
• Underachievement at all levels is targeted (not just lower attaining pupils) 
• Children’s individual needs are considered carefully so that we provide support for those children who could be doing “even better if…..” 

Improving Day to Day Teaching 

We will continue to ensure that all children across the school receive high quality teaching, by using our leadership team to: 

• Set high expectations 
• Address any within-school variance 
• Ensure consistent implementation of the non-negotiables, e.g. marking and feedback 
• Share good practice within the school and draw on external expertise 
• Provide high quality CPD 
• Improve assessment through Eastern Cluster initiatives, levelling and moderation

Individualising support 

We will ensure that the additional support we provide is effective by: 

• Looking at the individual needs of each child and identifying barriers to learning 
• Ensuring additional support staff and class teachers communicate regularly 
• Providing high quality interventions across key stages where needed 
• Matching the skills of the support staff to the interventions they provide 

Monitoring and Evaluation 

We will ensure that: 

• A wide range of data is used – achievement data, pupils’ work, observations and Pupil Progress meetings. 
• Assessment data is collected frequently so that the impact of interventions can be monitored regularly 
• Assessments are closely moderated to ensure they are accurate 
• Teaching staff and support staff attend and contribute to pupil progress meetings each term and the identification of children is reviewed 
• Regular feedback about performance is given to children and parents 
• Interventions are adapted or changed if they are not working 
• A designated member of the SLT maintains an overview of Jersey Pupil Premium spending 

Reporting 

When reporting about pupil premium funding we will include: 

• information about the context of the school
  •  objectives for the year 
  • reasons for decision making 
  • analysis of data 
  • use of research 
• nature of support and allocation 
  • Learning in the curriculum 
  • Social, emotional and behavioural issues 
  • Enrichment beyond the curriculum 
  • Families and community 
• an overview of spending 
  • Total JP received 
  • Total JP spent 
  • Total JP remaining 
• a summary of the impact of JP 
  • Performance of disadvantaged pupils (compared to non-JP children)
  • Other evidence of impact e.g. Accreditations 
  • Case studies (pastoral support, individualised interventions) 
  • Implications for pupil premium spending the following year

Monitoring and Reviewing the Policy 

Our work in relation to the Jersey Pupil Premium will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is having the intended impact. Our Jersey Premium Policy will be reviewed on an annual basis and adjustments will be made to it according to the impact the school is having in narrowing the gaps. It will also take into consideration the funding that becomes available. We recognise the importance of context and will evaluate new strategies to ensure that the approaches we are using have the desired effect. In order to do this effectively, we will where relevant, undertake on-going evaluations of the strategies we are using.