Pupil premium is additional funding provided by the Department for Education (DfE) to enhance the education of the most socio-economically deprived
(namely those students entitled to free school meals and looked after children).

The amount of Pupil Premium allocated to the Sirius Academy by the DfE’s is detailed in the table below. Allocations are based on an amount per pupil eligible for free school meals (FSM). From 1st April 2012 the criteria changed to include pupils eligible to FSM in any of the last 6 years. Amounts are allocated per government financial year ending each 31st March, not in academic years.

DfE Financial Year
(Ending 31st March) / Amount per FSM pupil / Number of FSM pupils / Funding
2012-13 / £623 / 315 (57.5%) / £114,657
Academy Formed 01/09/2012
2013-14
/ £900 / 338 (66%) / £304,200
2014-15
/ £935 / 367 (65%) / £343,144

2015-16£935 428 (65%) £400,180

(Indicative)

Converting the DfE financial year allocations to Sirius Academy North financial years (ending on the 31st August each year) produces the following.

31st August 2013 / £229,781
31st August 2014 / £365,486
31st August 2015 / £373,401

Sirius Academy North
Pupil Premium Targeted Activities and Support
The Pupil Premium is spent in an integrated and targeted way, to ensure that entitled students receive the opportunity for additional support and access to all learning opportunities including residential activities.

Actions focused on learning in the curriculum
These actions directly affect performance in the classroom.

  • one-to-one tuition;
  • small-group teaching;
  • additional in-class support;
  • homework clubs;
  • special arrangements for monitoring progress;
  • reduced class sizes;
  • teaching assistants;
  • peer tutoring/peer-assisted learning;
  • provision of materials/equipment;
  • Reading Recovery;
  • support for EAL.

Support is provided to ensure access to all learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.

  • paying any additional staff costs;
  • paying for ICT programmes and systems
  • paying for transport costs;
  • funding visits to the academy by theatre companies;
  • funding residential learning opportunities;
  • subsidising any pupil contributions.

Actions focused on improving attendance

  • appointment of additional education welfare officer;
  • appointment of home liaison officer;
  • incentives and rewards offered for improved attendance.

Actions focused on social, emotional and behavioural issues
These actions address barriers to learning.

  • one-to-one counselling;
  • behaviour support programmes;
  • school nurse employed
  • nurture groups;
  • interventions from an educational psychologist;
  • health information and advice;
  • CAMHS;
  • social skills training.

Actions focused on enrichment beyond the curriculum
These actions extend the learning offer beyond the curriculum and/or to provide a safe place between school and home.

  • breakfast clubs;
  • sporting opportunities;
  • creative play possibilities;
  • arts and other leisure activities;
  • after-school and holiday clubs;
  • subsidising trips not directly linked to the curriculum.

Actions focused on improving progression into further education, employment and training

  • appointment of additional careers officer;
  • assistance with application forms and travel costs.

Impact of integrated and targeted support
The impact in educational attainment arising from expenditure of the previous financial year’s Pupil Premium has contributed to the improvements in reading, writing and attendance. Our latest set of exam results are our best ever with 47% achieving 5 A*-C including English and maths. The gap in educational attainment between those entitled to free school meals and those not entitled to free school meals has been closed against these measures.