St Christopher’s School and Children’s Home
(Bristol)
Pupil Premium Policy
This policy forms an essential element of our Education Policies and Procedures. In implementing this
policy, staff must recognise its links with the other Education Policies, in particular the policy on
Assessing, Recording and Reporting.
Ratified by Trustees
February 2015
Review date
January 2016
Introduction
St Christopher’s School is highly committed to ensuring its pupils have the best possible
opportunities for learning, leading towards as much independence as possible in adult life.
St Christopher’s aims at using Pupil Premium funding to maximise pupils’ opportunities to
achieve their potential for learning across all curriculum areas. The school follows a
‘Waking Day Curriculum’ across home and school settings and this includes crosscurricular topics. Due to the severe and complex needs of our pupils and ASD related
needs, particular attention is given to PHSE aiming at their Spiritual, Social and Moral
development. In addition Communication and Literacy skills are focal areas for all pupils.
Following the school’s holistic ethos, pupils’ individual needs are identified in the areas of
education, health and care including therapeutic needs.
Aims

To ensure that Pupil Premium Funding is effective in supporting individual pupils or
groups of pupils aimed at overcoming potential barriers to learning and maximising
pupils’ opportunities to achieve their potential for learning across all curriculum
areas.

To record each pupil’s Pupil Premium information, including purpose of resources
purchased and impact of these purchases.
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Definitions
Pupil Premium Plus for Children in Care (CIC)
Looked after children are one of the groups of pupils that attract pupil premium funding.
Local authorities receive a pupil premium grant allocation based on the number of children
looked after for at least one day and aged 4 to 15 at 31 August as recorded in the latest
looked after children data return. This is additional funding provided to help improve the
attainment of looked after children and close the attainment gap between this group and
their peers. [DfE, Promoting the education of looked after children, Statutory guidance for local authorities,
July 2014)]
Personal Education Plan (PEP)
All looked after children must have a care plan, of which the PEP is an integral part. All of
those involved in the process of developing the PEP should use it to support the
personalised learning of the child. The PEP (pre-school to age 18) is an evolving record of
what needs to happen for looked after children to enable them to make expected progress
and fulfil their potential. The PEP should reflect the importance of a personalised approach
to learning that meets the identified educational needs of the child, raises aspirations and
builds life chances. The quality of the PEP is the joint responsibility of the local authority
that looks after the child and the school. Social workers, carers, Virtual School
Headteachers (VSHs), designated teachers and, as appropriate, other relevant
professionals will need to work closely together. All of those involved in the PEP process
at all stages should involve the child (according to understanding and ability) and, where
appropriate, the child’s parent and/or relevant family member. [DfE, Promoting the education of
looked after children, Statutory guidance for local authorities, July 2014)]
At St. Christopher’s School, the Annual and Interim School Reports for each pupil have
been designed to cover PEP required information including Pupil Contributions which meet
each pupil’s level of understanding and ability.
Designated Teacher
All maintained schools, academies and Free Schools are required to appoint a designated
teacher to champion the educational attainment of looked after children and act as a
source of information and advice about their needs.
[DfE, Promoting the education of looked after children, Statutory guidance for local authorities, July 2014)]
At St. Christopher’s School the Designated Teacher in liaison with the Head of Education
is responsible for:
•
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Maintaining a database of Pupil Premium income and expenditure for the whole
school cohort of looked after children;
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•
Monitoring that the use of Pupil Premium is linked to learning outcomes and
measuring of impact and these are recorded and updated in the database;
•
Including a summary of the Pupil Premium information in the pupil’s Annual Review
Report (the Pupil Premium Policy is linked to the Assessing, Recording and
Reporting Policy;
•
Ensuring that Local Authorities Virtual Schools are kept up to date with reliable
information (eg via CLA tracker);
•
Reporting Pupil Premium use in the school’s website;
•
Providing relevant DATA in the form of an annual report on Pupil Premium to the
school’s Council of Trustees;
•
Attending any relevant training regarding the role of Designated Teacher.
Virtual School Headteacher (VSH)
The Virtual school Headteacher is the lead responsible officer for ensuring that
arrangements are in place to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of the
Local Authorities’ Looked After Children (CIC). The VSH is responsible for ensuring the
educational achievement of CIC is seen as a priority by everyone who has responsibilities
for promoting their welfare.
Pupil Premium at St Christopher’s
At St Christopher’s School, Pupil Premium funding is prioritised individually to meet the
needs of each pupil aiming at removing possible barriers to learning through:

Enhancing the range of resources in various subject areas to meet individual pupils’
interests to increase motivation and learning with emphasis on English, Maths and
Independent Living Skills

Offering individualised PE equipment, such as tricycles, to encourage development
and enjoyment in taking part in physical activities

Extending opportunities for developing communication and literacy skills through
the use of AAC technological equipment, such as iPads and other devices and
software

Funding specific therapeutic sessions aimed at pupils’ individual needs related to
social and emotional development, such as dance movement therapy

Any other resources, specific equipment or individual sessions identified as relevant
for individual pupils. This includes support for developing leisure skills to increase
opportunities to access the community and extend independence.
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The Class Teacher in liaison with the Designated Teacher and Head of Education takes
the leading role in identifying where to best use Pupil Premium funding to support a pupil’s
achievement and enjoyment of learning. As part of the school’s ‘Waking Day Curriculum’,
the class teacher will also liaise with key care staff as opportunities for learning take place
both during the school day and as part of independent living skills in the home setting. It is
therefore possible that Pupil Premium funding might be used for equipment, therapy
sessions, and other items which might take place outside school hours.
The Head of Education gives final approval for the use of Pupil Premium funding giving
particular attention to impact and outcomes. The breakdown of how a pupil’s Pupil
Premium is used, including measurable outcomes, is an integral part of the Annual Review
Report. Measurable outcomes can be quantitative (e.g. when cognitive progress is
identified) or qualitative (e.g. when spiritual, social and emotional learning is identified).
Pupil Premium Impact
The use of Pupil Premium funding is monitored following the St Christopher’s Policy on
Assessment, Recording and Reporting (Policy File 3). For each resource purchased an
expected learning outcome is identified. The impact of the resource is measured against
the set expected learning outcome.
The use of Pupil Premium funding features in the Annual Review Report and is recorded
on specific spreadsheets (DATABASE) stating:

Name of pupil

Amount received to date

Amount spent to date

Date of purchase

Resource cost

Resource purchased

Expected learning outcome

Evaluation to measure impact
Role of Governing Body
As part of the conditions for paying Pupil Premium, the school’s governing body must have
an annual report for Children in Care (CIC).
At St. Christopher’s the Council of Trustees fulfils this role. The named Trustee, Martin
Underwood, has the responsibility to ratify the report produced by the Designated Teacher
in liaison with the Head of Education on how Pupil Premium has been used for each
school year.
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References
DfE, Promoting the education of looked after children, Statutory guidance for local
authorities (July 2014)
DfE The role and responsibilities of the designated teacher for looked after children –
Statutory guidance for school governing bodies
DfE Pupil Premium 2014 to 2015 conditions of grant (February 2014)
The Children Act 1989 as amended by the Children and Families Act 2014.
The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 as
amended by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) (Miscellaneous
Amendments) Regulations 2013 and the Adoption and Care planning (Miscellaneous
Amendments) Regulations 2014.
www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance
www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/premium
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/pupil-premium
Further Information
PupilPremium.CHAMPION@education.gsi.gov.uk
Sutton Trust toolkit – http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/toolkit
Review of this policy
This policy will be reviewed at least annually but may also be revisited whenever quality
assurance systems within school indicate this would be beneficial. This policy will be
reviewed by the Head of Education and submitted to the Principal. Changes and updates
will be informed by up-to-date legislation and government policy.
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