Do your children get Pupil Premium?

pinkshoes

tibawo wrote: »

Pupil Premium is something the school gets and is used to fund things that may benefit your chid but sadly if your child is already average and progressing then will get naff all. I checked online for my dd school and it was spent on stuff that had no benefit or interest to her or her abilities. I really wish it was given to support the child direct otherwise what is the point of it?

The money needs to be spent on what will benefit the MAJORITY of pupils that fit within the PP category.

The school needs to account for the money spent, and also needs to show progress of all PP students.

As secondary school teacher, we have meetings to discuss what would improve progress of those who are struggling. Everything is weighed up in terms of money spent vs progress made.

To spent the money on each individual would be costly and time consuming. It is far better value for money to spend it on groups of students that would benefit.

It is actually the parents that make the biggest difference in the progress of a child. The school can help, but the increase in progress a school can make is tiny compared to that of the parent. Parents working alongside and supporting the school is a great combination for progress!

kingfisherblue

Extra TAs, which some schools spend the PP on, benefit more children than just those who are in a disadvantaged category. Also, not all schools use the PP to subsidise trips. They didn't iin my younger son's school. In my older son's school they do, via minibus training, but the trips are usually life skill trips to the supermarket, or supported work experience to community cafes. Twice a week during his transition year, my son is going to two local colleges that offer courses for young people with special needs. Most of the students will attend one or other of the colleges for up to four years, and several need a longer and heavily supported transition. Surely no one could object to that? After all, it could mean that some of the students might just manage supported employment in the future.

peachyprice

In my daughters school they are offering maths tuition for Y11, premium children can have is for free if they need it, anyone else has to pay. Perfect example of the PP being used to benefit those children it is intended for.

OP, the parents of those children can't take the cash instead, hope that is a lot clearer now, you haven't lost out on any money, the school decide how to use it.

GwylimT

My daughter is PP, she doesn't really need it academically, so we use it to pay for dance lessons after school.

Schools aren't actually under any obligation to inform parents about how they're using PP funds.

Person_one

GwylimT wrote: »

My daughter is PP, she doesn't really need it academically, so we use it to pay for dance lessons after school.

Schools aren't actually under any obligation to inform parents about how they're using PP funds.

How is that possible when the money goes to the school not the individual?

skattykatty

All the primary school websites I have looked at tend to include a document detailing how the Pupil Premium is being spent. This may help you see where/how your child may be benefitting from PP. If you can't find it online, I am sure you can ask for a copy at school.

FBaby

Rant over

I understand you rant, but I do believe schools can also get some premium for 'gifted' pupils (and were able to a couple of years ago). My DS school went mad with out of hours extra Maths and English lessons and non stop SATs mocks to push pupils to achieve level 6. It suited my DS who is naturally academic, but some kids did find it tedious. I did wonder how the school was paying for the additional classes (twice a week after school for one hour from two local secondary school teachers), and was then told that the school would get additional funding the more pupils got a level 6.

It did work, they got an unprecedented number of pupils achieving that level.

Spendless

peachyprice wrote: »

In my daughters school they are offering maths tuition for Y11, premium children can have is for free if they need it, anyone else has to pay. Perfect example of the PP being used to benefit those children it is intended for.

I didn't even know schools charged for extra tuition. I've never paid a school or been asked for any money for any running. Mine aren't on FSM and never have been. We live in a deprived town but in a relatively affluent area of that town. My eldest left yr11 last summer and many extra classes ran out of school hours including on weekends in different subjects, not one you had to pay for.

bellaboo86

The school I work in is in a very deprived area and we have a good number of children receiving PP. It sounds like a lot of money is received but in reality it doesn't go very far at all.

MPD

GwylimT wrote: »

Schools aren't actually under any obligation to inform parents about how they're using PP funds.

It is a requirement for schools to provide details of PP funding received and how it is being spent on their website. They should also show the impact of the spending.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/451/pdfs/uksi_20160451_en.pdf