The pupil premium is additional funding received by schools for each pupil from disadvantaged families.

Its purpose is to ensure these pupils make the same progress and have access to the same opportunities as other pupils.

It is the school’s decision as to how this money is best spent.

It is allocated to schools based on the number of children who come from low-income families which is defined as those who are currently known to be eligible for free school meals.

This means pupils who are entitled and have registered for free school meals, however, do not necessarily take the meal are also eligible.

It also includes:

  • pupils who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years
  • children who are ‘looked after’ *(see bottom of page for full details)

To see if your child is eligible for free school meals visit the DFE website

How we spend the pupil premium:

Pupil Premium Report 2021-22

Total funds available for pupils was £60,360 with a carry forward of £1,078 from last year.

We have currently spent £55,741 leaving £5,697 to carry forward.

At Sheringham Woodfields School we have an individual approach to supporting eligible pupils and believe that through addressing any disadvantage we will help them to have equality opportunity and to achieve their potential.

We support pupils in many areas including:

 

To be happy through emotional support through talking therapies.

To be well regulated with a range of approaches to support their social, emotional and sensory needs.

To have a positive self-image by supporting them with their personal care, clothing and equipment.

To develop independence skills in order to prepare for adulthood.

To support them and their families to raise aspirations and prepare them for their transition.

To be included fully in all school events and trips by financially supporting these activities.

To take part in activities to develop social skills in order to be able to work and play alongside others and develop friendships.

To get specialist equipment often not available through statutory services

These pupils are not disadvantaged compared with their peers

No pupil premium pupils were NEET.

 

Summary of spending

Larger sums included:

Transition Coordinator £13,900

As Guidance Advice from the local authority have been reduced we have used Pupil Premium funding to support the appointment of a school-based Transition Co-ordinator to support those identified pupils between the ages of 14 and 19 to ensure a successful transition as and when they are ready to leave Sheringham Woodfields School.

 

This work involves:

  • working with pupils in class directly to learn about their strengths, needs and likely next steps
  • Supporting visits to post school settings
  • Supporting parents with the transition process from providing information, completing applications and visiting settings with parents.
  • Brokering packages with education and social care settings
  • Tracking past students to check their transition has been successful to inform our practice.
  • Developing work experience opportunities for pupils and liaising with our Enterprise Advisor. This includes pupils having regular work experience at 2 new venues this year.

This work has ensured that all leavers and their families have received the necessary support required to ensure a successful and smooth transition and we have no NEETS.

 

Verbatim Therapy £964

One pupil with poor mental health, possibly linked to adverse childhood experiences can present with some very challenging behaviours in school. We commissioned a specialist Therapist to work with the child which also included a wellbeing session in a local environmental park.

Though the therapy probably gave us no further insight into the child, the visits in the environment and vising the café showed us much about what the child had never experienced and helped us to develop a curriculum for him into the future.

Time for You Counselling £5,000

To support the emotional well-being of some of our more able pupils who are able to express themselves verbally, we have employed a counsellor from the Benjamin Foundation to work with our pupils for 2.5 days per week.

18 different pupils have accessed this through the year and 2 pupils had 2 sessions a week in response to events in their lives that affected them.

The sessions have enabled pupils to have a space where they feel safe to talk freely about how they are feeling, with someone ‘separate’ from school. These sessions have enabled pupils to talk in depth about their concerns and worries and to explore historic issues if they are still worrying pupils. Pupils have been able to develop strategies that they can then use to help reduce their own anxieties. After sessions class staff noticed pupils are much calmer and also often wanting to talk about things more freely. Pupils are keen to engage with the counsellor and look forward to their sessions.

6th Form Independence Project £500

In order to promote independence, life skills and spend an extended period with their peers to socialise and plan their leisure time a group of pupils have worked together to plan a range of day visits out culminating in a residential trip. Though this they have:

  • Used research skills to explore venues and transport.
  • Budgeted for their visit including travel, food and entrance fees.
  • Worked cooperatively to negotiate with each other their choices.
  • Practised communication skills using email and telephone to contact businesses.
  • Practised independence skills including road safety, paying for things, engaging with venue staff.
  • Broadened their horizons by visiting new places.
  • Achieving success towards their ASDAN
  • Planned, shopped and cooked for 4 nights away from home.

Patch £3,000

We share the running of a small holding project with our local high school, this funding supports its running.

Over 100 pupils regularly access The Patch for a wide range of experiences from;

  • Work related learning
  • Understanding and caring for a natural environment
  • Animal husbandry
  • Plant and life cycles
  • Biology aspects of science curriculum
  • Change to relax in a lovely natural environment
  • The link between plants grown and food on the plate
  • Sensory garden

Yoga Therapy £3,500

We employ a Special Yoga instructor for one day per week and targeted pupils with emotional difficulties and those who find it hard to relax and “switch off”

The children all responded really well and are gaining more body awareness, control of their breath and ability to relax.

All pupils have really benefited from the relaxation and has helped pupils to focus and respond to instructions, connect with different parts of their body.

Provision included:

  • 12 classes accessed whole class sessions (around 112 of our pupils)
  • 6 individual sessions for a PP pupils struggling to regulate and disengagement from the family to support Mental Health Issues
  • 2 Targeted PMLD cohorts to support Mental and Physical health

For one pupil the relaxing environment has allowed them to open up about some historical issues that have been a cause of anxiety and is helping us to support them with their feelings.

Several pupils now happily follow their yoga programme during the rest of the week.

Pine class additional staffing £4,625 (7 pupils are PP)

Pine class contains a number of pupils who have joined the school recently, for our school they are relatively able and so have a high level of interactions with their peers. Their social and emotional difficulties mean many of these interactions are not positive and given a number of pupils with emerging mental health issues we assigned an additional member of staff to support every morning to enable smaller group and individual work

Pupil MW (ever 6) specialist chair £2,000

Statutory services were unable to find the funds for this chair (in excess of £8,000), an opportunity to purchase an ex demo model with guardians arose so we contributed £2,000 to the costs.

FSM for post-16 pupils £4,554

As these pupils are no longer funded we have continued to provide these meals so all pupils have a healthy hot meal during the week. This included 6 pupils to August 2021 and 7 from September 2021

2 MSAS additional MSAs £8,600

There are 2 classes with more than 6 eligible pupils, both classes have pupils with low attention and little understanding of social expectations and safety around eating.

We have provided two additional MSAs who aim to:

  • Encourage pupils to sit appropriately for food
  • Move away from finger feeding to using spoons or forks
  • To leave other pupils’ food
  • To eat safely by controlling the pace children eat
  • To eat safely by managing bite size
  • To be encouraged to eat a varied diet
  • To increase their independence skills

Incontinence products £800

We have supported a family with Incontinence products while the family waits for a referral to medical professionals

Aids to ensure pupils have a positive experience travelling to and from school £2,581

Many of our pupils have long journeys to and from school and are travelling in busy and often noisy buses.

Given the number of children and in particular Autistic children who are sensitive to crowded spaces and noise  we have provided a range of equipment and resources to support their travel, including:

  • Ipads
  • Ipods
  • Books
  • Toys
  • Cushions
  • Sensory toys
  • Ear defenders
  • Adapted seat belts and harnesses

Attention Autism Training £800

Many of our pupil have a diagnosis of Autism as well as many other pupils having difficulties in engaging and attending with learning.

We have provided Attention Autism training to three class leads with eligible pupils where there are pupils with these needs. This included a specialist EYFS course.

Rowan class residential

£522 was spent supporting five pupils financially to attend a 2 night residential at the Nancy Oldfield Trust

Snack and dinner money

£800 has been spent supporting PP families

Uniform and toiletries

£600 has been spent ensuring pupils have uniform and come to school clean and tidy and are proud of their appearance.

Elm Class Communication Devices

 £1200 was spent on switches and speakers to support 4 pupils in class.

Driving instruction

One of our pupils who is likely to be able to live and work independently in the future has expressed that in order to achieve this he will need to be able to drive.

We have spent £515 funding his Driving theory test which he has passed and have paid for an intensive course of driving lessons.

 

Proposed Spending for 2022-23 is £60,930

As well as the many small amounts we will be spending to support pupils such as with visits, equipment, clothes and care products we will be spending the majority of the funds on:

Continued employment of our transition co-ordinator and the resources she needs to fulfil this role

Supporting the mental health and well-being of pupils by extending counselling offered through The Benjamin Foundation.

Continuing with Yoga Therapy.

Continue the 6th form independence project from last year.

Remaining funds will be continue to be used to support pupils throughout the year as opportunities arise.

LK/Lin/MSAs 27967

FSM 4260.26

Sixth form independence

Mel

Yoga

Patch