What is Pupil Premium?
Pupil Premium is government funding allocated to schools in England to raise the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities and help them reach their full potential. It also supports children and young people whose parents or guardians serve in the armed forces.

Funding is allocated based on the number of pupils who:

• Are currently entitled to Free School Meals (FSM);
• Have received Free School Meals at any point in the last six years (Ever 6 FSM);
• Are currently, or have previously been, in the care of the local authority;
• Are children from ‘Services Families’.
   

How do I apply?
 If you believe your child may be eligible for Pupil Premium funding, please contact a member of our school office staff for support and further information.

Alternatively, you can apply for Free School Meals by:

• Telephone: Call Leicester City Council on 0116 454 1009 (option 3)
• Online: Visit the Leicester City Council website: Free School Meals Application
• Email: education-fsm@leicester.gov.uk
   

How Sandfield Close Primary School Uses Pupil Premium Funding
At Sandfield Close Primary School, Pupil Premium funding is utilised to provide additional support to disadvantaged pupils to help close the attainment gap. This includes targeted interventions, extra support in literacy and numeracy, and access to enrichment activities. We regularly monitor the impact of these measures to ensure they effectively meet the individual needs of our pupils and support their academic progress.

Pupil Premium Strategy Overview (2024–2027)
Our strategy aims to ensure all pupils make good progress academically, recognising and respecting their individuality and capacity to reach their full potential. We focus on:

• Quality First Teaching: Ensuring high-quality teaching for all pupils.
• Targeted Academic Support: Providing additional support where needed.
• Early Intervention: Addressing challenges promptly.
• Effective Enrichment Opportunities: Offering activities that broaden experiences.
   

We also aim to engage families in education and support them in having high aspirations for their children.

Key Challenges Identified
We have identified several challenges among our disadvantaged pupils:

1. Low attainment on entry.
2. Poor levels of language development.
3. Increasing levels of social, emotional, and mental health needs.
4. Lack of cultural capital.
5. Declining levels of parental engagement.
6. High proportion of pupils within the Designated Special Provision (DSP) who are disadvantaged.
7. Parents are not always seeking FSM due to personal reasons.
    

Intended Outcomes
 By the end of our current strategy plan, we aim to:

• Close the attainment gap for pupils with low entry levels.
• Improve communication skills, including vocabulary development.
• Enhance emotional regulation and self-awareness.
• Increase attendance rates for disadvantaged pupils to match non-PP pupils.
   

For more detailed information, please refer to our full Pupil Premium Strategy Statement below.