Higham Lane seeks to offer and deliver a curriculum, both academic and extra-curricular, which is rich in breadth and depth - designed to ‘Help Learners Succeed’ regardless of ability or background underpinned by a culture of high expectations and high aspirations. A bespoke package of support, tailored to individual needs, enables all our learners to overcome any potential barriers to their learning.

While high quality teaching is at the heart of our approach, we also recognise the importance of enrichment and extra-curricular activities to overcome the disadvantage gap in cultural capital and therefore we ensure our pupil premium students have access to the absolute best school experience, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Our Pupil Premium strategy aligns with the DfE’s Menu of Approaches which enables us to focus our use of finances on the right students and the most effective provision.

Therefore, our strategy focuses on three key areas:

Teaching

• High-quality teaching for all
• Effective diagnostic assessment
• Supporting remote learning
• Focusing on professional development
• Year 7 and 8 Reading for betterment form time reading programme

Targeted academic support

• High-quality one to one and small group tuition
• Teaching Assistants and targeted support
• Academic mentoring

Wider strategies

• Supporting students’ social, emotional and behavioural needs
• Communicating with and supporting parents
• Study skills sessions
• Provision of relevant learning resources which may include: English set texts, calculators, revision guides, PE off site activities
• Cost of curriculum/field work trips
• Individual counselling from school counsellor
• Additional careers advice (IAG) to any students highlighted as requiring further guidance
• Instrument lessons
• Duke of Edinburgh award scheme
• Extra-curricular trips
• Proportionality of leadership roles- all house captain teams include disadvantaged learners.

What is the Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium was introduced in 2011. It is additional funding from the government designed to support eligible pupils from a range of disadvantaged backgrounds with the aim of helping bridge the gap in attainment – both nationally and at the individual school level. It is up to each school to determine how to spend this funding although the government gives guidance and recommends using the menu of approaches set out by the Education Endowment Fund (EEF) – High Quality Teaching, Targeted Academic Support, Wider Strategies. These form the basis of the Pupil Premium Strategy Statement the school is required to produce each year.

Why does the Government provide a Pupil Premium?

The government believes that poverty/low income is the single most important factor in predicting a child’s future life chances. Many pupils from low-income families have lower attainment at the age of 16 than non-disadvantaged peers. The government believes that the Pupil Premium is the best way to address these inequalities by ensuring that funding is used to support the disadvantaged pupils who need it the most.

Pupil Premium categories

There are various groups of students the government has identified as eligible for additional funding via the Pupil Premium/Pupil Premium Plus.

Free School Meals - The most common reason a pupil receives Pupil Premium funding is because they are eligible for Free School Meals.

Ever 6 - Have been eligible for Free School Meals in the past 6 years.

Service Children - Children of armed service personnel are also eligible. Service children are children and young people from families where one or more parents is currently in the British armed forces. Pupils attract the premium if they meet the following criteria

One of their parents is serving in the regular armed forces

One of their parents served in the regular armed forces in the last 3 years

One of their parents died while serving in the armed forces and the pupil (family) is in receipt of a pension under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and the War Pensions Scheme

Looked After Children - Schools receive a larger premium for each pupil that is currently in the care of a local authority.

Post Looked After Child - Schools will also receive a larger premium for each pupil who has left local authority care because of one of the following:

• Adoption
• Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
• Child Arrangements Order
• Residence Order

Anyone who thinks they might be entitled to Free School Meals should apply via www.warwickshire.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

If you have any questions/queries about Pupil Premium, please contact Miss R Charles via contactus@highamlaneschool.co.uk

Higham Lane School's Pupil Premium Strategy Statement for 2025-26 is available in PDF format below.