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Pupil Premium and 6th Form Bursaries

The management of pupil premium monies

How the funding is calculated

The allowance for Pupil Premium has been increased for 2012-2013, with £619 being allocated to the school for each student eligible for, but not necessarily in receipt of, free school meals as at the January 2012 census or in the 6 months previous. For the financial year 2012-2013, KGGS will receive funding for 42 students equalling £25,998; the money being paid in 2 instalments, one payment for April – August 2012, the second payment covering the period from September 2012 – March 2013.

How the monies are used

Monies are not allocated directly to students nor tracked against them. Every child’s needs are different. The school maintains an overview of what is taking place and supports students as and when needs arise. We also rely on historical data as to how students have required support in the past.

In the 2011-2012 academic year KGGS had 21 students in receipt of free school meals, all of whom were subsidised each day so that they could purchase a meal of their choice to a value of £2.38. This was a subsidy of 16p per day per free school meal.

Pupil Premium was also used to assist parents who found it difficult to replace or purchase an item of uniform. During the year we provided funding for shoes, outdoor coats and bags in particular, although many other items of uniform were purchased in specific instances, GCSE Sports kit being a good example for just one or two students. School trips, visits and residential opportunities were also supported.

Gifted and talented students were assisted with master class fees or additional tuition through short courses, residential placements and summer schools. Books or additional texts required for revision purposes were also purchased throughout the year. Some students had daily transport costs for travel to and from school funded.

Pupil Premium income was also used to support the employment of one of our team, who is a trained counsellor, to provide pastoral support. This member of staff worked very effectively throughout the year not only with students but also with parents.

Last year we did not request evidence of financial hardship, preferring to trust parents who told us that they had difficulties in paying for any of the above; we accepted what they said and provided assistance.

In 2012–2013 academic year there are 18 students in receipt of free school meals. It is anticipated that the management of pupil premium monies will be in line with last year.

Impact of the Pupil Premium

All students are closely monitored throughout the school in terms of their achievement against set targets which are derived from national data, based on prior attainment and in terms of levels of motivation. The school also monitors the performance of a number of subgroups e.g. English as an acquired language and those who qualify for Free School Meals. All the evidence we have clearly demonstrates that the students in the subgroups achieve at least in line with the main group. In terms of achievement, there is no link between underperformance and disadvantage. The students supported by the Pupil Premium have performed in line with expectations and their peers within the main group. The Pupil Premium has ensured that they have not been disadvantaged.

Service Children

For the 2012-2013 financial year, KGGS will receive £7,000 in lieu of the number of service children attending the school. Owing to issues with regard to data protection, we are unable to state the number of children this represents.
Service children can supported in the same way as Pupil Premium Students, although rather than dealing with cases of financial hardship, the fund exists to support the students in other ways. For example, an element of this money supports the work of the school’s trained councillor (as outlined above) to provide help and guidance for students and their parents. The school also provides additional tutoring and ‘catch up’ support for service children when they first arrive. This is in recognition of any potential problems they may experience when adapting to new subject options and/ or examination specifications.
Although the numbers of service children is relatively small, the interventions we provide ensure that they experience a smooth transition into the life of the school. The success of these strategies is clearly demionstrated in the fact that they perform in line with expectations in terms of other students of similar ability.

Bursary Funding for 6th Form Students

Introduction

The bursary was introduced to 6th Form students at the start of the school year in September 2011 and is open for applications three times a year during September, January and April. To qualify for support, students are required to provide evidence of financial hardship; information regarding family income thresholds is provided to assist with this process.

Students are invited to apply for funding for specific items rather than being given a set financial sum each week. As part of this process, the school requires invoices or receipts for the items requested and also transfers money directly to other school accounts.

Young people in care, care leavers, young people in receipt of income support and disabled young people in receipt of Disability Living Allowance will be eligible to receive a bursary of £1,200 a year. We are not aware of any of our students being in any of these categories.

How the monies allocated are used

During the 2011-2012 school year the Bursary Fund was £13,110 and financial assistance was provided to 19 students in the Autumn Term, 16 in the Spring Term and 18 in the Summer Term. Students used this funding towards the cost of: items of formal dress; post-16 transport; curriculum trips and visits; additional text books and revision guides; fees for module resits; open day travel; audition fees (plus associated travel) and accommodation; music lessons; stationery and additional materials which need to be purchased for particular subjects, such as safety glasses and lab coats for Science and practical materials for Art, Photography and DT. All requests for support were met, we retained a 5% administration fee and still had money to distribute at the end of the year; this was shared out amongst those who had made claims.

The indicative fund for 2012-2013 is lower than last year with possibly only £12,000 being made available to meet all requests. We have already received 33 applications and may well receive more throughout the year; it is clear that we will not be able to fund all requests in full. This year’s KGGS 16-19 Bursary Fund Statement is available on the school website and includes guidance as to what might be appropriate levels of assistance.

Impact of the Bursary Fund

All students are closely monitored throughout the 6th Form in terms of their achievement against set targets which are derived from national data based on prior attainment; data which is not contextualized. The school also monitors the performance of a number of subgroups e.g. English as an acquired language and those who qualify for Free School Meals. The performance of those in receipt of bursary funding is also carefully monitored and we can clearly demonstrate that this group of students, having been supported, has performed in line with expectations and their peers within the main group.

Examples of the way in which the bursary has made an impact include:

  • Students, having received funding for Open Days and Admissions tests, were able to confidently make decisions on their universities of choice and went on to gain places on their first choice courses.
  • Access to short courses and summer schools, such as those provided by Headstart, enabled students to be both better informed and better able to compete for places on the most competitive courses.
  • Strategic resit decisions were made, enabling students to gain the results required for their first choice places.
  • Performing Arts students were able to continue their instrumental studies beyond the examination period ensuring maintenance and improvement of levels of expertise prior to taking up places on performance courses.

Several performing arts students were funded for auditions to prestigious courses giving them the best chance of achieving the most appropriate course for each individual.

Home to School Transport 2012/2013

Do you live in Lincolnshire? Is your child going to Sixth Form in September? If you answered Yes to these questions please read this leaflet.

KGGS 16 – 19 Bursary Fund

For more information on the 16-19 Bursary Fund please click here.

 

Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales.
Company number 08133675. The registered office is at Sandon Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9AU.

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