The Pupil Premium is a sum of money the school receives from the Government for each student who is either in receipt of Free School Meals (FSM) or who has been in receipt of them for any length of time during the last six years. We also receive money for students with parents who are serving in the Armed Forces. Nationally, the statistics show that students who are in receipt of FSM do less well than their peers in external exams. The aim of this money is to try to close that attainment gap. WMUTC has been allocated £40,205 of pupil premium funding for the academic year 2019-2020. The pupil premium value is allocated based on the number of students who are entitled to free school meals (or have received free school meals in the last 6 years) and the number of students in care. At the October 2019 Census, this was 43 students in total.
During the last year this pupil premium funding has been allocated to provide:
For our Y11 cohort there was a significant closing of the gap between PP students and non-PP students. The gap between PP students and the overall cohort was -0.09 compared to -0.51 in the previous year. This year’s group of students was a better representation of the overall cohort and covered the full cross-section in terms of prior attainment and ability, but represented a smaller proportion of the total year group. For our current Y10 cohort, tracking data demonstrates that this PP student group are on course to perform better than the overall cohort, currently with a gap of +0.09. Targeted intervention using an attendance officer and SLT has improved PP persistent absence.
Pupil Premium funding contributes to the funding of the Student Support Leader to provide coaching and mentoring for vulnerable students to ensure they are supported both academically and emotionally.
Funding has been used to provide support for students to ensure they make continuous progress and achieve the grades they are capable of in Maths and English. Student support is targeted to ensure all students (including pupil premium students) of all abilities are making their expected levels of progress and includes one to one withdrawal work.
Enrichment activities have been part-funded, information and guidance events, Saturday School, Holiday and Saturday revision, trips throughout the year, praise and motivation breakfasts and a range of other activities to support student development and progress. One of the ways in which your child is supported at West Midlands UTC in through the engagement with real employers on projects that are grounded in real scenarios. This includes the opportunities to work with and present work to professionals from the construction sector, visit real construction sites and engage with yearly work experience. Often this additional opportunity to engage with the work closely related to industry helps students from all backgrounds see a purpose beyond their immediate exams. Coupled with mentors from industry, who are often able to draw parallels with the students, the increased sense of purpose students feel often leads to a direct positive impact in their attendance and attitude towards education.
The following has been purchased to support learning: Art and D&T resources, ICT equipment, SAM Learning, revision guides, transport arrangements, school uniform, PE kits and breakfasts to support student progress, attendance and development.
The funding allocated for 2019-2020 will continue to support students in similar ways as identified above to ensure all the students receive outstanding teaching, care, guidance, and support.