WHAT IS PUPIL PREMIUM?
The Pupil Premium Grant (PPG) is provided by the Government in addition to the main school funding. It is the Government’s belief that this is the best way to address the underlying inequalities between students eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers, as it ensures that funding given to tackle disadvantage can be directly targeted at the students who need it most.
The Government allows the Academy to decide how best to spend the PPG, but requires us to explain how the additional funding has supported our students. At Manchester Communication Academy, we find Pupil Premium an essential component to our school funding, which allows us to introduce, analyse and build strategies which help ensure our students to have a complete educational experience, attain their full potential and narrow the ‘gap’ between them , their peers in school and also students who are not eligible for this funding nationally.
HOW WILL THE IMPACT OF THE SPENDING OF THE PUPIL PREMIUM GRANT BE MEASURED?
The analysis below sets out how this funding has been allocated across areas of expenditure during the year to address underlying inequality, improve attainment and behaviour, extend opportunities, develop skills and personal qualities and ‘close the gap’ between students eligible for PP funding and their peers. At MCA the cycle of data collection and the monitoring and tracking of the cohort’s attainment, will be used to inform student progress and enable the early identification of need, support and appropriate intervention.
An internal review is completed at least once a term to measure progress towards objectives. A key link governor for pupil premium will oversee this process. In addition, further monitoring reviews will be completed by an external reviewer.
PUPIL PREMIUM REVIEW AT MCA BY MARC ROWLAND
Marc Rowland is a national expert on the use of Pupil Premium to improve outcomes for
disadvantaged learners.
REVIEW VISIT
During 2023, Marc Rowland visited Manchester Communication Academy to complete a review of the current Pupil Premium Strategy.
It involved a range of detailed discussions with senior leaders, a governor, a group of middle leaders, teachers and a range support staff. There was a number of informal conversations with pupils. There was also a series of lesson observations, intervention observations and a documentation review.
KEY FINDINGS FROM THE VISIT
The outcome of the review was overwhelmingly positive with positive statements made about all aspects of the school, including its staff, students and the wider community. Below is a series of statements from the report:
1. Manchester Communication Academy is an inspirational school. Staff at all levels work to ensure that all pupils are thriving in school life – in the classroom, in terms of personal development, pastoral care and during unstructured times.
2. There is a collective understanding of the impact of disadvantage on pupils’ learning at the academy. Individuals all understand their roles in how to address it.
3. Staff see their work at the academy as a privilege. They do not underestimate the challenges the community faces, but they work tirelessly to address those challenges. Staff are overwhelmingly positive in their interactions with pupils – in the
classroom and in wider school life. Staff enjoy interacting with pupils, model positive body language relentlessly.
4. Leaders and staff also value their community. They believe in that community and welcome them into the school. This welcome is not limited to parents and families of pupils attending the academy. The leadership team lives its values. Older members of the local community feel like they belong at the school.
5. The academy is a joy for its pupils. In terms of academic learning in the classroom, the building of a curriculum that couples high academic expectations, rooted in the lives of MCA pupils to the joy of the fish and chip hut on a Friday. Pupils enjoy these
experiences because adults do so.
6. Every single adult who joined discussions spoke with positivity and purpose. Their interest was in the pupils experiencing success, whatever their roles were in school. Staff speak with one voice. They buy into the community and are rightly proud of their work.
7. Manchester Communication Academy is an inspirational school. Pupils and staff face multiple challenges, but they do so with energy, commitment, intelligence, good humour and positivity. Staff are experts in their areas of responsibility. There is a
strong sense of teamwork. Colleagues are proud of their pupils and proud of each other.