Pupil Premium at Boasley Cross – Our Approach
At Boasley Cross Primary School, we believe that every child—regardless of background—deserves the best possible start in life. The Pupil Premium grant is one of the ways we ensure this happens. It provides additional funding from the government to support pupils who may face barriers to learning, including those eligible for free school meals, children in care or previously in care, and children from service families. Its central purpose is to help schools improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.
Rather than seeing Pupil Premium as a separate strand of provision, we weave it into our whole‑school approach to teaching, learning, wellbeing and opportunity. National guidance emphasises that schools should make funding decisions based on strong evidence, within the framework of the DfE’s “menu of approaches”, and with a focus on ensuring high‑quality teaching for all. This chimes with our school ethos: that great classroom practice, thoughtful relationships, and timely support make the biggest difference to children’s lives.
Who receives the Pupil Premium? Pupil Premium is allocated to pupils in school year groups from Reception to Year 11 from low income families who are registered for FSM, or who have been registered for FSM at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6’), together with children that have been in care continuously for 6 months or more.
This is significant additional money for schools to spend on supporting disadvantaged pupils and schools are very keen to ensure that all eligible pupils are ‘signed up’. Grants are based on those pupils included in the January schools’ census.
How can parents access this support for the benefit of their child?
Parents must apply for free school meals via Devon Citizens Portal
You will need your National Insurance Number, date of birth, name and child’s details.
Our Principles
1. High‑quality teaching sits at the heart of our strategy
Research and guidance consistently show that excellent teaching is the most effective lever for improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. We therefore prioritise approaches that strengthen classroom practice, deepen subject knowledge, and ensure lessons are adaptive, inclusive, and well‑scaffolded. Our aim is for all pupils—including those supported through Pupil Premium—to benefit from a curriculum that is ambitious, carefully sequenced, and delivered with expertise.
2. Support is targeted, thoughtful, and evidence‑informed
When additional help is needed, we use robust assessment and teacher insight to identify specific barriers to learning. This may include gaps in prior knowledge, challenges with language development, social and emotional needs, or reduced access to enrichment experiences. Targeted interventions and structured tutoring are chosen because they align with research evidence and meet the real needs of our pupils—not because they are generic “extras.”
3. We look at the whole child, not just academic outcomes
We recognise that learning is inseparable from wellbeing. Attendance, confidence, emotional security and a sense of belonging all shape how well pupils engage with education. Wider strategies—such as pastoral support, extracurricular opportunities, and family engagement—play an essential role in removing barriers and helping children thrive. This aligns with the DfE and EEF guidance, which highlight the importance of addressing non‑academic obstacles to learning.
4. Equity and inclusion are shared responsibilities
Every adult in our school plays a part in ensuring disadvantaged pupils feel valued, supported and challenged. We maintain high expectations for all pupils and foster an environment where success is celebrated and every child’s potential is recognised. National guidance stresses the importance of a whole‑school commitment to raising outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, which fully reflects the culture at Boasley Cross.
Our Pupil Premium Documents
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