Pupil Premium
Investing in every child, whatever their starting point
We believe every child has the right to an excellent education, irrespective of their background or the challenges they face. Our Pupil Premium funding is central to making that a reality.
Pupil Premium grant allocation 2025–2026: £531,765
Our context
Understanding where our children come from
Pallister Park Primary School is located in Middlesbrough. All year groups are three form entry and there are two nurseries on site taking children from age 2. The area in which school is located, and the surrounding areas, are amongst the most deprived in the country.
In November 2023, 99% of our pupils were living in an area classed as one of the 10% most deprived areas in England. A further breakdown shows 93% of pupils lived in an area within the 5% most deprived nationally. The school is ranked 680th out of just under 33,000 educational settings in England by deprivation.
It is also important to note that the majority of children we class as “non-disadvantaged” still come from within the 5% most deprived areas in the country — they have simply fallen just short of the official threshold. We support every child’s needs regardless of whether they are formally designated as Pupil Premium.
530
Pupils in school
66%
Pupil Premium eligible
99%
of pupils in the 10% most deprived areas nationally
93%
of pupils in the 5% most deprived areas nationally
Our three-year plan 2024–2027
Key objectives
1
Narrow the attainment gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally and within our own school data
2
Enable all disadvantaged pupils to exceed nationally expected progress rates and reach Age Related Expectation by the end of Year 6
3
Ensure disadvantaged pupils are challenged and stretched in their work — not just supported to meet the expected standard
4
Act early and intervene at the point need is identified, with a whole-school approach in which all staff take responsibility for disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes
How we spend it
This year’s spending — £531,765
Our spending is organised across three evidence-informed categories, in line with guidance from the Education Endowment Foundation and the Department for Education.
£285,810
Teaching quality
An additional teacher in every year group to reduce class sizes. Evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation shows smaller classes improve opportunities for effective teaching and accelerate learning by approximately two months per year. Smaller classes also allow staff to establish stronger relationships with every child and target tasks appropriately.
£128,000
Targeted academic support
Additional Teaching Assistants providing reading and phonics support and small group interventions in English and maths (£110,000). Investment in reading resources to develop a love of reading (£6,000). A lunchtime reading programme in which supervisors listen to children read, building relationships, confidence and enjoyment (£12,000).
£92,350
Wider strategies
Emotional and social wellbeing support (£72,000). Attendance improvement through a strategic attendance lead, pastoral support and an Education Welfare Officer (£14,000). Holiday school in partnership with our feeder secondary school for Years 4, 5 and 6 (£6,000). Deprivation data analysis to inform governors and staff (£350).
Beyond the classroom
50 Things To Do Before You Leave Pally
At the heart of our provision is a commitment to make sure every child has the childhood they deserve — full of real experiences, exciting opportunities and lasting memories. Our 50 Things list is a promise to every pupil that passes through our doors.
Activities are planned across every year group from Nursery to Year 6, with each stepping up in ambition as children grow. Examples include:
Nursery — meeting Santa’s elves
Reception — a trip to the farm
Year 1 — going to the pantomime
Year 2 — a trip to the seaside
Year 3 — visiting Great Ayton caves
Year 4 — hiking across the North York Moors to Captain Cook’s Monument
Year 5 — canoeing
Year 6 — residential trip to Carlton Outdoor Education Centre
Additional programmes & enrichment
Forest School — from Reception to Year 6
Magic Breakfast — healthy breakfast for every child
World Book Day — every child receives their own book
Times Table Rockstars & Reading Plus — specialist learning software
Year 6 Rubies programme — supporting girls ahead of secondary transition
Apollo Arts — additional teaching and learning through external arts agency
KS2 fruit at break time — every day
School water bottle for every child, replaced termly
End-of-year Fun Day and whole-school pantomime at Christmas
Pupil of the Week — celebrated in every class, every week
Full strategy
Pupil Premium Strategy Statement 2024–2027
Our full Pupil Premium Strategy Statement covers our three-year plan from 2024 to 2027. It includes our detailed statement of intent, a breakdown of the challenges our Pupil Premium pupils face, our intended outcomes and success criteria, a full activity and spending plan, and a review of outcomes from the previous academic year.
This statement is reviewed annually. It was authorised by H. Adams, with A. Oliver as Pupil Premium Lead and Richard Painter as Governor/Trustee Lead.
Evidence base
Our strategy is informed by research from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and guidance from the Department for Education. Activities are mapped to EEF evidence strands including reducing class size, small group tuition, oral language interventions, teaching assistant support, and the link between absence and attainment.
Questions about Pupil Premium at Pallister Park? Call us on 01642 242174 or email pkcontactus@oc1st.co.uk