At Harrietsham C of E Primary School we believe in an education for all. We aim to provide a highly creative and diverse curriculum suited to all learners despite their challenges in life.

It is the vision of Harrietsham Church of England Primary School that all pupils, irrespective of their background or the challenges they face, will flourish during their time at the school. We aim for all children to make good progress from their starting points and to achieve as highly as they are able to, across all subject areas.

High-quality teaching which is fun, active and challenging is at the heart of our approach, with a focus on areas in which pupils in receipt of the pupil premium grant require the most support. This is proven to have the greatest impact on closing the 'disadvantage attainment gap'.

Our approach will be responsive to common challenges and individual needs, rooted in robust diagnostic assessment. The approaches we adopt complement each other to help pupils excel. To ensure they are effective we:

• Ensure pupils in receipt of the pupil premium grant are challenged in their learning.
• Act early to intervene at the point need is identified.
• Adopt a whole-school approach in which all staff take responsibility for the outcomes of pupils in receipt of the pupil premium grant and raise expectations of what they can achieve.

The Pupil Premium grant

In 2011-12 the Government launched its Pupil Premium grant; money is sent to schools based on the numbers of children in the school who are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM). This money is allocated to initiatives to ensure children in receipt of the grant reach their full potential, both academically and socially.  In 2012, it was expanded to include all children who have been eligible for FSM within the last six years (Ever 6).  In addition, children whose parents work in the forces (service children), are looked after (LAC), or have previously been in local authority care (PLAC) are also entitled to a grant.

As an English state-funded primary school, we are in receipt of a Pupil Premium grant to ensure that all children within our school can reach their true potential. We do this in a variety of ways, from targeted support from experienced teaching staff, to subsidising residential trips.

Principles of the Pupil Premium grant

As a school community, including all staff, volunteers and the Governing Body, we are fully committed to ensuring that children eligible for pupil premium funding are given the same opportunities to be as successful as their peers.  We are committed to ensuring that their pastoral, social and academic needs are met in a nurturing environment.  We hope to ensure that each child leaves our school ready for their next academic chapter, recognising their strengths and being able to reflect positively on their areas of need.  We aspire to ensure that each child feels valued and proud of their progress, whether that be in the classroom, socially with friends or in widening their experiences.

As a school, we have developed a 3-year plan to ensure the strategic oversight of Pupil Premium funding.