St Joseph’s Cathedral Primary School

PUPIL DEVELOPMENT GRANT STRATEGY STATEMENT

This statement details our school’s use of the PDG for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

It outlines our strategy, how we intend to spend the funding in this academic year and the effect that last year’s spending had within our school.

School Overview

Detail	Data
School name	St Joseph’s Cathedral Primary School
Number of pupils in school	480
Proportion (%) of PDG eligible pupils	24%
Date this statement was published	September 2023
Date on which it will be reviewed	July 2024
Statement authorised by	A Heald
PDG Lead	Angela Heald
Governor Lead	Mary Clare Pitson

 Funding Overview

Detail	Amount
PDG funding allocation this academic year	£126,500
Total budget for this academic year	£126,500

Part A: Strategy Plan

Statement of Intent

We want all pupils to make progress irrespective of their background or financial need. We want to ensure funding can be allocated appropriately to ensure all pupils have equal opportunity when accessing learning and extra-curricular opportunities. We want all pupils to have equal opportunities and equity of provision so they are not discriminated against. We want to ensure we are inclusive of the needs of all pupils and their wider families.

Intended Outcomes

This explains the outcomes we are aiming for by the end of our current strategy plan, and how we will measure whether they have been achieved.

Intended outcome	Success criteria
Pupils are not discriminated against in access to appropriate school uniform	Use of school uniform grant Provision within school for clean good quality second hand uniform Non-compulsory use of branded uniform Governors to discuss WG uniform guidance at FGB meeting October 2023
Quality provision for childcare	Financial restrictions do not impact on children being able to access wraparound care or after school provision
Children have access to wider opportunity provision	School can provide access to and availability of music, sporting and drama activities
All children have access to high quality teaching and learning	Support is given for additional learning interventions where identified Poverty is not a barrier to learning

Activity in this academic year

 This details how we intend to spend our PDG this academic year to address the challenges listed above.

In teaching and learning we have a non-teaching ALNCo whose focus is to ensure the curriculum is inclusive for all learners including those entitled to FSM. The focus of the ALNCo is to organise staff training, to deploy staff appropriately and to monitor closely learning for pupils who have additional learning needs. A school priority this year will focus on universal and targeted provision We have employed a teacher to focus on early intervention for pupils who need additional support in reading and writing. Alongside small group focused intervention in read, write, inc, for all pupils we have additional teaching support for vulnerable groups to ensure they do not fall behind. Teaching assistants have access to high quality training to enable them to support pupils effectively. Nursery is organised into two classes with well trained staff enabling a range of early intervention strategies particularly in speech and language and PSD skills to support pupils Pastoral staff support families with attendance, wider family support and social care needs. This supports the wellbeing strategy as well as engaging families and those at risk of becoming disaffected.

Learning and Teaching

Budgeted cost: £ 100,000

Activity	Evidence that supports this approach
Employment of teaching assistants, pastoral staff	High quality support in classroom – observations, quality of work, progress by pupils. High levels of attendance. Aware of poverty agenda with all staff
Employment of additional teaching staff	Attainment gap with vulnerable pupils is narrowed. Focused and targeted support address needs of pupils High quality provision available as a result of well trained staff

Community Schools

 Budgeted cost: £20,000

Activity	Evidence that supports this approach
ESOL Classes for parents	Support for parents impacting on ability to better support children
School foodbank – Y Pantri and uniform shop	Support for wider family network to ensure poverty agenda is raised within school community
ALNCo drop in sessions	Targeted support for vulnerable families linking with a wide range of agency support

 Wider strategies (for example and where applicable, Health and Well-being, Curriculum and Qualifications, Leadership and Raising Aspirations)

Budgeted cost: £ 20,000

Activity	Evidence that supports this approach
Wider opportunities in music and sport	Swansea music service support – Equity in music provision for all pupils – all pupils in Y1/R have early years music, all pupils in Y2 have violin lessons All pupils in Y4/5 have swimming lessons Targeted support for pupils to access after school clubs; equipment bought where needed
Access to wraparound childcare and after school club	Support to families to access job market through reduced price childcare Social care need identifies provision of wraparound would be beneficial to family
Thrive trained practitioners	Thrive training allows staff to deliver sessions for pupils identified as needing well-being support

 Total budgeted cost: £140,000

Part B: Review of outcomes in the previous academic year

PDG outcomes

Baseline data indicates that most pupils entered Nursery and Reception with skills below average. Using carefully planned programmes and intervention strategies pupils make rapid progress. This is seen in books and through discussions with pupils. It is also seen in assessments, particularly in reading, where progress of pupils is accelerated.

In personalised assessments many children made progress in line with their ability, some making accelerated progress.

Pupils progress meetings, scrutiny of work and data indicates that pupils are making good progress from their starting point.

Using ‘pass survey’ data from Y1-6 we identify pupils who may have a negative view of school or themselves. Support is offered at class level or more a specialised provision where needed. From group nurture support to 1:1 thrive support, staff within school provide this through our universal provision. Where support is needed beyond that available within school, this has been through services such as the Baxter therapeutic service, sessions with CAMHS practitioner and Exchange counselling service.

All staff are aware of vulnerable groups and these are carefully tracked and discussed at pupil progress meetings where provision for these pupils is reviewed. Support is also offered to the wider family where needed. This has been popular with parents as identified in our parental surveys.

Update of music lessons is popular for all pupils. We provide a  free breakfast club daily for all pupils.

Support is offered to subsidise school extra-curricular experiences and events including a residential event. A number of school visits were subsidised enabling all children to experience a range of activities without the risk of financial worries for the family.