- The percentage of FSM students achieving GCSE 5A*-C including English and Maths was 66% (29 students)
- The GCSE 5A*-C including English and Maths for non FSM students was 83% (267 students)
- 52% of non FSM students achieved the English Baccalaureate threshold at JFS compared with 48% of FSM students
The Government’s own published data (Raiseonline) indicates the above statistics are significantly above expectation compared with national level (for example, only 19% of Year 11 students nationally achieve A*-C in the E Bacc subjects: English, Maths, two Sciences, a Modern Foreign language and either Geography or History)
JFS is directing further Pupil Premium funding this year to targeted support for FSM students through further one to one tuition in English and Maths for identified GCSE students and to running additional pre-exam revision seminars and exploring on line tutoring support for the small number of underachieving students.
THE PUPIL PREMIUM
The Pupil Premium is additional funding, provided by the Government, to address the current attainment gap, a feature of achievement nationally, between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the students who need it most. All schools are expected to deploy this funding to narrow this attainment gap but have the freedom to spend this funding as they see fit based upon their knowledge of pupil needs.
JFS AND PUPIL PREMIUM
Both before and since the introduction of the Pupil Premium the practice of JFS, in accordance with our ethos, has been to ensure that all students, irrespective of family circumstances, have equal opportunities to participate fully in all aspects of school life. Ensuring the highest quality of teaching and learning in the classroom as well as a rich menu of activities to complement and enhance the formal curriculum is the most effective way to ensure all students benefit from the opportunities here. Nevertheless, the pupil premium allows us to extend funding in areas we have long provided targeted support for: visits, travel costs (especially as many of our free school meals students live some distance from the school) and individualised tuition in English and Maths.
For 2012-13 JFS has received £85,240 to fund support for 136 students (an average of just over £600 for each student). Funding, both last year and this, has been allocated to support the following areas:
1. Curriculum provision
- Specific setting provision in Years 8 and 9 to support lower achieving students
- Links with Capel Manor for identified group of SEN students.
2. Targeted interventions
- Paired Reading programme for Years 7 and 8
- Individualised support in Maths and English, including now for some GCSE students
- Additional Careers and Higher Education guidance and support (eg subsidised costs of pre-admissions tests seminars and interview practice sessions as well as subsiding Morrisby Profiles for Year 11 students to assist with improving progression choices).
- Extended Services provision, including student to student tutoring led by Sixth Form students (support for travel and refreshment costs)
- Music bursaries
- Enhanced learning resources and additional revision materials
- Provision of laptops for targeted students
- Additional Mentoring provision.
3. Enrichment and Visits
- Support for school visit/ travel costs
- LRC Homework Club.