Pupil Premium

At South Axholme Academy, we are committed to ensuring that a student's background never determines their future. Nationally, disadvantaged students continue to achieve less well than their non disadvantaged peers. We refuse to accept that this gap is inevitable. Instead, our guiding principle is "Disadvantaged First." This mantra underpins our decision making across teaching and learning, pastoral care, curriculum design and wider opportunities, ensuring that disadvantaged students remain at the forefront of everything we do.

Students eligible for Pupil Premium funding include those who are currently eligible for Free School Meals, have been eligible at any point within the last six years (Ever 6), children who are looked after by a local authority, children who have previously been looked after through adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements orders, and service children. Whilst these students attract additional funding, we recognise that disadvantage is not always defined by eligibility criteria alone. Where appropriate, we also direct support towards students who may not qualify for Pupil Premium funding but who face significant barriers to learning.

Approximately 20% of students at South Axholme Academy are currently eligible for Pupil Premium funding, compared with a national average of around 25.7%. Over the past several years, we have seen an increase of more than 5% in the proportion of disadvantaged students attending the Academy. Government funding is allocated on a financial year basis and is used strategically to remove barriers to learning, improve academic achievement and ensure all students can fully participate in Academy life.

Our commitment to disadvantaged students is reflected in our leadership structure. South Axholme Academy has a dedicated Assistant Principal with strategic responsibility for Pupil Premium, ensuring that disadvantaged students remain at the forefront of Academy improvement. We often describe this role as leading an additional "year group", recognising that the needs of disadvantaged students span every year group and every aspect of Academy life. This reflects our unwavering commitment to our "Disadvantaged First" approach and our promise to ensure this group of students is continually championed, monitored and supported at both a strategic and operational level.

As outlined in our three year Pupil Premium Strategy, every disadvantaged student is carefully monitored and tracked throughout their time at the Academy. Leaders, teachers and pastoral staff work collaboratively to identify barriers early, monitor progress closely and ensure that timely intervention is provided where needed. Every disadvantaged student has a Pupil Premium Passport, enabling staff to understand their individual strengths, barriers and the strategies that best support them both inside and outside the classroom.

Support is carefully tailored to each student and may include high quality classroom adaptation, academic mentoring, literacy and numeracy intervention, attendance support, wellbeing provision, enrichment opportunities, careers guidance and targeted pastoral support. Our approach is informed by educational research, including guidance from the Education Endowment Foundation, recognising that Quality First Teaching remains the single most effective way to improve outcomes for disadvantaged students.

The impact of our Pupil Premium funding is reviewed regularly to ensure that resources are making a measurable difference. Academic outcomes, attendance, behaviour, participation in enrichment and wider personal development are all monitored closely, enabling leaders to refine support where necessary and ensure funding is used effectively.

We are exceptionally proud of the outcomes achieved by our disadvantaged students. Through our relentless focus on high expectations, evidence informed practice and personalised support, disadvantaged students at South Axholme Academy consistently make strong progress. Our disadvantaged students achieve outcomes that are above the national average for non disadvantaged students and more than one grade higher than the national average achieved by disadvantaged students. These outcomes demonstrate that, when barriers are identified early and addressed through high quality teaching and targeted support, disadvantage does not have to define achievement.

Whilst we are proud of these outcomes, we also recognise that our work is not complete. As the proportion of disadvantaged students within our Academy continues to grow, we remain committed to closing the attainment gap between our disadvantaged and non disadvantaged students within South Axholme Academy. We know there is always more to do, and we will continue to refine our practice, evaluate the impact of our provision and invest in the strategies that make the greatest difference. Our ambition is not simply to outperform national averages, but to ensure that every disadvantaged student achieves as highly as they are capable of.

If you think your child may be eligible for Free School Meals, we strongly encourage you to check your eligibility. Registering not only provides support for families but also enables the Academy to access additional funding that directly benefits students through enhanced teaching, targeted intervention and wider opportunities.

You can check your eligibility quickly and securely using the online Free School Meals eligibility checker at https://fsm.lgfl.net/.

If you would like support with checking your eligibility or completing an application, please contact the Academy by emailing admin@southaxholme-iet.co.uk. A member of our team will be happy to support you through the process.

Further information, including details of how Pupil Premium funding is allocated, monitored and evaluated, can be found in our Pupil Premium Strategy and Impact Report, available to download from the Academy website.

 

At South Axholme Academy, inclusion is about far more than providing additional support. It is about creating a culture where every student belongs, every student is valued and every student is given the opportunity to succeed. Through high quality teaching, carefully targeted intervention and unwavering ambition, we are committed to ensuring that every young person, regardless of need or background, can thrive academically, socially and personally.