Click to download our policies:

 Trust Pupil Premium Statement

 CCSC Pupil Premium Strategy 24 25

 

Pupil Premium: At a Glance

Chesterton Community Sports College uses Pupil Premium funding to ensure every pupil can “be the best they can be”.
We provide strong teaching, targeted academic support and wider opportunities so that disadvantaged pupils can achieve highly and thrive in school.

What we focus on:

• High-quality teaching in every classroom
• Targeted help with reading, writing, maths and crucial knowledge
• iPads and digital support for home and school learning
• Mental health, wellbeing and pastoral support
• Careers guidance and strong Post-16 preparation
• Subsidised trips, Creative Learning Week, clubs and cultural experiences

Why we do it:
Disadvantaged pupils may face challenges such as gaps in knowledge, lower reading ages, limited opportunities outside school, mental health pressures or attendance issues. Our strategy addresses these directly so that all pupils can succeed.

How we measure success:
We closely track progress, reading ages, attendance, enrichment participation, wellbeing and Post-16 destinations. Our last results show rising Progress 8 scores, improved reading growth and high engagement in enrichment activities.

Our aim is simple:
Close the attainment gap, raise aspirations, and give every pupil the knowledge, confidence and opportunities they need for their future.

 

Pupil Premium at Chesterton Community Sports College

At Chesterton Community Sports College, we want every pupil to “be the best they can be”. Our Pupil Premium strategy is designed to ensure that disadvantaged pupils receive the right teaching, intervention and wider support to help them achieve highly, develop confidence and experience a rich and ambitious curriculum.

Around 30% of our pupils are eligible for Pupil Premium funding. Research shows that disadvantaged pupils often face additional barriers, including gaps in prior knowledge, lower reading ages, reduced access to wider opportunities, and challenges linked to wellbeing, attendance and support at home. Our strategy responds directly to these needs and is shaped by the Education Endowment Foundation’s evidence-based guidance.

We follow a three-tiered approach to ensure funding has the greatest impact:

1. High-Quality Teaching for All

Strong classroom teaching makes the biggest difference. Funding supports:

• Recruitment and retention of specialist staff, especially in MFL, Science and Maths
• A well-planned, knowledge-rich curriculum
• Staff CPD through exam boards, National College training and SEND/transition expertise
• A dedicated Primary Transition Leader to strengthen links with feeder schools
• Adaptive teaching approaches based on reading ages, crucial knowledge and pupils’ needs

2. Academic Support

Where pupils need additional help, we provide targeted interventions including:

• Small-group tuition and subject-specific booster sessions
• Specialist reading support, SORA engagement and phonics-based intervention
• GL assessments to identify misconceptions and gaps in knowledge
• Structured catch-up for pupils needing academic recovery
• iPads for all pupils, with extra guidance for families who need support using technology

3. Wider Opportunities and Pastoral Support

We aim to broaden experiences and support the whole child by funding:

• Creative Learning Week (heavily subsidised for disadvantaged pupils)
• Rewards day, curriculum trips, cultural visits and residential opportunities
• Counselling, emotional coaching and mental health support
• Attendance initiatives and pastoral intervention
• Music tuition for GCSE pupils
• Careers guidance, Post-16 visits, apprenticeship support and Unifrog tracking
• Engagement in sport, clubs and extra-curricular activities

Our intention is clear: to close the attainment gap, improve wellbeing and attendance, and ensure disadvantaged pupils leave school with strong qualifications, ambition and the confidence to move successfully to Post-16 education or training.

 

Our Key Challenges and How We Address Them

Our strategy directly responds to the nine main challenges we have identified among disadvantaged pupils at CCSC:

1. Gaps in prior knowledge and misconceptions

We deliver a sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum and use recap, low-stakes quizzing and targeted intervention to rebuild foundations.

2. Difficulty applying knowledge independently

Adaptive teaching, modelling, scaffolding and structured practice help pupils move from recall to application.

3. Limited support at home with technology

All pupils receive an iPad, and we provide additional help for families who need support navigating online learning.

4. Lack of wider cultural experiences

We subsidise trips, events, CLW, RSE days, sport, visits and clubs, ensuring disadvantaged pupils access experiences that widen knowledge and aspiration.

5. Increased wellbeing and mental health needs

We offer emotional coaching, pastoral support, counselling, first-aid trained staff, a strengthened safeguarding team and targeted family work.

6. Low resilience and limited understanding of post-16 options

We provide careers education, Post-16 visits, mentoring and application support to raise ambition and ensure pupils progress confidently beyond GCSEs.

7. Low reading and spelling ages

Testing three times a year informs teacher planning. We run targeted reading intervention, phonics, SORA engagement, reading mentoring and form-time reading.

8. Lower attendance and punctuality

Pastoral teams, Heads of Year and attendance staff work closely with families. Patterns are tracked, barriers identified and support put in place quickly.

9. Difficulties with uniform and equipment

We provide practical help to ensure all pupils feel part of the school community and can access learning without stigma or disadvantage.

This approach means support is targeted where it will have the greatest impact while still benefiting the wider school community.

 

How We Measure Impact

We continually evaluate the success of our Pupil Premium strategy to ensure funding is used effectively and outcomes improve year on year.

Academic Measures

• Progress 8 and Attainment 8 for disadvantaged pupils
• English and Maths GCSE outcomes
• EBacc entry and achievement
• Reading and spelling tests (three times per year)
• Internal exams, class assessments and subject data
• Coursework and controlled assessment tracking
• Pupil Passports and individual target reviews

Engagement and Access Measures

• Attendance and persistent absence tracking
• Participation in trips, clubs, competitions and cultural events
• SORA downloads and reading engagement
• Unifrog records of experiences and careers activity
• Uptake of music tuition and enrichment
• Creative Learning Week participation

Wider Outcomes

• Pupil and parent surveys
• Behaviour and conduct logs
• Mental health and wellbeing indicators
• Post-16 destination data (including NEET, apprenticeships and A-levels)
• RONI tracking and targeted support for at-risk pupils

Annual Review

We publish an annual Pupil Premium Statement showing:

• how funding has been spent
• the impact of last year’s strategy
• how the next year’s plan is shaped
• progress towards closing the attainment gap

Our last outcomes show improved Progress 8 scores for disadvantaged pupils, strong reading growth, very high engagement in enrichment, increased music uptake and attendance above national average for disadvantaged pupils.