Pupil Premium is additional funding provided by the Department for Education to support schools in improving the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils. The funding is intended to help remove barriers to learning, raise attainment and ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
For the 2026/27 financial year, the Pupil Premium funding rates for secondary pupils are:
- £1,100 for each pupil in Years 7 to 11 who is eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) or has been eligible for Free School Meals within the past six years (FSM Ever 6).
- £2,690 for each Looked-After Child (LAC) and Previously Looked-After Child (PLAC).
- £360 for each eligible Service Child through the Service Pupil Premium.
The Service Pupil Premium is additional funding intended to support children and young people from service families, including helping schools address the potential impact of mobility and parental deployment.
Statement of Intent
At Energy Coast UTC, we are committed to ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or personal circumstances.
We believe that every pupil should develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and character they need to progress successfully into further education, higher education, apprenticeships and employment.
Our approach to Pupil Premium is rooted in high expectations, strong relationships and a commitment to removing barriers to achievement. We recognise that disadvantage can affect pupils in different ways and therefore use evidence, assessment and our knowledge of individual pupils to identify their needs and provide appropriate support.
We take a whole-school approach to improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Every member of staff has a role to play in ensuring that disadvantaged pupils receive high-quality teaching, appropriate support and the encouragement they need to achieve their ambitions.
Our aim is for every pupil to leave Energy Coast UTC with confidence, ambition and genuine choice about their future.
How do we use our Pupil Premium funding?
Our Pupil Premium strategy focuses on identifying and addressing the barriers that may prevent disadvantaged pupils from making strong academic progress and achieving positive outcomes.
We use assessment information, attendance data, pastoral information and our professional knowledge of pupils to identify need. Our decisions are based on evidence rather than assumption, and we regularly evaluate the impact of our strategies to ensure that funding is being used effectively.
We recognise that the most effective use of Pupil Premium funding is not limited to academic intervention. Supporting disadvantaged pupils requires a whole-school approach that combines excellent teaching with targeted academic support and wider strategies designed to remove barriers to learning.
Our three key areas of support
1. Teaching and Learning
High-quality teaching is at the heart of our approach to improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.
We are committed to ensuring that every pupil experiences consistently strong teaching and learning. Staff are supported to develop their practice, use assessment effectively and adapt teaching to meet the needs of individual pupils.
We place a strong emphasis on:
- High expectations for all pupils.
- Effective classroom teaching and feedback.
- Identifying and addressing gaps in knowledge.
- Developing literacy, numeracy and subject-specific knowledge.
- Using assessment to inform teaching and intervention.
- Supporting pupils to become confident, independent learners.
Our approach is focused on helping pupilskeep up with their learning rather than having to catch up later.
2. Targeted and Academic Support
Where assessment and other evidence identifies a specific need, we provide targeted support to help pupils make progress.
This may include:
- One-to-one support.
- Small-group intervention.
- Targeted academic programmes.
- Additional support with literacy and numeracy.
- Revision and examination preparation.
- Mentoring and academic coaching.
- Support to address identified gaps in knowledge and understanding.
Interventions are carefully targeted and linked to pupils’ learning. We monitor their impact regularly and adapt our approach where necessary.
3. Wider Strategies
We recognise that barriers to achievement are not always academic.
Our wider strategies are designed to support pupils’ attendance, engagement, wellbeing, behaviour and readiness to learn. We work closely with pupils, families and relevant support services to identify and address barriers at an early stage.
Our wider support may include:
- Attendance support and intervention.
- Pastoral mentoring.
- Support with behaviour and engagement.
- Social and emotional support.
- Careers and progression guidance.
- Support with aspirations and future pathways.
- Enrichment and wider opportunities.
- Support for pupils and families where circumstances may affect learning.
At Energy Coast UTC, we want disadvantaged pupils to have access not only to excellent teaching, but also to the opportunities, experiences and support that enable them to thrive.
Our commitment
We are committed to using Pupil Premium funding strategically, transparently and effectively.
We will continue to evaluate the impact of our approach, respond to the needs of our pupils and ensure that disadvantaged young people are supported to achieve their very best.
Our ambition is simple: background should never determine a young person’s future.
