Click on the name of the policy to download the document

Admissions Policy and other forms for 2013-14 can be selected below:

• Admission Policy 2013-14
• Admissions Form 2013-14
• 6th Form Admissions Policy 2013-14
• Information for Year 7 parents EIA
• School Prospectus EIA

Other Policies regarding issues  related to staff available on request.

Pupil Premium

Every child with his/her individual needs and gifts is a unique gift from God.  All members of staff and governors accept responsibility for ‘socially disadvantaged’ pupils and are committed to meeting their pastoral, social and academic needs whilst at Oaklands.  This is an essential, integral part of the nature of a Catholic school community.

As with every child in our care, a child who is considered to be ‘socially disadvantaged’ is valued, respected and entitled to develop to his/her full potential, irrespective of need.

2011-2012 the school received £41,000  of Pupil Premium funding  for approximately  60 children identified through for free school meals (FSM) provision, or 12 per year group. The funding also includes revenue for looked after children.

The Government believes that the Pupil Premium, which is additional to main school funding, is the best way to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible and their wealthier peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most. The Pupil Premium is allocated to children from low-income families who are currently known to be eligible for FSM in both mainstream and non-mainstream settings and children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months.

The governors at Oaklands believe that  this money should be spent on the  students to which it is intended. Some of  the money is directed strategically, where best value is achieved by adding  the money to existing funding streams.  This  will directly benefit students who are attracted the premium, particularly if FSM children are over represented in these areas.

The governors also determined that some of the money is to be used operationally to meet the day to day needs of students that attract the provision. The school  welcomes  the additional finance and maintains that  over time this should make a difference to the lives of financially disadvantaged Oaklands students. Like all students at Oaklands FSM children are important, however the school believes that FSM students should not be stigmatised by overt identification.

How the money is distributed in 2011-12.

Strategic

£ 10,000 was allocated alongside additional school funding  to maintain smaller class sizes in KS3 and KS4 in Maths English and Science.
£8,000 was allocated to  be used alongside additional school funding  provide additional adults in the classroom.
£2,500 was allocated to provide the capacity to analysis the data necessary to track FSM children holistically.

Operational

£1,000 was set aside to contribute towards software that can track the learning and progress of specific groups of pupils. The forensic analysis that this software provides also staff to  personalise teaching and provide group intervention to ensure that students on examination courses are supported to gain the best outcomes they can.
£1,500 was set aside to contribute to on line learning content including ‘Clipbank’ and ‘I am learning’
£2,000 was set aside to support homework for FSM children. Firstly through the electronic recording of homework and secondly to run the after school home work club
£3,000 Has been used to extend the reach of specialist nurture groups and mentoring  groups. The school recognised that there are a higher density of FSM students within SEN provision and specialist nurture groups These students need additional support  in school or on entry to the school in order to enable them to adjust to the demands of secondary school and to make significant gains in their learning to catch up to the appropriate standard of expected attainment against their ability.
£2,000 Was  placed into our  equipment capitation provision. This money has been used where there is an identified barrier for learning, this could be a simple as the school having to purchase pens and paper  or uniform for a  student through  to the provision of  ICT equipment . All teaching staff are be required to identify additional provision for Pupil Premium students, over and above what would be expected for non premium students

The remaining has been used alongside additional school funding in the following ways:

• 50 additional staff hours to support students gain higher grades in English and mathematics at KS4.
• Additional costs associated with additional examination entries in order to support students in attempting examinations more than once.
• Booster Classes during out of school hours
• Improving whole school literacy

Our current outcomes for FSM students are very positive:

*Based on 3 levels of progress

** National figures not yet available

Plans for 2012 -2015

In addition to the recurrent costs associated  with existing commitments the school is going to make the following guarantee to FSM children.

• Access to homework club
• Access to breakfast club and a free school breakfast
• Extra curricular support in Maths and English at KS4 for students not making sufficient progress.
• Curricular support in Maths and English at KS3 for students not making sufficient progress.
• Access to ICT facilities out of school hours and in some instances loaning of school ICT equipment
• Free school meal
• A mentor/peer mentor if suitable
• Access to Health Suite before school
• Subsidy for trips and visits subject to the school policy
• Equipment subsidy
• IAG over and above that received by non FSM children
• Additional text books on request (Books remain property of the school)
• Access to parental support programme
• Access to holiday booster or revision support
• Uniform support
• Subsidy for  transport  to holiday booster sessions
• Parental administrative support at critical points for example, examination time and parents evening.
• Funding for specialist events to raise aspirations at KS4.

Parents who wish to know more about the Pupil Premium should contact the school.

Reporting to parents

The Local Governors Body at Oaklands will  ensure that there is an annual statement to parents on how the Pupil Premium funding has been used to support teaching and learning of groups of students, reference will be made to this in the  Oaklands News which is distributed in paper form and electronically