Pupil Development Grant statement 2021-22
The purpose of the Pupil Development Grant is to improve the educational attainment of learners from low income families and who are entitled to free school meals (eFSM). Schools are expected to maximise the use of this funding by introducing sustainable strategies which will quickly lead to improved outcomes for learners entitled to free school meals.
As a school, we want to learn from the best practice in Wales and beyond by:
- Planning interventions that focus on improving the attainment of learners from deprived backgrounds, regularly monitoring pupils’ progress and evaluating the impact of the intervention.
- Integrating plans for the effective use of the PDG into the School Development Plan, basing our practice on sound evidence and including them as part of a whole school strategy.
- Balancing whole school strategies with targeted interventions to ensure that all learners entitled to free school meals benefit as individuals, whilst the whole school also develops ability to support every learner to achieve their full potential.
In 2021-22, Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan was allocated a total Pupil Development Grant of £262,200.
Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan has a comprehensive plan, agreed and monitored by GwE and Conwy Local Authority, to promote high expectations attainment and progress and to remove barriers to learning for learners entitled to this funding.
Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan will use this money to undertake the following activities during 2021-22:
- Appointment of staff member to lead the Engage@Emrys Programme, Community and Families Activities.
- Parental Engagement Opportunities.
- Support Nurture Programmes.
- To support learners with essentials to provide equity (wellbeing and learning) through a Development Fund.
- To develop high impact additional learning opportunities before school, at lunch and after school through clubs and workshops.
- Provide additional after school and holiday learning sessions to support the progress of vulnerable learners.
- Continued funding for the existing behavioural and emotional support team.
- Continued funding for the alternative curriculum package.
- Additional time allocation for key staff to track, monitor and support vulnerable learners and ensure they are maximising their potential.
- Improve the quality of teaching and learning through continued Professional Development Opportunities.
- Appointment of an additional member of the data management team to track the progress of vulnerable learners to all staff in the school.
- Working with cluster schools to aid transition.
- Supporting the attendance of disadvantaged and vulnerable learners, including cluster working.
- Additional mentoring through one to one support of vulnerable learners.
- Intervention support for vulnerable learners in Literacy and Numeracy.
- Rewards package to incentivise all learners, in particular targeted vulnerable learners.
- MAT support for learners.
The impact and evaluation of these activities is undertaken on a regular basis and reported to the Local Authority and regional consortia.
SCHOOL UNIFORM GRANTS / PUPIL DEVELOPMENT GRANT (ACCESS)
Learners currently eligible for free school meals can apply for the grant of £125 per learner, and £200 for those learners entering year 7, recognising the increased costs associated with starting secondary school.
All school years are now eligible.
Families who are eligible for free school meals can submit a claim if they have a child in:
- primary school from reception to year 6
- secondary school from year 7 to year 11
All looked after children qualify for the grant, whether they receive free school meals or not.
Families are only entitled to claim once per child, per school year.
Funding for the 2021 to 2022 scheme will close on 30 June 2022.
The 2022 to 2023 scheme will open in the summer of 2022.
To apply for this grant please contact your local authority.
You can apply for the funding here:
