Pupil Premium Strategy
Our Commitment
At The Holy Cross School, we are committed to the progress, wellbeing, and long-term success of every pupil. Guided by our mission to “joyfully share this life with others, especially those who are in any way disadvantaged,” we place dignity, inclusion, and service at the heart of our work. We believe that every pupil, regardless of background, should be supported to flourish both academically and personally within a caring, aspirational community.
Our Vision
Our vision is that every pupil at Holy Cross will achieve strong academic outcomes, feel a deep sense of belonging, and develop the confidence and resilience needed for future success. Through a culture of high expectations, care, and inclusion, we ensure that all pupils are supported to truly learn joyfully and live fully.
Our Approach
Our approach is rooted in high expectations, excellent teaching, and strong pastoral care. We recognise that disadvantage is complex and often presents in different ways for each individual. As a result, our strategy is designed to be responsive and personalised.
It is built around three key elements: high-quality teaching as the primary driver of success, targeted support to address specific barriers, and wider provision to promote wellbeing, belonging, and aspiration. Central to this is our commitment to understanding each pupil as an individual, ensuring that support is carefully tailored and regularly reviewed.
High Quality Teaching
At Holy Cross, High Quality Teaching underpins everything we do. We maintain a relentless focus on delivering inclusive, challenging and well-structured lessons that enable all pupils to access the curriculum successfully. Quality First Teaching, our ‘5-a-day’ strategy and PP Top Ten are integral to this. Teachers use assessment effectively to identify gaps and adapt their teaching, ensuring that disadvantaged pupils are supported within the classroom as part of everyday practice.
Targeted Support
Alongside classroom provision, we provide targeted interventions, including small group and one-to-one support, literacy and numeracy programmes, and mentoring. These interventions are carefully monitored and adapted to ensure they have a positive impact and support sustained progress over time.
Wider Provision
Our wider provision plays a vital role in removing barriers to learning. Strong pastoral systems support attendance, behaviour, and wellbeing, while access to mental health support ensures pupils receive help when needed. Financial assistance with uniform, trips, and resources enables all pupils to participate fully in school life.
We also prioritise enrichment opportunities, leadership experiences, and personalised careers guidance to develop confidence, aspiration, and a strong sense of belonging.
Challenges and Priorities
We recognise that there are ongoing challenges, including variability in literacy and prior attainment, gaps in progress for some disadvantaged pupils, and barriers linked to independent study. Wider factors such as cost-of-living pressures, increasing social and emotional needs, and persistent absence also require continued focus.
In response, our strategy remains firmly centred on early identification, precise intervention, and strong partnerships with families.
Closing the Gap
Our commitment to closing the in-school attainment gap is central to our work. We aim not only to reduce this gap but to ensure that disadvantaged pupils achieve strong outcomes in their own right. This is achieved through data-informed practice, high-quality teaching in every classroom, and inclusive systems that support the whole child.
Our Catholic Ethos
Everything we do is shaped by our Catholic ethos and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. We believe that every pupil is unique and valued, that education should serve the common good, and that we have a responsibility to provide particular care for those most in need.
Through this, we create a community where pupils are supported to grow academically, socially, and spiritually.
Please click the link below to read a letter from the Secretary of State for Education congratulating us on our excellent outcomes for disadvantaged pupils which places it among the very best nationally, and this is a significant achievement.
Letter from the Secretary of State for Education
Pupil Premium Strategy Statement
The Holy Cross School Pupil Premium Strategy Statement 2024-27