Whitley Bay High School

• Pupil Premium
  

  Whitley Bay High School has been recognised as one of the highest performing schools in the country for disadvantaged students. Please click the picture below to read the letter we received from Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education.
  
  

  Pupil Premium Report and Action Plan 

  Our aim is to raise the ambition, attainment, self‑esteem and resourcefulness of Disadvantaged and Pupil Premium students so that they achieve excellent outcomes comparable with their peers and make a successful transition to the next phase of learning. 

  Key priorities: 

  • To improve attendance rates of Disadvantaged students through targeted individual and group initiatives. 
  • To maintain a record of no NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training) by continuing to provide high‑quality post‑16 guidance, advice and support from members of the Leadership Team. 
  • To further improve the effectiveness of transition work with our four feeder middle schools, including the use of tailored transition plans for Disadvantaged students. 
  • To work closely and effectively in partnership with parents and carers of Disadvantaged students. 
  • To increase the self‑esteem, confidence and ambition of Disadvantaged students by developing their cultural capital and ensuring access to a wide range of opportunities, including trips, Raising Achievement events and SMSC experiences (spiritual, moral, social and cultural). 
  • To close the attainment and progress gap between Disadvantaged students and their non‑Disadvantaged peers. The aim is for the gap at WBHS to remain consistently smaller than the national average across all GCSE measures. 
  • To continue striving to meet or exceed national benchmarks for the percentage of students achieving English and Maths qualifications, as well as overall attainment averages. 
  • To raise the achievement of Disadvantaged students. 
  • To maintain high expectations of every individual learner, whether Disadvantaged or non‑Disadvantaged. 

• Pupil Premium Funding Allocation:

  PP allocation for 2025-26	£154.913
  Recovery premium	£0 carry over from 2024-25

  Pupil Premium Numbers:

  2025/26 Year group	PP students	% of PP students
  9	65	16
  10	50	13
  11	46	12

  Who is eligible:

  Disadvantaged Students:

  • Students who have previously been eligible for Free School Meals (FSM Ever 6) 

  • Students currently eligible for Targeted Free School Meals 

  • Looked After Children (LAC) / Children in Care (CIC) 

  • Previously Looked After Children (PLAC), including adopted children 

  • Service Children

  • Children of parents serving in the armed forces (Service Pupil Premium – SPP) 

  • Pupil Premium is not a personal budget allocated to individual students. Instead, the funding is used to raise achievement through our whole-school improvement strategy, ensuring that disadvantaged pupils are supported through high-quality teaching, targeted interventions, and wider school initiatives that benefit their progress and outcomes. 

  Useful links:

  Free school meals | North Tyneside Council

  School transport | North Tyneside Council

  Bursary scheme | North Tyneside Council

  Family support | North Tyneside Council

  Free School Meals 

  From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, the Department for Education (DfE) is delivering an expansion to FSM eligibility to include all pupils from households in receipt of Universal Credit. There will then be 2 categories of FSM: 

• Targeted FSM, which continues to be based on the existing £7,400 income threshold 

• Expanded FSM, which will apply to meals only, covering pupils who do not qualify for Targeted FSM, but who are in households in receipt of Universal Credit 

• At WBHS, we want to ensure that all students eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) receive the best possible value and nutrition during the school day. We strongly recommend that FSM students choose the Hot Meal Deal available in our school canteen. 

  This option provides the best value for money and includes a balanced, nutritious meal. The Hot Meal Deal typically consists of a main course, dessert and a drink, offering both variety and the sustenance needed to support learning and wellbeing. 
• Our catering team works hard to ensure that meals are healthy, high‑quality and appealing to students. If you have any questions or would like support in understanding the meal options available, please contact the school office or a member of the pastoral team. 

  Breakfast Provision: 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

  We are pleased to offer a daily breakfast service to support students’ wellbeing and readiness for learning. This will be between 8.00am and 8.30am.

  The breakfast offer typically includes: 

  • A variety of cereals

  • Freshly prepared pastries

  • Hot breakfast sandwiches

  • A range of hot and cold drinks

  This service is designed to support students' wellbeing and readiness for learning. All items are served in the canteen next to the main hall.

  Additional Information

  
  School Meals

  We will continue to build on the successful initiatives from 2025–2026 and address any gaps in learning through the following strategies: 

Pupil Premium Support by Year Group 

All Year Groups 

• Regular training for all staff and trainees on Pupil Premium provision and supporting Disadvantaged students. 

• Whole‑school, departmental and individual Raising Achievement initiatives and educational trips. 

• Targeted revision, catch‑up workshops and clubs. 

• Part‑funded music tuition and financial support for educational activities such as sports events and theatre visits where appropriate. 

• Increased monitoring and parental communication regarding academic progress and attendance at intervention sessions. 

• Nutritional support where required. 

• Access to school uniform and PE kit. 

• Bespoke interventions for individuals and groups, based on need. 

 Year 8 – Transition Activities 

• Transition projects with feeder middle schools to ensure no decline in performance between Years 8 and 9. 

• Liaison with middle school Pupil Premium leads to share key information on incoming Year 9 students. 

 Year 9 

• Early intervention strategies targeting punctuality and attendance. 

• Careers and options guidance delivered by dedicated members of staff. 

• Raising Achievement initiatives, including cross‑curricular projects. 

• All whole‑cohort events provided free of charge for Disadvantaged families, including Sports Day and Challenge Week. 

 Year 10 

• Purchase of subject‑specific revision guides and essential learning resources where required. 

• “Out of Your Comfort Zone” trips aimed at building confidence, teamwork and self‑belief. 

• Personalised in‑house careers interviews delivered by Careers Lead teachers during the summer term. 

• Aspirational progression opportunities, including visits to employers, local colleges and universities. 

• Targeted Raising Achievement and attendance interventions following assessment and triage. 

 Year 11 

• Allocation of a key worker or mentor for each Year 11 Pupil Premium student to support learning and GCSE preparation. 

• “Out of Your Comfort Zone” trips to continue developing resilience and confidence. 

• Sixth Form mentoring in a range of subjects for students not making expected progress. 

• Attendance at the Year 11 Learning Conference at St James’ Park, including a motivational speaker and mock job interview experience. 

• Financial support to enable access to assessment opportunities where cost may be a barrier (e.g. GCSE PE climbing). 

• “Power Up” event in Term 1, featuring an employer and post‑16 provider fair. 

 Previously Looked After Children and Children in Care 

Children in Care are supported by a specialist non‑teaching key worker who focuses on teaching and learning, as well as social, emotional and mental health needs. Previously Looked After Children are allocated a key worker from Year 9 where appropriate. All Pupil Premium students are allocated a key worker in Year 11 to support them through the additional pressures of their final GCSE year. 

 Service Pupil Premium 

All Year 11 service children are supported by a designated key worker or mentor who monitors academic progress and wellbeing throughout the year. Staff are made aware of service children and they are included in departmental Pupil Premium initiatives. Ongoing monitoring is overseen by the relevant Head of Year. 

Service children also benefit from targeted curriculum support in core subjects, alongside additional pastoral support where required.