Please see attached the letter that was sent to parents of all KS3 pupils detailing our KS3 learning programme. This explains how pupils should use their Need to Know books and what homework is expected to be completed outside of school.

Is your child eligible for free school meals?

If your child is eligible for free school meals, and you claim for them, your child’s academy receives extra funding called ‘pupil premium’.

Pupil premium is funding from the government that is given to academies to help students to reach their full potential, regardless of their background or financial situation. Academies receive £1,480 for primary students and £1,050 for secondary students who are registered for free school meals. The funding has to be used by the academy to enhance the individual learning of the qualifying student, and can be used in many ways including:

• Extra one-to-one or small group support within classrooms
• Employing extra teaching assistants to work within classes
• Running catch up sessions for those who need extra help
• Providing breakfast to improve attendance
• Providing extra tuition
• Providing music enrichment for families who cannot pay for them
• Assisting with the cost of educational visits
• Investing in resources that boost learning i.e. laptops or tablets

Students who are registered for free school meals do not have to eat them and cannot be identified as being registered for free school meals in anyway within the academy. However, the academy cannot claim the extra funding unless the student is registered.

Your child is eligible for free school meals, and therefore pupil premium funding for the academy if you access:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on
• Universal Credit, provided you have an annual net earned income not exceeding £7,400 (£616.67 per month)

Register your child for free school meals by contacting the school directly.

Please complete your application by 19 September 2024.

LINK TO APPLICATION FORM

If you need any support with the application, please contact the academy and a member of staff will be happy to help.

Children today are growing up in an increasingly online world and it is essential that we are doing all that we can to support and guide their digital journey. At Northern Education Trust we are committed to ensuring that our students are always protected online and we recognise that in order to support our students in their technology journey, it is crucial we work together with parents and carers to create a positive digital environment.

Northern Education Trust has partnered with Smoothwall to create a free Online Safety Hub for parents and carers to help keep their children safe online. Smoothwall is a system used by the trust to monitor the content our students access and digitally safeguard against any dangers or risks.

The Online Safety Hub offers an abundance of expert advice and guidance to help parents and carers manage their child’s safety online. It also includes information on several topics when it comes to keeping children safe, such as how to manage your child’s screen time, understand the latest gaming platforms and what they mean for your child’s safety.

Smoothwall is also offering parents and carers a free Qustodio account which allows you to facilitate parental controls on any two devices, and free premium access for 30 days from registration. Qustodio is an app, and can also be downloaded onto computers and laptops, and allows you to gain more visibility on what is going on in your child’s online world. You will be able to block dangerous content, introduce screen-free schedules, receive alerts for inappropriate content, keep tabs on their location and more. For more information and to create your free account follow the link below:

https://www.qustodio.com/en/30-days-school-special/?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=OSHub&utm_campaign=northerneducationtrust-uk

The Online Safety Hub can be accessed via the link or the QR code below. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch: [email protected]

https://northerneducationtrust.onlinesafetyhub.uk/