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This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 19 May 2015. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
IT is not every day a headteacher learns their school has won £25,000 as the South East finalists in a national competition. Which is why Wendy Heritage is so proud of her team at St Andrew's Primary School, Chinnor, after they were presented with the cash after winning the region's Department For Education/TES Pupil Premium Awards scheme.
Wendy Heritage, second from right, is presented with the award.
TES ;"It's wonderful, we have just been so excited about it," says Wendy.
"You don't normally get money like that and it shows how hard the staff have worked to improve the life chances of our children.
Perseverance is one of our Christian values.
We are always looking to improve and try that bit harder. "The award came about because the Department for Education recognised that in Key Stage Two our pupil premium children had made very good progress. " Wendy was presented with the award at a ceremony in London.
"We were the only school in Oxfordshire and the only Church of England School to win," she said. Pupil Premiums are additional funding to help close the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.
The Pupil Premium Awards are a prize given to schools that have used the pupil premiums wisely to achieve this.
Wendy said: "We have won this by putting interventions in place over and above the first class quality teaching these children were getting in the classroom. " Interventions have included one-to-one sessions with children who were behind, and extra lessons both after and before school.
"One of the most important was early morning interventions.
Our teaching assistants start at 8. 30am and identify children who work with them until 9am in groups of about four, doing writing, reading and maths. "Wendy and her team are still working out what to do with the money.
"Children like to use iPads so we may purchase tablets for a pupil premium homework club," she said.
"Also we are looking at creating a cooking area that can be used not only in curriculum time but after school for healthy eating or an outdoor classroom which would really benefit our children. "