Charity boost for Woolton groups

VOLUNTARY groups in Woolton will benefit from a charity established to improve recreation and education in the neighbourhood.   The Woolton Educational and Recreational Charity is using the interest on the proceeds from the sale of Woolton Village Club in 2000 to make awards to local groups. This year it is anticipated that about £15,000 will be available from the Charity.

Among the groups to benefit last year were:-

►  Women's Institute - £300 for a hands free microphone system

►  Woolton in Bloom - £5000 for the provision of plants and watering

►  Woolton Community Resource Centre - £2400 for the purchase of publiCity materials

►  Woolton Village Residents Association - £640 for the provision of plants and equipment

►  Menlove Allotments Society - £450 for the provision of a Portaloo

Applications should be made by 28 February 2015. Application forms can be obtained from:- Mr. R. Thomaides, Liverpool City Council, Room 220, Municipal Buildings, Dale Street L2 2DH. You can also get one via calling:- 0151 225 2405 or via sending an email.

67 primary schools in the North West win in the 2015 Pupil Premium Awards

SCHOOLS Minister David Laws today congratulated 67 regional schools which have qualified for the 2015 Pupil Premium Awards following key stage 2 results published last week.

Their results showed that they have made or continue to make impressive improvements in the attainment of their disadvantaged pupils.

Every school has won £1,000 and eligible schools will now be invited to apply for prizes worth up to £100,000.

Final prizes will be awarded at a ceremony hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in March 2015. The Pupil Premium Awards reward schools which are able to provide evidence of effective strategies to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and show sustained improvement in raising their attainment. The pupil premium is extra funding schools receive for every disadvantaged pupil they teach and is worth £2.5bn this year alone.

Schools Minister David Laws said:- "The pupil premium is building a fairer society with opportunity for everyone. I would encourage all of the primary schools in the North West which have received a £1,000 prize to share their achievements with other schools so that they can learn from their strengths and experience. I hope all schools will continue to learn from this excellent practice and ensure they are using their pupil premium effectively, so that they too may be in the running for a prize in 2016."

Schools across England that are doing the most to help disadvantaged pupils improve their achievements in school may be eligible to win a share of £4 million as part of the 2015 and 2016 Pupil Premium Awards. Thousands of pupils in more than 500 schools could benefit from the awards, which recognise schools which are using their pupil premium in innovative and effective ways.

A further £4 million prize money will also be awarded in the 2016 awards and schools are being encouraged to act now to review what they are doing in their school and ensure they are using the pupil premium effectively; using tools such as the evidence based Education Endowment Foundation toolkit or by undertaking a pupil premium review.