At New Horizons we are committed to providing all pupils with equal access to resources, provision and experiences. The Pupil Deprivation Grant enables us to overcome the additional barriers that prevent learners from disadvantaged backgrounds achieving their full potential.

Each year New Horizons collaborates with pupils, parents and staff to discuss ideas and proposals of how the grant should be spent. Collation of suggestions informs the production of a spending plan, underpinned with research from the Education Endowment Foundation. This is to ensure that the item of spend has evidence of impact in relation to improving outcomes.

In response to the consultation, young people had an opportunity to complete a Student Well-being Ambassador Training Program and as a result, pupils are being trained as Wellbeing Ambassadors. These pupils champion positive mental health and wellbeing and are responsible for leading and promoting wellbeing throughout school. Pupils have reported that the Ambassadors have supported them to settle in when they first arrived and have released the stigma around talking about challenging feelings and encouraged them to talk.

As a service we are currently on a journey to become trauma aware, trauma informed and trauma responsive to ensure our vulnerable pupils are supported emotionally to enable them to reach their academic potential. The 2021/22 PDG has been used to fund training, framework tools and resources across the service alongside a therapeutic worker and we are excited to see the impact on our young people going forward.