This statement details our school’s use of pupil premium (and recovery premium for the 2022 to 2023 academic year) funding to help improve the attainment of our disadvantaged pupils.
It outlines our pupil premium strategy, how we intend to spend the funding in this academic year and the effect that last year’s spending of pupil premium had within our school. The total budgeted for this year is £274,130.
School overview
School name
The Leigh UTC
Number of pupils in school
748
Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils
33%
Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers (3 year plans are recommended)
2022/23
2023/24
2024/25
2025/26
Date this statement was published
October 2022
Date on which it will be reviewed
July 2023
Statement authorised by
Kevin Watson
Principal
Pupil premium lead
Gabriel Alamu
Vice Principal
Governor / Trustee lead
Clive Barker
Funding Overview
Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year
£214,238
Recovery premium funding allocation this academic year
£59,892
Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years (enter £0 if not applicable)
£0
Total budget for this academic year
£274,130
Statement of intent
Our intention is that all pupils, irrespective of their background or the challenges they face, make good progress and achieve. All members of staff and the governing body accept responsibility for ‘socially disadvantaged’ pupils and are committed to meeting their academic, pastoral, and social needs. Our goal is that no child is left behind socially, or academically because of disadvantage. For the 195 pupil premium pupils we serve, we strive to remove the tolerance of low expectations, raise lifelong aspirations, and focus on removing barriers to learning, thus enabling our pupils to achieve holistically and move beyond ‘expected’ outcomes.
Our Pupil Premium plan aims to address the academic, cultural, and personal barriers our pupils face and through careful planning, rigorous tracking and targeted support.
We will provide all children the access and opportunities to enjoy academic and personal success.
We aim to:
- Spotlight the importance of quality first teaching, as we believe this is paramount in ensuring that all day-to-day teaching meets the needs of each learner, rather than relying on interventions to compensate for teaching that is less than effective.
- Use formative data frequently to check whether interventions/in-class strategies are working and adjust accordingly.
- Systematically focus on giving pupils clear, useful feedback about their work, and ways that they could improve it.
- Ensure that teachers and staff responsible for academic achievement know which pupils are eligible for the Pupil Premium so that they can take responsibility for accelerating their progress.
In planning our Pupil Premium Strategy, we have drawn on a range of experience, evidence-based research and best practice from the Education Endowment Foundation’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit which found that the most important factor in narrowing the disadvantage gap is effective teaching day after day. In class is therefore the most effective strategy in narrowing this gap but we also use a range of out of lesson interventions to support pupils further. The causes and consequences of disadvantage affect all pupils differently and as such our intervention beyond pupils’ regular lessons will be bespoke and targeted.
We will do this through 5 key priorities along with discretionary, financial assistance to support our most vulnerable pupils.
- Improve the attainment and progress of our disadvantaged students
- Improve the literacy and numeracy levels of our disadvantaged students
- Improve the parental communication, engagement and participation of our disadvantaged students
- Build the cultural capital of our disadvantaged pupils through extracurricular experiences.
- Remove the gaps in the Key Performance Indicators of Attendance/ Punctuality of our disadvantaged pupils.
Challenges
This details the key challenges to achievement that we have identified among our disadvantaged pupils.
Challenge 1
Intent and implementation of curriculum to ensure all teachers are upskilled so PP students have equal access to the curriculum. Teacher expertise and knowledge of high-quality teaching, learning and assessment based on research and best practice requires development.
Challenge 2
Lower literacy levels impacting on all subjects and limited development of disciplinary literacy in subject domains.
Challenge 3
Poor learning behaviours and a lack of intervention programme to combat detentions and exclusions and improve feelings of disaffection about school and education.
Challenge 4
Reduced cultural capital opportunities, to visit a museum, or university or travel overseas, leading to less depth in understanding the wider world.
Challenge 5
Poor attendance levels and high levels of persistent absence.
Challenge 6
Reduced opportunities for support with families from the local area. Low family engagement/support negatively impacts the progress of disadvantaged pupils.
Intended Outcomes
This explains the outcomes we are aiming for by the end of our current strategy plan, and how we will measure whether they have been achieved.
Intended outcome
Success criteria
Improve disadvantaged student progress and attainment across the curriculum
- 70% of PP pupils achieve standard pass in English and Maths, 60% to achieve a strong pass in English and Maths. The same is expected in science
- All disadvantaged pupils in year 9 have 1:1 with the DOL and AP in year 9 before they choose options.
- NEET figures for disadvantaged are in line with, or lower than, national average.
- That the curriculum is adapted successfully where low levels of literacy or numeracy are present and student are taught to read to ensure learning is accessible
- Recruitment of expert teachers to improve the implementation of the curriculum
Cultivate opportunities for enhancing ‘cultural capital’ through enrichment and experiences
- All disadvantaged pupil to experience a minimum of 1 academic & 1 cultural experience a year to develop their cultural capital
- Over 70% of PP students to engage with extra curricular clubs or enrichment learning activities
- Tracking of cultural capital and enrichment opportunities
Improve literacy and numeracy levels so that pupils can successfully access the curriculum
- 85% of KS3 disadvantaged pupils read at, or above, their chronological reading age.
- NGRT and other reading assessments show improved comprehension skills among disadvantaged pupils closing the gap between them and their non-disadvantaged peers.
Improve the wellbeing of all disadvantaged students.
- Pupil voice and discussions indicate, high level of wellbeing amongst PP students
- 100% of disadvantaged pupils display an increased level of participation in the classroom
- Qualitative data from student voice, student and parent surveys and teacher observations show improvement in wellbeing and engagement with PP students
- Number of detentions and fixed term exclusion decrease for PP students
Improve attendance and punctuality and decrease persistent absence for disadvantaged students
- Overall attendance percentages to Exceed national average
- PA for PP Attendance is below national average. No more than 10% difference to Non PP students
- Attendance gap between PP and their peers is reduced to be in line with national average
- Increased familial engagement of PP students demonstrated through home visits and improved attendance of PP students.
- Attendance and punctuality tracked fortnightly for quick and precise intervention
Activity in this academic year
This details how we intend to spend our pupil premium (and recovery premium funding) this academic year to address the challenges listed above.
Teaching (for example, CPD, recruitment and retention)
Budgeted cost: £24,000
Professional learning focuses on improving the quality of teaching, focusing on target questioning, challenge and stretch and live marking, PP bias
Evidence that supports this approach
‘Good teaching is the most important lever schools have to improve outcomes for Disadvantaged pupils’ EEF 2019.
Studies suggest that the quality of teaching will have a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged pupils.
Challenge number(s) addressed
1 and 2
Professional development training on checking knowledge and providing effective feedback to support disadvantaged pupils in lessons
Modelling and Live feedback training for teachers
Evidence that supports this approach
EEF Report: A schools Guide to Implementation – key strand: support staff and monitor progress.
Sutton Trust research states that the difference between the effect of poor teaching and that of highly effective teaching is just under half a year’s extra progress for most pupils.
Appropriate and timely CPD for all staff will raise the profile of disadvantaged pupils and ensure that effective teaching strategies are used in lessons to support them.
The development of effective feedback is an EEF suggested strategy for maximum impact (very high impact for very low cost, based on extensive evidence: impact +6). 5+ additional months progress over the course of the academic year in secondary schools.
Challenge number(s) addressed
1 and 2
Assign ADA (or similar) holder to monitor and track the progress of disadvantaged pupils, across all year groups, and work with Tutors SSM’s and departments to identify barriers to achievement provide support and plan timely interventions (pastoral and/or academic)
Identify need of students
Track interventions and review effectiveness of strategy
Evidence that supports this approach
EEF Report: A schools Guide to Implementation – key strand: support staff and monitor progress + key strand: identify and cultivate leaders of implementation.
Regular quality assurance (through lesson walks, book scrutiny and learning conversations) ensures that the delivery of Quality First Teaching that meets the needs of disadvantaged pupils
EEF Report: A schools Guide to Implementation – key strand: support staff and monitor progress.
Challenge number(s) addressed
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
Purchase Bedrock to provide further support for pupils, especially disadvantaged, in improving literacy
Evidence that supports this approach
The development of reading comprehension strategies and oral language interventions are EEF suggested strategies for maximum impact (very high impact for very low cost, based on extensive evidence: impact +6). “Literacy is the gateway to the curriculum”
EEF Toolkit: The average impact of reading comprehension strategies is an additional six months’ progress over the course of a year.
Homework is one of the strategies identified by the EEF as having a considerable impact on improving progress (high impact for very low cost, based on very limited evidence: impact +5).
Challenge number(s) addressed
2
Targeted academic support (for example, tutoring, one-to-one support structured interventions)
Budgeted cost: £215,130
Phonics, reading intervention, (121 or small group) to improve literacy and close reading gaps
Evidence that supports this approach
EFF Toolkit: The average impact of the adoption of phonics approaches is about an additional five months’ progress over the course of a year.
Studies in England have shown that pupils eligible for free school meals typically receive similar or slightly greater benefit from phonics interventions and approaches.
Challenge number(s) addressed
2
Year group pastoral staff to deliver/facilitate behavioural and emotional support for PP students
Including but not limited to: staffing ‘realignment room’, external visiting counsellor, use of educational psychologist, speech and language therapist, ELSA programme
Evidence that supports this approach
According to figures from the Department for Education, pupils who receive Free School Meals are more likely to receive a permanent or fixed period exclusion compared to those who do not.
The most common reason for exclusion is persistent disruptive behaviour.
Challenge number(s) addressed
3 and 5
Employing Graduate Learning Mentors in EBacc subjects to offer targeted interventions to support low attaining pupils and pupils making slower progress
Evidence that supports this approach
Tuition targeted at specific needs and knowledge gaps can be an effective method to support low attaining pupils or those falling behind, both one-to-one:
One to one tuition | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org. uk)
And in small groups: Small group tuition | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
Challenge number(s) addressed
1 and 2
Wider strategies (for example, related to attendance, behaviour, wellbeing)
Budgeted cost: £35,000
Increase and upskill attendance team as well as recruitment or additional working days of EWO
Evidence that supports this approach
Attendance directly relates to academic attainment. Supporting the attainment of Disadvantaged pupils (Nov 2015) clearly states that children must be in school before they can access their learning.
DfE research published in 2016 (Absence and Attainment at Key Stages 2 and 4) found that:
The higher the overall absence rate across, the lower the likely level of attainment at the end of KS4.
Pupils cannot access the range of other support available if they do not attend school regularly.
EEF Report: A schools Guide to Implementation – key strand: support staff and monitor progress + key strand: identify and cultivate leaders of implementation.
EEF Toolkit; parental and community involvement programmes are associated with improvements in school ethos or discipline.
Challenge number(s) addressed
5 and 6
Support the emotional needs of vulnerable disadvantaged pupils (and selected non-disadvantaged pupils) through counselling, mentoring
Track and monitor engagement from home.
Family engagement and participation
Evidence that supports this approach
EEF Toolkit: Alongside academic outcomes, SEL interventions have an identifiable and valuable impact on attitudes to learning and social relationships in school. Interventions which focus on improving social interaction tend to be more successful (6+ months).
Challenge number(s) addressed
3 and 6
Provide in school resources (books stationery, uniform etc.) including revision guides for core subjects
Subsidise trips cost etc
Evidence that supports this approach
Ensure disadvantaged pupils have access to the necessary resources for equitable access to the curriculum
Challenge number(s) addressed
1, 3 and 5
Enrichment
Evidence that supports this approach
Pupils from academically weaker schools reported stronger programme related gains. Implications for enhancing and evaluating the effect of science-enrichment programs on pupils’ science attitudes. 2005 Wiley
Challenge number(s) addressed
1, 2, 4 and 5
Review of activity from the last academic year
This details the impact that our pupil premium activity had on pupils in the 2021 to 2022 academic year.
The data produced from the 2021/2022 exams analysis highlighted that disadvantaged students were behind their peers in terms of attainment. PP students have an attainment 8 score of 30.83 compared to non-pp students that had a score of 40.94. This is also the case in terms of their progress with PP students having a P8 score of -0.82 and non-pp students having a P8 score of -0.69.At key stage 3 2021/22 internal assessments show that the performance of our disadvantaged pupils was lower than that of their peers in English and Maths and this is being addressed.
The overall attendance of disadvantaged pupils is lower than previous years. The percentage of disadvantaged students was 88.0% compared to their peers that was 90.9% during the 2021/2022 academic year. This is significantly below the national average of 92% for disadvantaged students and just below the attendance figure of 89% of disadvantaged students during the 2019/2020 academic year
Our aim to effectively track, monitor and evaluate the progress of disadvantaged pupils across the school was not as effective as we planned. Although work was undertaken to close achievement gaps. PP students received high levels of pastoral support which was effective across key stage3 and 4. Due to issues around recruitment We were unable to use lead practitioners effectively to rapidly improve the quality of teaching to the standard that was required to secure the strongest progress for our disadvantaged pupils.
Career and development opportunities were widespread for our disadvantaged students across all key stages. Review of behaviour data from the 2021/2022 academic year has shown that removal from lessons and fixed term exclusions have slightly increased from the previous year. Removals have increased and fixed term exclusions have increased. This is more at key stage 3 due to the high expectations and the lack of structure that students have experienced over the past few years due to covid.