2023/24 updates Pupil Premium Strategy Statement
Pupil premium strategy statement 2022/25
This statement details our school’s use of pupil premium 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.
School overview
Detail | Data |
School name | Co-op Academy Priesthorpe |
Number of pupils in school | 1014 |
Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils | 36.3% |
Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers (3 year plans are recommended) | 2022-2025 |
Date this statement was published | TBC |
Date on which it will be reviewed | October 2024 |
Statement authorised by | Martin Blacoe (Principal) |
Pupil premium lead | Emma Moss |
Governor / Trustee lead | Adnan Naqvi |
Funding overview
Detail | Amount |
Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year | £348,795 |
Recovery premium funding allocation this academic year | £93,288 |
Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years (enter £0 if not applicable) | £7,699 |
School led tutor grant | £10,000 |
Total budget for this academic year If your school is an academy in a trust that pools this funding, state the amount available to your school this academic year | £459,782 |
Part A: Pupil premium strategy plan
Statement of intent
‘Developing the whole student, to conquer all barriers’ ‘At our academy, we instil a sense of limitless possibilities within each and every one of our Disadvantaged Students. We work with students to identify barriers that could limit their future successes and use our knowledge, expertise and above all, passion, to implement bespoke strategies for overcoming them as soon as they start their journey with us.’ At Co-op Academy Priesthorpe, we direct resources into overcoming the key barriers faced by our students eligible for Pupil Premium. The identification of these barriers has involved collaborative input from students, teachers, parents and Governors to ensure we have a rich insight into where to focus our strategy, with particular consideration given to the legacy impact of school closures. Our subsequent strategy focuses on improving attendance, supporting literacy and numeracy, improving cultural capital, including extra-curricular participation, enhancing self-regulation and resilience, and, ultimately, reducing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the academic gap. Alongside this there is a relentless focus on quality first teaching and curriculum design, so that all our Disadvantaged students, in particular our Most Disadvantaged students, receive equitable learning experiences, focussed on the acquisition of powerful knowledge across the Academy. Our strategy is informed by up to date and relevant educational research, published by a number of sources, including The Endowment Foundation (EEF). The following strategy follows the tiered approach as recommended in the latest Pupil Premium Guidance published by the EEF and The Department for Education’s guidance for Leaders. Considering a tiered approach to Pupil Premium spending allows the academy to balance approaches to improving teaching, targeted academic support and wider strategies. Across the 3 tiers actions are rooted in a pledge to ‘get ahead’, rather than ‘catch-up’. |
Challenges
This details the key challenges to achievement that we have identified among our disadvantaged pupils.
Challenge number | Detail of challenge |
1 | Attendance rates (including Persistent Absentees) for students, based both on-site and off-site, eligible for Pupil Premium funding over Half Term 1 to 6 in 2022-23 were lower than the attendance rates for students not eligible for Pupil Premium funding, impacting negatively on the progress of our Disadvantaged cohort. |
2 | Entry data, assessments and observations show that many of our Disadvantaged students’ reading comprehension and knowledge of Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary make accessing complex written texts more challenging. Numeracy starting points for some of our Disadvantaged students are low; previously, 31% of Year 7 students who did not achieve a KS2 score of at least 100 were from the Disadvantaged cohort. This figure has increased to 52% (Sept, 2023) |
3 | Our discussion and observations indicate some Disadvantaged students lack background knowledge of the world around them and have had limited access to enrichment opportunities. As a result, they have less clarity around career goals and how to achieve them compared to Non-Disadvantaged students. It is not that they are less ambitious, but what they believe is possible is limited due to life experiences to date. |
4 | Our assessments, discussions and observations have identified that many of our Disadvantaged students are in need of additional support with emotional/self-regulation and resilience development. Support in developing metacognition strategies will enable them to face challenges more robustly and effectively. |
5 | The impact of the coronavirus pandemic was particularly profound for our Disadvantaged students, from both academic and non-academic perspectives. As a result, progress and attainment gaps widened during periods of school closure. |
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 attendance for Pupil Premium students and therefore narrow/close the gap between PP and non-PP, with particular focus on our Most Disadvantaged students. |
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Improve attainment and progress of our disadvantaged cohort as a result of our renewed focus on reading inference, oracy and numeracy strategies |
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Further enrich the cultural capital of our disadvantaged students through enhanced careers guidance and enrichment opportunities. |
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Improve the resilience and emotional/self regulation skills of our Disadvantaged students |
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Activity in this academic year
This details how we intend to spend our pupil premium this academic year to address the challenges listed above.
Teaching (for example, CPD, recruitment and retention)
Budgeted cost: £197,293 (43% of the budget)
Activity | Evidence that supports this approach | Challenge number(s) addressed |
Quality First Teaching Quality first teaching for all students with particular reference to our Disadvantaged and Most Disadvantaged students that includes expert subject and pedagogical knowledge that delivers;
Reinforcement of knowledge that deepens understanding and promotes the transition from novice to expert learners, with fluent comprehension and application of specialist vocabulary. The transition is supported by research-based strategies of rehearsal, including retrieval practice and elaboration. Students accessing their learning via the ‘Bridge’ (the academy’s on-site, Alternative Provision) receive specialist teaching from academy staff members who deliver lessons in accordance to the above model for Teaching and Learning. Teachers adapt learning accordingly and secure high expectations from all. Developing metacognition within the curriculum to support students in becoming effective learners. Quality assurance of Pupil Premium Passports and their implementation in the classroom. Passports include bespoke barriers to learning to guide teachers delivery of the curriculum to our Disadvantaged students. The PP Pledge provides a simple framework for staff to refer to when designing and delivering lessons and, in turn, enhances the provision PP students receive in the classroom. Whilst all students receive high-quality, research-informed provision, the Pledge gives PP students the ‘leg up’ that research often refers to as being key to accelerated progress A continued whole academy focus on high quality feedback to provide challenge and promote self-regulation. | Research shows that ‘high quality teaching is the most important lever that will help to improve Disadvantaged outcomes’ as identified as a key principle in the EEF Guide to the Pupil Premium. The Research for Education Inspection highlights that achievement is maximised when teachers actively present material and structure taking into consideration cognitive science research, and the use of models and instruction. “Cognitive science principles of learning can have a significant impact on rates of learning in the classroom. There is value in teachers having some working knowledge of cognitive science principles. “ EEF Cognitive Science in the classroom: Evidence and Practice Review 2021 There is evidence to suggest that disadvantaged pupils are less likely to use metacognitive and self-regulatory strategies without being explicitly taught these strategies. Explicit teaching of metacognitive and self-regulatory strategies could therefore encourage such pupils to practise and use these skills more frequently in the future. With explicit teaching and feedback, pupils are more likely to use these strategies independently and habitually, enabling them to manage their own learning and overcome challenges themselves in the future. Metacognition and self-regulated learning ’Evidence indicates that high quality teaching is the most important lever schools have to improve attainment for disadvantaged pupils’ (Education Endowment Foundation, EEF). Hattie and Timperley (2007), Hattie (2009), and Hattie and Zierer (2019) conducted meta-syntheses relating to the effects of feedback on student achievement. These indicated a high effect (between 0.70 and 0.79) of feedback on student achievement in general. Feedback that is designed to help students in building cues and checking for misconceptions result in the development of more effective information processing strategies and understanding EEF Teacher Feedback to Improvement Pupil Learning guidance report | 2,3,4,5 |
CPD Weekly CRAFT (Cultivating Reflective and Forward-thinking Teaching) CPD sessions. Research-rooted sessions focusing on cultivating a particular aspect of curriculum delivery with particular focus on Disadvantaged and Most Disadvantaged students. CRAFT CPD programme for teaching and associate staff designed to enhance current practice across the academy to support academy literacy and numeracy strategies. Bespoke Early Career Teachers CPD program. Recruitment of up to 6 Learning Leaders to lead small-scale action research pilots to inform whole-academy practice with specific focus on accelerated progress for our Disadvantaged cohort through quality first teaching. | Our CPD programme is based on the 4 mechanisms of professional development: A: Building knowledge B: Motivating teachers C: Developing teaching techniques D: Embedding practice EEF Effective Professional Development guidance report By providing time and support for teachers to define high quality reading and oracy, this in turn can be translated into high quality writing in all subjects, depending on the demands of the subject. — ‘What is Disciplinary Literacy and Why Does it Matter?’ by Timothy and Cynthia Shanahan (2012). Findings from Supporting the attainment of Disadvantaged pupils’ achievement briefing conducted for the DfE by the NFER in 2015 highlights that ‘for poor pupils the difference between a good teacher and bad teacher is a whole year’s learning’. Learning Leaders will play an instrumental role in the sustained development of first class curriculum implementation for our Disadvantaged students. | 2.3.4.5 |
Literacy and Numeracy within the Curriculum 3-Strand Literacy Strategy: Expert vocabulary
Oracy
Reading
3-Strand Numeracy Strategy: Numeracy
Methods
Catch-up
| Research commissioned by the government titled ‘Pupils' progress in the 2020 to 2021 academic year’ has suggested that much of the work in reducing the attainment gap between Disadvantaged and Non-Disadvantaged has been eroded away in terms of literacy levels and attainment. The findings of this study alongside recommendation 5 in Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools is incorporated in the whole school reading to learn strategy taking into account the impact of the pandemic, with a sharp focus on those from disadvantaged background Recommendation 2 in Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools highlights the significant challenge that secondary schools face to develop secure knowledge using specialised and technical vocabulary to access the curriculum. ‘The word rich will get richer, while the word poor will get poorer.’ Rigney, The Matthew Effect p.76 There is evidence to suggest that pupils from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to be behind their more advantaged counterparts in developing early language and speech skills, which may affect their school experience and learning later in their school lives. Given that Oral language interventions can be used to provide additional support to pupils who are behind their peers in oral language development, the targeted use of approaches may support some disadvantaged pupils to catch up with peers, particularly when this is provided one-to-one.EEF research reference:Oral language intervention + 6 months Recommendation 5 from the EEF Improving Mathematics in KS2/3 guidance report suggests Positive attitudes are important and school leaders should ensure that all staff, including non-teaching staff, encourage enjoyment in maths for all children Studies show that enhancing vocabulary knowledge facilitates reading comprehension (Stoller & Grabe, 1993). Also Swanson, Orosco and Kudo (2016) report that an increased instructional focus on vocabulary is needed to make positive predictions of reading skills. Reading comprehension strategies https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/eef-blog-shining-a-spotlight-on-reading-fluency Recommendation 2 from the EEF Improving Mathematics in KS2/3 guidance report suggests Manipulatives (physical objects used to teach maths) and representations (such as number lines and graphs) can help pupils engage with mathematical ideas Mastery learning approaches aim to ensure that all pupils have mastered key concepts before moving on to the next topic – in contrast with traditional teaching methods in which pupils may be left behind, with gaps of misunderstanding widening. Mastery learning approaches could address these challenges by giving additional time and support to pupils who may have missed learning, or take longer to master new knowledge and skills. Evidence shows that small group tuition is effective and, as a rule of thumb, the smaller the group the better. Some studies suggest that greater feedback from the teacher, more sustained the engagement in smaller groups, or work which is more closely matched to learners’ needs explains this impact. Once group size increases above six or seven there is a noticeable reduction in effectiveness. EEF research reference: Small group tuition | 2,4,5 |
Targeted academic support (for example, tutoring, one-to-one support structured interventions)
Budgeted cost: £142,096 (31% of the budget)
Activity | Evidence that supports this approach | Challenge number(s) addressed |
Within class support Proportionate allocation of 5 HLTAs to support progress including 1 in each of the three core subjects and 2 with a focus around SEND students. Structured interventions Restructure of Assistant Key Stage Leaders remit to focus solely on the progress of and intervention for Disadvantaged students. Pupil Premium Advocate Programme Pupil Premium Advocate pilot commencing October 2023 involves a member of staff being paired with a PP student to act as their advocate in and around the academy, supporting the child holistically. Support is individualised and student-centred, and includes parental connections to strengthen the model of support. Strand 3 of the Academy Literacy Strategy Reading
Strand 3 of the Academy Numeracy Strategy Catch-up
Additional staffing within the English team to deliver a programme of targeted support for KS3 and KS4 students below expected reading age. Phonics training provided to help support the strategy. Funding of the Scholars Programme to expose high ability disadvantaged students to extended academia Central fund available for departments to submit proposals/bids for additional funding to support their department PP strategy. | Research on TAs delivering targeted interventions in one to-one or small group settings shows a consistent impact on attainment of approximately three to four additional months’ progress EEF Making best use of teaching assistants guidance report Meta-analysis research demonstrates that mentoring is associated with a wide range of favourable behavioural, attitudinal, health-related, relational, motivational, and career outcomes (Eby et al, 2008) Small group tuition offers an opportunity for greater levels of interaction and feedback compared to whole class teaching which can support pupils to overcome barriers to learning and increase their access to the curriculum. EEF research reference: Small group tuition Studies in England have shown that pupils eligible for free school meals typically receive similar or slightly greater benefit from phonics interventions and approaches. This is likely to be due to the explicit nature of the instruction and the intensive support provided. It is possible that some disadvantaged pupils may not develop phonological awareness at the same rate as other pupils, having been exposed to fewer words spoken and books read in the home. Targeted phonics interventions may therefore improve decoding skills more quickly for pupils who have experienced these barriers to learning.EEF research reference:Phonics +5 months Case studies on the impact of raising aspirations https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/berj.3171 | 2,4,5 2,4,5 |
Wider strategies (for example, related to attendance, behaviour, wellbeing)
Budgeted cost: £120,393 (26% of the budget)
Activity | Evidence that supports this approach | Challenge number(s) addressed |
Attendance Proportionate allocation of Attendance Improvement Manager, Family Support Worker and Attendance Administrator. Highlight vulnerable students and assign key members of staff to be the point of contact following the first day response. Staged response to all students who fall below the trigger points. (contact with parents/ home visits/attendance contract/ attendance panel and fixed penalty notices where applicable.) Flow chart of support shared with parents at the beginning of the academic year. PP attendance groups identified, whereby a named member of the attendance team will meet with the group on a minimum of a fortnightly basis. Action plans will be produced for each student, and they will benefit from both peer and adult support. Year Managers to monitor pupils with attendance lower than 94%. They will be provided with a list of key students in order to start monitoring from September Attendance mentors to work with PAs or those at risk of falling into the PA category through weekly check in meetings and monitoring of attendance. Free breakfast available every morning to encourage punctuality and a healthy start to the day. Financial support for students to fund subject-specific equipment including GCSE Art packs and Food Technology ingredients. Support for students through alternative provision to encourage an increase in daily attendance to an educational setting. Funding of Jamie’s Farm Programme to engage PP students with low attendance. Funding of ClassCharts Attendance add-on to ensure rigorous monitoring of the attendance of our Disadvantaged and Most Disadvantaged students by all staff, including coaches and teachers. Careers and enrichment Funding of outside agencies to ensure Disadvantaged students will have annual access to independent careers advice throughout their time at the Academy. Links made with local businesses to facilitate mock interviews for PP students in the first instance (and then offered to all students) Monitoring of extracurricular engagement of PP students across departments including student voice to ascertain barriers to attending. Funding of peripatetic music lessons to ensure that any PP student wishing to learn a music instrument is able to do so. Financial support for school trips and visits including London, Normandy for KS3 students and France and Belgium WW1 Battlefields trip for KS4 students. Behaviour Support workers to mentor Disadvantaged students and offer emotional wellbeing support. Funding of Impact North (Psychotherapy) to give Mental Health Support to students in order to help students access all of their learning. | EEF guide on Pupil Premium (wider strategies) identifies that one of the most significant non-academic barriers to pupil success in school is attendance linked to a broader challenge of the value of education in some of our school community. Findings from how to best support parents using the guidance report by the EEF on Working with Parents to Support Children’s Learning will also be incorporated as part of this strategy In The Mentoring Effect report, research shows that young people who were at-risk of dropping out (with absenteeism as one of the risk factors) who had a mentor growing up experienced many positive outcomes related to academics compared to their peers who could not identify a mentor growing up. They were:
And additional research has shown that students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52% less likely to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class.EEF research reference: Mentoring +2 months Case studies: PP Students BP, LD and JB were identified as Persistently Absent students and therefore attended as the first cohort to the Jamie’s Farm Residential whilst in Year 8. All 3 students achieved a Progress 8 figure exceeding the progress made by all students (All: +0.01, BP +0.52, LD +0.89 and JB +2.26) By designing and delivering effective approaches to support parental engagement, schools and teachers may be able to mitigate some of these causes of educational disadvantage, supporting parents to assist their children’s learning or their self-regulation, as well as specific skills, such as reading. EEF research reference: Parental engagement 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. Pupil behaviour will have multiple influences, some of which teachers can directly manage though universal or classroom management approaches. Some pupils will require more specialist support to help manage their self-regulation or social and emotional skills. EEF research reference: Behaviour Interventions Social and Emotional learning (SEL) interventions in education are shown to improve SEL skills and are therefore likely to support disadvantaged pupils to understand and engage in healthy relationships with peers and emotional self-regulation, both of which may subsequently increase academic attainment. Recent research on cultural capital argues that extracurricular activities may enhance children's intellectual creativity, breadth, and scope (Kaufman and Gabler, 2004) and moreover that cultural participation may lead to a genuine increase in analytical and academic competence (Kisida et al, 2004) A parliamentary education committee report focussed on left behind groups highlights the role of high quality careers guidance in tackling the underachievement of the Most Disadvantaged, particularly those from white working class backgrounds. There is some evidence to suggest a causal link between arts education and the use of arts-based approaches with overall educational attainment. Where the arts are being taught as a means to boost academic achievement for those eligible for the pupil premium, schools should carefully monitor whether this aim is being achieved. EEF research reference: Arts Participation + 3 months | 1,3,4,5 |
Total budgeted cost: £459,782
Part B: Review of outcomes in the previous academic yearPupil premium strategy outcomes
This details the impact that our pupil premium activity had on pupils in the 2021 to 2022 academic year.
Externally provided programmes
Please include the names of any non-DfE programmes that you purchased in the previous academic year. This will help the Department for Education identify which ones are popular in England
Programme | Provider |
Scholars Programme | The Brilliant Club |
Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) | GL assessments |
Universify | Universify Education |
Jamie’s Farm residential and weekly visit programmes | Jamie’s Farm |