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Evaluation of the 2023-24 Pupil Premium Strategy

The Pupil Premium is additional funding provided by the government to support schools in closing the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils. This funding is allocated based on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM), children in care, and those from families with a history of service in the armed forces. For the current academic year, William Ford C of E Junior School has been awarded £197,380 which is aimed at helping these pupils overcome barriers to learning and achieve academic success.

The purpose of the Pupil Premium strategy is to ensure that the additional funding is used effectively to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, improve their access to learning opportunities, and provide targeted support where necessary. This report outlines how the funding was utilised within our school and the impact of these strategies on pupils.

Our goal is to ensure that all pupils, regardless of background or circumstance, are given the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential.

Target one: To raise academic performance for Pupil Premium pupils, diminishing the difference between their scores compared to their non-disadvantaged peers. All Pupil Premium children to be assessed and monitored for progress regularly through revaluating the curriculum and the new maths scheme of work.

Progress Against Target:

• External data shows significant gains in progress, attainment, and knowledge for Pupil Premium children, particularly in reading and maths within all year groups.
• Targeted interventions have addressed previous underperformance, narrowing the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their non-disadvantaged peers.
• Curriculum changes in reading and maths have had time to embed, leading to stronger attainment in these areas.
• Refined assessment procedures, including question-level analysis, have improved data tracking and informed more effective teaching and interventions.
• Senior leaders have been effectively deployed to address gaps in learning and ensure timely support.

Next Steps:

• Continue refining data tracking to further enhance accuracy and ensure immediate identification of pupil needs.
• Expand the use of question-level analysis across all subjects to better inform targeted interventions.
• Increase the frequency of pupil progress reviews to ensure prompt responses to both successes and areas requiring adaptation.
• Ensure continued focus on embedding curriculum changes in other subjects to mirror the success seen in reading and maths.

Target two: To ensure Pupil Premium pupils have access to extra-curricular activities and that no Pupil Premium children to be excluded from such activities on financial grounds.

Progress Against Target:

• Access to extra-curricular activities for Pupil Premium pupils is a real strength, with no child excluded on financial grounds.
• The school’s inclusive ethos has been recognised in the Ofsted report, external reviews, and retention of the Inclusion Quality Mark.
• All activities are monitored and recorded, allowing close tracking of Pupil Premium pupil engagement.
• Strong family support, evidenced by parental surveys, ensures effective communication and engagement in extra-curricular activities.
• Pupil Premium funding has enabled a wide range of experiences, including trips to France, West End theatre productions, and residentials.
• The Brilliant Club university scholarship programme for high-achieving Pupil Premium pupils has successfully run for three years, with 14 more pupils identified for the programme starting in September.

Next Steps:

• Continue to monitor and record pupil engagement in extra-curricular activities to ensure all Pupil Premium pupils are benefiting.
• Develop and implement the ambitious action plan to further expand access to and participation in extra-curricular opportunities.
• Maintain and strengthen communication with families to provide ongoing support and advice in covering costs for extra-curricular activities.
• Continue promoting and expanding the Brilliant Club programme to further raise aspirations for high-achieving Pupil Premium pupils.

Target three: To support pupil premium pupils (and families where appropriate) with emotional and social needs.  A number of pupils in receipt of PP funding lack self-control in challenging situations, self-belief, determination, resilience and readiness to learn.  They can struggle to reflect and evaluate their own actions and/or learning and often lack self-motivation and confidence to improve.

Progress Against Target:

• The school has introduced strategies such as Place2Be and a robust programme of interventions, positively impacting pupil engagement, academic success, and attendance.
• Emotional and social needs are being addressed through an ambitious, engaging curriculum and the Eleven Engaging Experiences, which include activities like bowling, theatre, and residential trips.
• Strong partnerships with local authority counsellors and internal support through sports coach mentoring and a learning mentor have been established for identified children.
• Mental health first aid training for key staff has been implemented to support the growing emotional needs of Pupil Premium pupils, recognising the impact of emotional wellbeing on learning.

Next Steps:

• Continue to invest in Place2Be counselling and other mental health support to meet the emotional and social needs of Pupil Premium pupils.
• Strengthen partnerships with external counsellors and agencies to provide more comprehensive support for identified pupils and their families.
• Expand the Eleven Engaging Experiences to include additional activities that promote emotional resilience and confidence-building.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to ensure they are addressing the emotional barriers to learning and improving pupil readiness to learn.

Target four: Persistent absenteeism and punctuality of disadvantaged children. Headline figure is not particularly low but we are aware that there is a significant number of disadvantaged pupils below 90%. 

Progress Against Target:

• The school has made significant strides in reducing persistent absenteeism, particularly among disadvantaged pupils. In 2022/23, persistent absence was 19.15%, and this has fallen to 13.08% for 2023/24, well below the borough average of 19.5%.
• This improvement has been achieved through a more robust approach to attendance, developed in close collaboration with the local authority and aligned with government changes to attendance procedures.
• The Eleven Engaging Experiences and an engaging curriculum have supported efforts to increase attendance and punctuality, alongside the introduction of targeted incentives and rewards.
• The positive impact of this work has been recognised by Ofsted, highlighting the school’s success in addressing absenteeism.

Next Steps:

• Focus on reducing the persistent absence rate for Pupil Premium pupils, currently at 21.40%, through targeted interventions and ongoing support.
• Continue collaborating with the local authority to ensure attendance procedures remain robust and effective.
• Expand the use of incentives and rewards specifically for disadvantaged pupils to further promote attendance and punctuality.
• Monitor attendance data regularly to ensure continued improvement and timely intervention for pupils at risk of persistent absenteeism.