Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium External Review

On Thursday 4th December Southglade Primary and Nursery School participated in an external review into our provision for disadvantaged pupils. This was facilitated by 2 former headteachers with experience of working in schools with high numbers of disadvantaged pupils.

This was a very successful day for the school and confirmed our assessment that provision for our disadvantaged pupils and their inclusion in all aspects of school life was strong.

There were some key strengths to share across NST schools:_

The CPD offer and the impact this has on Quality First Teaching

The strategic leadership of PP lead and the process in which the strong strategy informs the implementation process.

Leaders’ evaluation techniques in gathering the information for part B.

Here are some of the key findings from that review:

Areas of celebration

Leadership and Governance

The strategic leadership of the PP strategy is a key strength. The lead is highly experienced, rigorous in his implementation of the strategy and reflective. The Headteacher has ensured that the achievement and wellbeing of disadvantaged pupils is fully integrated into all areas of school improvement.
School leaders have acted quickly on any areas raised by their SIA or other external advisors/training. They are responsive and reflective and are rigorous in their approach.
Leaders hold detailed knowledge of the school processes and the challenges faced by disadvantaged pupils.
The strategy is shared with staff and stakeholders. Leaders provided evidence of ways in which staff are held account for the progress made by PP pupils.
Monitoring and evaluation is focused and rigorous. Leadership at all levels monitor the teaching, outcomes, interventions and assessment results. There is second level monitoring by the PP lead and findings are responded to in timely manner.
Any areas identified in monitoring are revisited and reassessed to ensure disadvantage pupils are able to achieve their potential. Dates for review are identified on monitoring documentation and this has SLT oversight.
The leadership team and staff are united in a desire to ensure pupils facing disadvantage achieve the highest possible outcomes.
Governors show a clear commitment to the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. They work closely with leaders on this area of school development.
Leaders’ self-evaluation identifies, and actions areas for development. A key area identified in the previsit analysis was the area of disadvantaged boys writing. Leaders were able to provide a rationale for the adaption of the writing curriculum, and this was evident in the learning walk and through pupil voice activities. Two KS2 boys with PP and SEND needs expressed that they enjoy writing, value its importance in their lives, and use it to support their SEMH needs.

Achievement

The school are quite rightly proud of the progress disadvantaged pupils make from their exceptionally low starting points (entry level data confirms this). The IDSR shows a very positive picture of achievement for disadvantaged pupils in relation to national data. However, they show no complacency and are aware that due to the high numbers of disadvantaged pupils in each cohort provision for these pupils needs to be exceptional.
Pupil Premium tracking systems are in place and pupil progress meetings focus on these pupils. Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are regularly tracked, and action is taken if appropriate. The PP lead was able to provide documentation to show this, and case studies are in place.
Gaps in foundational knowledge are addressed quickly. Leaders and staff are aware of the communication needs of pupils and the learning walk demonstrated pupils benefit from a language rich environment and a cohesive and progressive book-based curriculum. Outcomes for reading show the effectiveness of this approach for disadvantaged pupils.

Curriculum and teaching

Leaders were able to articulate ways in which curriculum design had been developed and adapted to ensure QFT is in place for all disadvantaged pupils. This was evidenced in the learning walks and book scrutiny. The adaption of the writing curriculum to include immersive experiences and the whole school consistent approach to enhanced vocabulary acquisition was apparent in books. IDSR data shows this approach is having good impact on pupils reading skills.
The school has a very effective CPD programme. The lead for CPD has developed research led and cognitive science-based approaches. Staff are provided with up-to-date research, bought books, provided with opportunities to share expertise and record their professional development in journals. Staff also have the opportunity to conduct their own research informed work and share the outcomes and impact at whole staff level. The impact of this was seen in the teaching sequences observed in lessons, the application of cognitive science approaches in books and the high-quality journals from staff we were shown.
Evidence of an authentic and well-structured system for the implementation of cognitive science approaches was apparent. This is clearly embedded and was evidenced in pupils’ responses to feedback and direct instructions in lessons.
Working walls are in place and evidence sequences of learning; key vocabulary and worked examples. There is a consistent approach to tiered vocabulary teaching which is well embedded and adapted.
The school balances ensuring that consistency is in place across the school while allowing staff to work on a cycle of continuous improvement and innovation to ensure disadvantaged pupils benefit from a consistent but evolving teaching sequence.
Phonics instruction was a key strength, pupils were highly engaged, teaching was at a good pace and processes are clearly embedded across the phases. Groups are kept as small as possible and with mixed ability. Adult modelling was a strength. Evidence of leader’s investment in this area are evident in the schools above national phonics results over three years.

Inclusion

The school’s evidence-based approach to inclusion is a strength of the school. Adaptive teaching strategies are evident across the school and the progress of disadvantaged SEND pupils is closely tracked.
Leaders have ensured that staff are aware of the challenges facing pupils experiencing double disadvantage and have developed clear strategies to overcome these barriers. This was evidenced in the high-quality support provided by teaching assistants and specialist SEND staff in the learning walks. Pupils were completing high quality work with the support of expert adults who intervened when appropriate with a focus on pupils developing independence and self-regulation techniques.
Any low-level disruptive behaviour is anticipated and addressed quickly. This was evidenced in a lesson in which a high-profile pupil with limited concentration span was offered a very short ‘movement break’ before his behaviour impacted on the behaviour of the other pupils.
Interventions are carefully planned by leaders at all levels. Staff are aware of how important it is that disadvantaged pupil’s access QFT and interventions are of the highest quality. Leaders explained their approach to intervention monitoring, and this was identified in the monitoring cycle.

Attendance and behaviour.

School leaders clearly know and understand their pupils and the barriers to attendance.
The attendance lead is a member of SLT and an ADSL and has a forensic approach to attendance. Attendance meetings are held weekly and the FSW plays an integral role in supporting key families. Attendance of pupils who have attended school from EYFS (home grown) has been supported by the established culture of attendance developed by the school and is significantly better than pupils entering at other points.
The SEMH interventions and provision observed were purposeful and linked to intervention plans.
The pupils observed in lessons showed good attitudes and engagement in learning. Teachers were clear in their high expectations for behaviour and challenged any off-task behaviours displayed in a timely manner.

Personal development

Leaders are able to articulate and provide examples of a coherent programme for personal development that support disadvantaged pupils in developing wider opportunities and experiences.
The wider strategy offer is strong, disadvantaged pupils’ engagement in clubs, enrichment activities and pupil leadership rolls are tracked and analysed. Leaders are open to adapting approaches if participation rates for disadvantaged pupils are low.
Part B shows the impact of these strategies, and the school has plans to further develop the impact data.
No PP children are disadvantaged through financial challenges.

Pupil Premium Policy

Overview

The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011, and paid by means of a specific grant for pupils registered as eligible for Free School Meals at any stage during the past 6 years. This premium is paid to all eligible pupils in Reception to Year 11, or those who are looked after by the Local Authority. A premium has also been introduced for children whose parents are currently serving in the armed forces. Additionally, there is further funding for children classed as Looked-After Children. In April 2015 an Early Years Pupil Premium was introduced to reduced inequalities between socially advantaged and disadvantaged pupils.

The Pupil Premium will be used by this school to address any underlining inequalities between children eligible, by ensuring that funding reaches the children who need it most.

During this academic year, 2025-26, Southglade Primary School will receive an additional £1,515 per eligible pupil to narrow achievement and attainment gaps.

Objectives

The Pupil Premium will be used to provide additional educational support to improve the progress and to raise the standard of achievement for these pupils.
The funding will be used to narrow and close the gap between the achievement of these pupils and their peers both within school and nationally
As far as its powers allow, the school will use the additional funding to address any underlining inequalities between children eligible for Pupil Premium and others. We will ensure that the additional funding reaches the pupils who need it most and that it makes a significant impact on their education and lives.
The funding should be used to support children of all abilities to ensure that they reach their full potential

The Pupil Premium Budget

The use of pupil premium funding will be clearly identifiable in the school’s budget and a plan for each financial year, with full costings will be produced by the head-teacher, pupil premium co-ordinator and the governor responsible for overseeing the use and effectiveness of the pupil premium budget. The use of Early Years Pupil Premium funding will be determined by the staff outlined above as well as the Foundation Stage Manager.

The pupil premium co-ordinator and the head-teacher, in close liaison with other senior staff, will decide how to use the money to benefit children who are eligible. The Looked After Children Co-ordinator will manage the allocated budgets and plans for children who are eligible for pupil premium plus- plans will be submitted to the Virtual schools head for approval.

The school will be accountable for the effectiveness of its use of the pupil premium budget to narrow the achievement and attainment gap of pupils defined as disadvantaged against their peers.

Strategies 2025-26

The school has identified the needs of those pupils receiving the Pupil Premium funding and we have decided to use the following intervention strategies. Children who are entitled to pupil premium funding are named as disadvantaged pupils in the following sections of the report and they will be provided with support in a range of ways including:

Phonics interventions
After school tuition with their class teachers
Extra reading support to ensure all disadvantaged pupils are listened to reading frequently
1:1 feedback from class teachers in Key Stage 2 for children on B Squared.
Disadvantaged teacher in EYFS and Key Stage 1 (from Autumn 2 )
Creative arts opportunities for disadvantaged pupils
Enrichment funding and residential subsidies
Wider Opportunities Music Package
Employment of an attendance officer to help improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils
Employment of a family support worker to support the families of disadvantaged pupils
Well-being support from our school Learning Mentor and HLTA
Marvellous Me subscription to improve communication between parents of disadvantaged pupils and their class teachers
SLT booster groups
Uniform for disadvantaged pupils
CPD to improve quality first teaching for all
Phase leader groups
Employment of an SLE to raise standards of quality first teaching
Staff meetings with a relentless focus on staff CPD informed by current educational research
Employment of a family support worker.

In making provision for socially disadvantaged pupils, we recognise that not all pupils who receive free school meals, or have been eligible for free school meals in the previous 6 years, will be socially disadvantaged or underachieving. We also recognise that not all pupils who are socially disadvantaged are registered or qualify for free school meals. We therefore reserve the right to allocate the Pupil Premium funding to support any groups of pupils the school has identified as being socially disadvantaged.

Measuring Impact

It is the responsibility of the Pupil Premium Co-ordinator, with support from other members of staff, to measure the effectiveness and impact of measures paid for with the pupil premium budget. This will include both quantitative and qualitative data and will highlight that the impact will not solely be displayed through academic data alone.

Impact will be measured through:

Analysis of progress and attainment gaps using Southglade Primary School’s internal tracking methods
Analysis of externally reported data including Foundation Stage data, Year 1 phonics screening, Year 2 phonics re-take data and End of Key Stage 2 data.
Analysis of progress of children in specific interventions such as feedback clinic
Attendance and punctuality data
Case studies created by the Southglade Primary School’s well-being team
Participation in extra curricula activities
Attendance information linked to persistently absent pupils

Reporting

The use and effectiveness of pupil-premium will be shared in the following ways:

Annual reports to governors with detailed breakdowns of costs for each strategy used. Effectiveness of each strategy and a review of whether to continue with measures during the following financial year will also be shared with governors.
An annual report to parents that is published on the school website detailing the use of pupil premium funding and the effectiveness of the funding in narrowing attainment gaps within school and nationally. This will be published on the school website at the end of October in each academic year.
The next internal pupil premium review will be conducted in September 2025 and will be published by the end of the following month

Through wise use of this additional funding Southglade Primary school is fully committed to ensuring that all children, regardless of circumstance, maximise their potential academically and socially.