The Impact of our Pupil Premium Provision
In 2020-21 we ended the year with 72 pupils who qualified for Pupil Premium funding. These children included those in receipt of free school meals; children classed as Ever 6; those with forces connections and children who had previously been looked after/special guardianship order.
This year our impact report takes account of Covid restrictions across the academic year and the partial closure in lockdown experienced in the Spring term.
In EYFS pupil premium children (12 children out of a cohort of 61) made positive progress with 58.33% (compared to 67.21 for all pupils) on track to achieve what would have been a good level of development (GLD).
Reading – 75% of PP children were at age related compared to 80% of the whole cohort. In September only 36% had been assessed as age related.
Writing – 58% of PP attained ARE compared to 67% of whole cohort. In September only 36% had been assessed as age related.
Maths –75% (number) of PP attained ARE compared to 80% of whole cohort. In September 64% had been assessed as age related.
Within EYFS we used our pupil premium funding to give an additional adult across our two Reception classes. This gives pupils more adult contact time to scaffold communication and learning during continuous provision activities and model the speaking and listening skills that they need to progress. For Covid catch up there has been a focus on the NELI program and group interventions to target component gaps that staff felt were holding children back from making progress.
As in the rest of the school, during partial lockdown with the 50% approx. who continued to attend we maintained our usual classes and staffing, so even when Teachers were supporting distance learning the children remained in a known, safe environment with adults they knew who understood their learning and assessment profile.
Across the rest of the school attainment and progress for Children in receipt of Pupil Premium is roughly in line with that of non pupil premium children. By July 2021 of Year 2, KS1 the Pupil Premium group made 2.79 points progress in maths (all 2.87), 2.92 points in reading (all 2.87) and 2.76 points in writing (all 2.82).
In year 4 they made 3.48 (all 3.47) points progress in maths, 3.58 (all 3.47) points in reading and 3.36 (all 3.63) in writing. In all subjects the PP group made accelerated progress.
A major impact towards this has been careful tracking of these pupils and prioritising these children in our pupil progress meeting conversations. A range of approaches have then been planned, including in Covid catch up to support their academic needs including extra teaching assistant support in class, additional teacher time and a range of intervention programmes. Another major aspect has been the social and emotional development of these leaners through our learning mentors, Forest School and use of Early Help support including PFSA and Thrive. Giving children the opportunity to access all after school clubs and if required breakfast club, has maintained high attendance (PP attendance is 94%, non PP pupils is 96% by the end of the academic year) and confidence and although not fully measurable in data, our professional observation is that these extended opportunities have supported the learning development and potential of our Pupil Premium children.
We have noticed how many of these children have been able to either maintain or begin to regain their learning resilience post the second lockdown. During Covid 19 partial closure we have monitored the engagement of our Pupil Premium group whether at home or in school and ensured there has been at least weekly contact. Classroom staff have kept in touch via Google Classroom, Class DoJo or Tapestry meaning ongoing dialogue with the children. Where children have been deemed more vulnerable a member of the senior leadership team has contacted the family weekly to check on the child and family’s wider needs. We have provided food boxes and then the Government Edenred Food Vouchers for all on free school meals and ensured we signposted further support available in the local area.
Where applicable, we have welcomed children in school as vulnerable children beyond the initial definition of in receipt of an EHCP or supported by a social worker, ensuring they have continuity and support throughout the partial closure.
Weekly learning, this year on Google Classroom was well received by families and we ensured a balance between online and non-online tasks to accommodate families with limited computing hardware. We prioritised PP children for additional technology when it became available and offered paper packs where this was preferred by families.
