Pupil Premium Barriers, Priorities and Projected Spending for 2017/18 (Overview)

Pupil Premium Barriers, Priorities and Projected Spending for 2017/18 (Overview)

Amount of Pupil Premium Allocation

The college has been allocated £208,037.50Pupil Premium funding (discounting plus Pupil Premium Plusestimated @£36,100.00) in the academic year of 2017/18.

Financial Year / Amount of Pupil Premium Funding / %School Disadvantaged Pupils
2016-17 / £211,310.00 / 27.2%
2017-18 / £208,0371.50 / 27%

Summary of main barriers faced by eligible pupils

St Francis Xavier’s College has a clear vision for what all of our pupils can achieve through high quality teaching, with an ethos that reinforces aspiration and attainment for all. We realise the importance of getting the basics right, like attendance and behaviour, and understand that failing to put these building blocks in place will undermine the effectiveness of the pupil premium in raising standards. We have adopted a whole school approach to the use of the pupil premium that delivers on the full potential of every pupil, including nurturing their more able pupils to excel. We aim to deploy the best staff to support our most disadvantaged pupils, and use our resources to develop the skills and roles of their teachers and teaching assistants

The College has an ethos of high attainment for all pupils. We view each pupil as an individual and consciously avoid stereotyping disadvantaged pupils by referring to them as a group. It should never be assumed that all disadvantaged pupils face similar barriers or have less potential to succeed.

To respond to the complexity of disadvantaged pupils’ needs the College is tackling the challenge at three levels:

1. Whole-school approach promoting learning which sets high aspirations for all pupils.
2. Strategies to identify and support under-performing pupils (not just low attainers).
3. Strategies specifically targeted at supporting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

This links directly to the key priorities in the College Post-Ofsted action plan.

Some of the barriers faced by some disadvantaged pupils are:

• Low Literacy levels
• Poor Numeracy skills
• Attendance
• Behaviour
• Lack of Progress/Underachievement
• Lack of engagement
• Low Self Esteem/Self Confidence
• Financial Hardship

To overcome these barriers we have adopted some of the principles identified as the most effective way to support disadvantaged pupils’ achievement. NFER research found that schools which are more successful in promoting high attainment have a number of things in common. It identified seven building blocks of success.

Supporting the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.Briefing for school leaders, DfE publication November 2015

Whole school ethos of attainment for all. The College’s Post-Ofsted action plan sets very clear values and goals, and has been shared with staff. This is closely monitored and reviewed regularly instilling a sense of urgency to achieve them.

Collective leadership for achieving success.All teachers have high expectations of pupils; they insist that pupils’ work is of a high standard, this is also an area of focus during Learning walks.Key points in the Post-Ofsted action plan outline strategies to diminish the difference more rapidly between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils at Key Stage 4, particularly for mathematics and science.

Addressing behaviour and attendance.In 2016-17Pupils’ persistent absence was higher than the national average. This has since been a focus of the Post-Ofsted action plan.Pupils have to be in school and able to pay attention before they can access learning. The College’s behaviour strategies focuses on: communicating simple, clear rules and training all staff in behaviour management. The College also has strong social and emotional support strategies to help pupils in need of additional support, including through working with their families. Rapid response systems are in place to address poor attendance. This includes staff contacting home immediately a pupil fails to arrive on time. If the problem persists, staff work with families to address any barriers they face in getting their children to school.

High quality teaching for all.The is a whole school focus on high quality teaching and identifying the learning needs of individualpupils. The quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the college is a priority within the College’sPost-Ofsted action plan and Senior Leaders have established strong systems to boost teachers’ skills and secure improvements in pupils’ achievement. The college’s marking policy has been further revised to ensure the feedback pupils receive is effective in helping pupils to improve their skills. Literacy and reading are promoted across the college. Opportunities for pupils to read are encouraged by teachers

Meeting individual learning needs. Further improving support for pupils who have special educational needs or disability (SEND)has also been a focus of the Post-Ofsted action plan with focus and investment in SEND resourcing. Members of the Senior Leadership team also have responsibility for closely monitoring the different pupil groups of disadvantaged and other pupils including those who are SEND, High Attaining, LAC and Post-Care pupils.

Deploying staff effectively. Using resources effectively, including staff resourcesis also an area of focus. The Post-Ofsted action plan devolves as much responsibility as possible to Senior and Middle Leaders and the curriculum model aims to deploy the best teachers to work with pupils who need the most support. Teaching Assistants (TAs) are well trained in supporting pupils’ learning as well as in specific learning interventions, so TAs can provide effective support to individual pupils or small groups in academic (Literacy and Numeracy) and social and emotional interventions.

Data driven and responding to evidence.The College hasinstalled strong data systems and revised procedures for analysing results and making sure everyone acts on them. Data Collection Points (DCP)Termly Reporting and Information Points (TRIP) enable teachers, Subject Leaders and Senior Leaders to use data to identify pupils’ learning needs at every opportunity. Teachers, Form Tutors, Middle and Senior leaders engage with the data themselves: they input, analyse and use it to underpin their teaching and pastoral interventions. Using the systems in this manner enables teachers to respond swiftly to any indicators of underperformance and implement interventions to improve. Link governors for all key areas meet regularly with Senior and Middle Leaders to monitor progress and achievement and challenge underperformance if required. The comprehensive coding systems in place make it easy to focus on Disadvantaged pupil progress and achievement at an individual level and provide sharp and timely interventions.

Clear, responsive leadership.As a school we strive to ensure that all staff are willing to do whatever it takes to help each pupil to succeed. We hold all staff accountable for pupils’ progress. Staff are trained to provide high quality feedback to pupils and the Senior Leadership Team and Middle Managers adopt the same approach themselves when providing feedback to staff. Feedback from lesson observations and regular school wide (half termly) Learning walks is constructive and timely enabling interventions to be applied swiftly if necessary.

Pupil Premium Priorities 2016 – 17

In addition to focusing on any underperformance specific subject areas identified after each TRIP/DCP the following areas will be subject towhole school focus.

• Progress 8 (Overall, English, Maths, English Baccalaureate and Open elements)
• Attainment 8 (Overall, English, Maths, English Baccalaureate and Open elements)
• Attainment in English and Mathematics (%Good and Standard Pass) and the English Baccalaureate
• Progress and Attainment in Science

How the allocation is to be spent to address barriers and the reasons for the approach is addressed in detail in the Pupil Premium Strategy Document

Projected Expenditure

The college has been allocated £208,037.50Pupil Premium funding (discounting plus Pupil Premium Plusestimated @£36,100.00) in the academic year of 2017/18.

•1:1 and small group tuition/intervention lessons for pupils - Maths & English. Without an individualised approach, it may be difficult for certain children to make the progress needed to achieve their full potential. Providing one-to-one and small group tuition for Key stage 3 pupil premium pupils aims to support the needs of pupils who are falling behind, or have a lower starting point than their peers. It aims to baseline and track pupil progress, increase the reading age or mathematical competency and narrow the gap that exists between Ever 6 FSM(Pupil Premium) pupils and those not Ever 6 FSM(Pupil Premium). Supporting PP pupils who received catch up intervention when they were in Y7 will be a priority for Y8, in addition to those PP pupils not making progress in MA and EN (sig). For Years 7 and 9 the focus will be on PP pupils who are not making expected progress.

•In addition to this, funding will also be used to continue to provide; Literacy Across the Curriculum/ Literacy Co-ordinator to provide and co-ordinate 1:1 Tuition and top up funding for Literacy initiatives to assess, monitor and intervene with the aim of addressing the literacy deficit of Ever 6 FSM(Pupil Premium) pupils at KS3.

•Additional Mentoring and support for Maths L3 on Entry or those not making expected progress.

•An additional set 2.5 will continue to be funded in in English, Maths and Science, meaning there will be an extra set in both G and Y Band in English, Maths and Science in Year 11.

•To close the gap in English Baccalaureate Subjects HoDs can access and analysis/comparison after each assessment period and will be encouraged to bid in for additional resources to support PP pupils in the lead up to GCSE and in Y10.

•The role of the form tutor has been re-defined and they will monitor pupil progress closely. In addition to this the Leadership Group, Key Stage Co-ordinators and Co-ordinators of Learning will provide specific mentoring for those pupils not making expected progress showing particular cause for concern.

•Easter Revision; booster classes and intervention sessions across all subject areas at key stage 4.

•Pupil premium money will also be spent on professional counselling for those Ever 6 FSM (Pupil Premium) pupils as required.

•Additional mentoring and HE visits, CAG and for High Attainers in KS4 to raise aspiration and to help to raise attainment and improve progress related outcomes.

•Breakfast Provision for Y11 pupil premium boys on Eng/Maths /Science exam days.

•Some extreme hardship payments will continue to be made for to families in need to ensure all pupil premium pupils are in full uniform and have appropriate provision for travel with the aim of improving attendance and punctuality and reducing sanctions relating to uniform and attendance/punctuality.

•Career Planning @ approximately 27% contribution to ensure IAG provides each pupil identified as Ever 6 FSM (Pupil Premium) has appropriate guidance.

•Attendance Initiative to narrow the gap that exists between Ever 6 FSM (Pupil Premium) pupils and those not Ever 6 FSM (Pupil Premium).

•Contribution towards a variety of initiatives including; Employability Interviews Y11; Heartstart Initiative Y7/Y9 refresher.

•Continued funding of bids submitted on an individual basis: technical resources, including laptops; kindles; rewards; contributions to music tuition; educational trips; PE kits; individual pastoral support, and so on. In addition to this bids have been submitted for a range of other projects including; Reading clubs, GEMS clubs, Peer led friendship and social integration projects; beekeeping and horticultural projects; Hands –up community volunteering projects; craft clubs and financial support requested to support membership to community based groups e.g. scouts, cadets etc.

•Nugent Care support for vulnerable boys; the school will continue to employ the services of a professional counsellor to support students in the identified group. This saw increased confidence, motivation and raised self-esteem amongst students in 2016-17.

•EWO % Contribution; the school will continue to employ the services and extra hours of an Educational Welfare Officer to ensure that students in the identified group obtain maximum benefit from their education In addition to the employment of a full time school attendance officer.

•The funding of four additional Educational Support Assistants is providing further learning support and pupil development for those pupils profiled as Ever 6 FSM (Pupil Premium) within both Key Stage Three and Key Stage Four. Educational Support Assistants provide support for individual pupils, provision for small group intervention, and support for the teacher, ensuring delivery of the full curriculum for all pupils.

•Pupil Premium Plus Funding for Looked After pupils will continue to be ring fenced and will be spent on an individual basis depending on priorities identified within each child’s PEP

•Pupil Premium Plus Funding for Adopted from Care pupils will be ring fenced and will be spent on an individual basis depending on priorities identified during a meeting with the parent/primary carer.

•Provision of tablets, laptops, software and other new technologies to support learning on an individual and class based level.

•Continued investment to support the improvement in the quality of teaching and learning through the school.

How Impact will be measured

The impact of the Pupil Premium Strategy is reviewed regularly during half termly meetings with the Governor’s Monitoring Committee and at termly meetings with the Link Governor for Pupil Premium Mr D Delaney. During these meetings data from the most recent DCP or TRIP is analysed at both whole school level and department level by year group to identify any areas of underperformance and the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils in current year groups is compared with the 2016 progress and attainment as published in RAISEonline.

Underperformance at departmental level is challenged and Heads of Department are required to produce action plans by year group where necessary outlining strategies to address any issues.

AHT in charge of the Pupil Premium strategy analyses the data by department using the HoDs data sheets and sends each HoD a list of questions which challenge areas of underachievement by year group. HoDs respond by completing a strategy statement. These strategies are discussed at departmental meetings and teaching staff are required to investigate underperformance at pupil level. Teaching staff and HoDsreview the impact of strategies after each DCP/Trip. These form the basis of the discussion with Link Governor during the termly strategy review meetings.

Date of the next review of the strategy

The Pupil premium strategy will be reviewed duringthe termly meeting with the Link Governorfor Pupil Premium Mr D Delaney and at the half termly meeting with the Governor’s Monitoring Committee.