Pupil Premium policy Document 2014-2015 Academic Year

Mission statement

“Excellence through Innovation”

‘At West Oaks School we work with consideration, commitment and co-operation to ensure our school community will develop the capacity to enjoy life and succeed. ’

We are determined to ensure that our pupils are given every chance to realize their full potential. Pupil premium funding enhances our curriculum offer.

All our work through the pupil premium is aimed at accelerating progress, particularly in communication and interaction, reading and numeracy. It is spent in an integrated and targeted way to ensure that our pupils receive additional support and have increased access to learning opportunities. All our pupils have SEN and 39% have access to pupil premium funding (as at July 2015).

Background

The pupil premium is a government initiative that targets extra money at pupils so they can be supported to reachtheir potential. The Government has used pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM), looked after children andservice children as indicators of funding, and have provided a fixed amount of money forschools per pupil based on the number of pupils registered for FSM over a rolling six year period.

This fixed amount of money is expected to increase every year. AtWest Oaks we use the indicator of those eligible for FSM as well asidentified vulnerable groups as our target children to ‘close the gap’ regarding attainment.

Accountability is with the Principal and Senior Leaders who decide how to use the premium. They report the decisions to the governors and publish how the money has been used and the describe the impact. The report is then published on the school website.

In 2014/15 financial year, the funding allocation was £935 per pupil (Pupil Premium), £1,900 for looked after pupils, £300 for pupils of Armed Forces families and £500 for Year 7 Catch Up pupils. 66 pupils were eligible for the pupil premium and CLA. This amounted to £75,610. Whilst the additional funding is released to us at the start of the financial year, we are asked to report on the impact over the course of an academic year.

The additional funding has been used for a range of purposes including:

  • Provision of individual aids to support learning e.g. laptop, iPad,specific ICT programmes to aid learning.
  • Increased levels of 1:1 staffing to provide “target intervention” sessions in numeracy, literacy and speech and language.
  • Individual mentoring to help pupils with behaviour and anxiety issues. Appointment of additional Learning Guides and mentors to work specifically at Oakwood Lane. This reduces the need for supply staff and ensures high quality learning opportunities continue during absence of staff.
  • Opportunities for pupils to attend off site activities and residential activities to help develop self-esteem, build relationships and develop more effective communication and interaction skills.
  • Opportunities to attend extra-curricular activities such as Breakfast club, after school club and Saturday Stay and Play.
  • Support with funding of regular school activities including swimming, curricular trips, farm visits, RDA etc.

A breakdown of the expenditure for the year 2014/15 is shown below.

Curriculum support / Allocation £75,610
Small group work/teaching / £5,000
Targeted intervention for selected students – reading. / £4,000
Additional teacher employed (part time) to support Literacy at both sites. / £8,250
Individual needs analysis / £2,087
A2L (Access 2 Learning) curriculum to meet needs of pupils experiencing difficulties at KS2. / £6,700
Software programmes – Purchase of BSquared, Education city, Mathletics, HelpKidzlearn / £7,500
Partial funding of Mentors and Champions / £4,642 BS, £2,321 OL
Access Support
Subsidised residential/activities for target pupils / £2,000
Summer school support / £4,000
Technology support and new equipment / £3,500
Additional contribution to Speech and Language support programme delivery and co-ordination (OL/BS) / £16,000
West Oaks Focus – Communication and Interaction
Attendance and Access activities (CLA, Transport) / £3,610
Pupil Premium Lead Case studies / £1,500

Impact of Expenditure

The school’s evaluation of its own performance is thorough and tracking of progress over time for each pupil quickly identifies any dips in performance and helps the school develop strategies and interventions to promote improvement.

  • A wide range of data is used – achievement data, pupils’ work, observations, learning walks, case studies, and staff, parent and pupil voice
  • Assessments are closely moderated to ensure they are accurate
  • Regular feedback about performance is given to children and parents
  • Interventions are adapted or changed if they are not working and case studies are used to evaluate the impact of interventions
  • A designated member of the SLT maintains an overview of pupil premium spending and a governor is given responsibility for pupil premium

How has the pupil Premium made a difference to the attainment of the pupils?

The impact of the use of the pupil premium has been to raise pupils' self-esteem and confidence which in turns help them have a more positive approach to their learning. Analysis of pupil progress data shows that pupil premium pupils achieve as well as all other pupils in school. No single intervention provides a complete solution therefore we use a range of strategies to meet need and they are refined annually.

In addition, individualized and focused work has helped improve attainment in literacy, particularly in the use of phonics and spelling, allowing pupils to gain more confidence in reading. West Oaks School assessments indicate that nearly all pupils made progress with individual mentoring support and then pupil premium has enabled pupils to close gaps in their attainment of both numeracy and literacy, as well as making strides in their personal, social and emotional development.

Support and intervention has been effectively targeted in communication and interaction, reading and math’s (Number) for 66 pupil premium eligible students. In 7 out of the 8 key areas of intervention pupil premium pupils out-performed the whole campus.

The strategies outlined above are only a sample of the work undertaken last year as West Oaks strives to ensure that every student makes sustained progress relative to their starting points.

Oakwood Lane

Listening / Speaking / Reading / Writing / Using and Applying / Number / SSM / Handling Data / Sci Enq / Life Processes / Materials / Physical
PP / 93% / 86% / 93% / 100% / 100% / 100% / 93% / 93% / 100% / 100% / 100% / 93%
Non PP / 88% / 88% / 100% / 100% / 100% / 100% / 100% / 100% / 88% / 100% / 88% / 88%

Boston Spa

Reading / Writing / Speaking and Listening / Number / Measurement / Geometry / Statistics (NC only) / Science
PP / 84% / 82% / 70% / 84% / 78% / 86% / 85% / 76%
Non PP / 72% / 67% / 72% / 70% / 70% / 67% / 76% / 66%

Pupil premium 2015/2016

Teaching and Learning Co-ordinators, as part of their role will take responsibility for a specific group of pupil premium pupils and ensuring that there is a continual focus on their attainment across all areas.

A particular focus during this academic year will be speaking and listening – where 70% of pupils achieved their targets, compared with 72% of non-pupil premium pupils. The choices we make in allocating the pupil premium money will be vital in ensuring the funding is targeted in the right areas to raise pupil’s attainment and aspirations.

Assessment

A wide range of data is used to track pupil premium spend: achievement data, pupils’ work, observations, learning walks and the use of case studies.

A designated member of SLG maintains an overview of pupil premium spending.

A Governor has responsibility for quality assuring our pupil premium spending.

In2015/16 £78,530 has beeen allocated to the school.

It is projected that this will be spent in the following key areas:

Key areas / Cost / Outcome
Part funding of Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator Posts / £14,556 /
  • Quality daily teaching and sharing of expertise sets high expectations and develops teachers’ practice.
  • Facilitating sharing of good practice.
  • Qualityassurance and solid data analysis.
  • Positive % on outstanding teaching.
  • Increased % of children working above age related expectations.

Speaking and Listening Interventions / £20,000 /
  • Increased % of children working at or above age related expectations.
  • Additional language assessment and EP or SLT support for targeted group having real impact.
  • Targeted speech and language and EP assessments increased by 25%.

1:1 Direct teaching (Literacy and Numeracy) / £8,000 /
  • Increased % of children working at or above age related expectations.

Additional staffing time to support intensive interaction / £3,500 /
  • % of pupils speaking, vocalisation and listening skills increase.

Investment in Technology: use of mobiletechnology, use of tablets (West Oaks Communicators) ,use of Apps, e books, softwareand Assistive technology – Switches, mounts, eye gazer and touch screen. / £18,124 /
  • Promotion of personalised learning outside of the school environment leads to better access to anytime/anywhere content for families and PP groups.
  • Training for families on what technology is for/pedagogical approaches and how to use in the home will enhance meaningful home learning and will also improve school to home learning.

Easter school for Pupils at Oakwood SEMH / £1,500 /
  • Extended Learning time through a play based approach.
  • Provision of revision for SATS will lead to increased attainment in KS2 English and Maths Assessment (data outcome).

Library development and designated teaching space / £3,350 /
  • New space/furniture raises the profile of reading.

Development and Introduction of “Radio West Oaks” / £7,500 /
  • New facility improves conditions for learning for KS4 pupils.
  • School “SEN” radio station uses ICT to raise SEND awareness and helps improve attainment by developing key skills such as communicating with others
  • Also develops problem solving, improving own learning and performance, as well as speaking, listeningand reading writing skills.

PP Residential Activities to target Groups in KS3. / £2,000 /
  • Ensures access to activities that promote enjoyment, enrichment and independence for KS3 PP group.
  • Also develops problem solving, improving own learning through developing key skills such as communicating with others.
  • % increased access to OAA activity.