Pupil premium strategy statement: The Bicester School
1.Summary informationSchool information / A lower than average proportion of students is eligible for the Pupil Premium at The Bicester School: approximately
14.6% of the school’s cohort compared to 18% nationally.
Academic year / 2017/18 / Total PP budget / £139,000 / Date of most recent PP Review / Mark Roland
October 2017
Total number of pupils (including Post-16) / 948 / Number of students eligible for the PPF / 137 / Date of next internal review of this strategy / B Powell and SLT
February 2018
2. Current attainment (See Appendix A for data relating to current year groups)
Students eligible for PP (TBS) / Students not eligible for PP (TBS) / Students not eligible for PP (national average)
% achieving grade 4+ in EnMa / 40% / 67% / 71%
Progress 8 score average / -0.67 / -0.35 / 0.11
Attainment 8 score average / 32.5 (vs estimate of 36) / 45.1(vs estimate of 48) / 49.8
3. Barriers to future attainment (for students eligible for PP including high ability)
In-school barriers (issues to be addressed in school)
A: / Literacy and Numeracy (Basic Skills) are lower for incoming students who are eligible for the PPF
B: / Progress of students who also have additional educational needs (including EAL)
C: / Character and aspirations - there is a lack of resilience and a lack of high aims for the future (especially More Able students)
External barriers (issues which also require action outside of school)
D: / Parental engagement with the school and access to resources at home
E: / Attendance rates are below the school average for all students
4. Outcomes
Desired outcomes and how they will be measured / Success criteria
A: / High levels of progress in literacy and numeracy for students in KS3 (particularly those students who are currently eligible for FSM). / High levels of progress in Reading Age from their starting point at the school through Yrs7 and 8. (Good level of progress is 2 months improvement per actual month of intervention; exceptional level is 3 months improvement). This outcome will be also measured by English department tracking documents. Numeracy will be measured by in house data from the maths department (100% making at least 2 bands of progress).
B: / Attainment for highlighted students to be in line with their peers. / CAP (Common Assessment Point) data shows that actions are resulting in a diminished difference between these students and their peers.
C: / Destination data reflects raised aspirations amongst eligible students. / Our students are supported in choosing the right pathways for their ability. The school’s data demonstrates that all eligible students are doing a relevant course at a Post-16 provider.
D: / Parents of PP students embrace a range of opportunities aimed at increasing parental engagement with the learning process. Students are given resources to use at home to support their learning outside of school. / School records show that parents engage with the school in some form - either recorded as attended a Parents’ Consultation Evening or individual student logs show engagement with a relevant member of staff via another form of communication (e.g. phone or email).
E: / Increased attendance rates for students eligible for PP across all Year Groups. / Our school attendance data demonstrates that there is no gap between eligible students and their peers.
5. Planned expenditure
Academic year 2017/18
The three headings below demonstrate how we are using the PPF to i) improve classroom pedagogy, ii) provide targeted support and iii) support whole school strategies
i) Quality of teaching for all
Desired outcome / Chosen action/approach / What is the evidence and rationale for this choice? / How will we ensure it is implemented well? / Staff lead / When will the implementation be reviewed?
To create positive culture for learning in all classes / Setting in some subject areas with careful placing of students in relation to effective learning partners. / Careful placing of children enables strong children to support less able learners through high quality interaction and conversation. / Learning patrols (to monitor behaviour) and learning walks (to monitor teaching and learning) plus individual department reviews. / RH / Learning patrols and learning walks take place throughout the year.
Department reviews every two years
To create high quality teaching for all / New lesson plans are used to emphasise school priorities: questioning, AfL, interleaving, silent concentration and positive behaviour for learning. / DFE briefing paper ‘supporting the attainment of Disadvantaged pupils’ and Evidence Based Teachers’ Network / Staff training through T+L briefings; CPD based upon ‘Learning Communities’ ; monitoring of T+L; new T&L handbook / RH / Staff observations (whole school and also in departments)
To create high quality teaching for all / Creation of
department-led CPD to improve practice in all classrooms. / Sutton Trust; What Makes great teaching? Evidence Based Teachers’ Network, Michaela School philosophy, Schools’ Ministers Network – knowledge based teaching. / Monitoring of actions and impact after each session; monitoring
of T+L; evaluation of
outcomes. / RH / Focused Learning
Walks/Book
Monitoring/Work
Scrutiny/Common Assessment Points).
HoD led reviews of exam results
T+L team to provide support for raising the quality of T+L across the school – mentoring programme using outstanding teachers who work with other teachers as part of the Moving Teachers Forward / As above / Spreadsheet recording the outcomes of actions / RH / As above
Improving the quality of marking and
feedback to students. / Development and implementation of new school assessment policy which allows each department flexibility for efficient marking as well as ensuring universal SPAG routines. / A working panel of teachers reviewed the previous marking policy. / By regular book monitoring. / RH / Termly
To provide an aspirational curriculum for all. / Review of curriculum at KS4 for 2017 to include all students within EBACC offer. / DFE Guidance. / Consult with
HODs/parents and students in order to provide inclusive curriculum for all. / TR/RH / Sept 2018
To raise achievement in the core subjects of maths and English. / Core subjects get a generous proportion of the curriculum time. / Success in these areas is more likely to lead to success in other curriculum areas.. / Evidence of increased numeracy and literacy during book monitoring, learning walks and improved external results. / TR with SLT / Sept 2018
Total budgeted cost / Details on separate costings document
Targeted support
Desired Outcome / Chosen action/approach / What is the evidence and rationale for this choice? / How will we ensure it is implemented well? / Staff lead / When will the implementation be reviewed?
A: High levels of progress in literacy and numeracy for students in KS3 (particularly those students who are currently eligible for FSM) / Accelerated Reader in years 7&8 to measure reading ages at least 4 times a year and to prompt
intervention if necessary (one of these interventions is Reading Recovery). / Average point score from KS2 shows that eligible students enter the school with a lower starting point than their peers. Also a high proportion of our eligible students have reading ages significantly below their actual age. AR has been independently
evaluated and shown to be effective in other schools. Reading Recovery is a proven and effective intervention. / One English lesson per fortnight focuses on reading - these lessons will be dedicated to the AR programme and will be monitored by the AR Librarian with support from the English department
The AR Librarian will monitor and analyse reading reports to determine where specific interventions need to be targeted. Each English lesson (Years7&8) begins with 15 minutes of independent silent reading. / AR Librarian with oversight by DHT / After each reading test therefore at least
4x a year
Timetabled strategic intervention led by a maths teacher. Targeted students come out of their normal maths lesson (sometimes fortnightly but can be more frequently). Every Year 7 maths lesson begins with practising their times tables. / 1:1 tuition to close gaps is an effective and speedy way to bring the student back in line with their peers. Evidence shows that knowing your times tables by rote has a positive impact progress in maths. / The Head of Maths oversees this intervention and discussion of its success forms part of department meetings and the HoD tracks it with internal tracking data. / Head of Maths and 2nd in Department / Progress checked after each assessment
B: Attainment for highlighted students to be in line with their peers (CAP data shows that actions are resulting in diminished difference between these students and their peers) / KS3: Teacher Action Sheets focus on how the class teacher can individually support the learning of students within their subject area / Research shows that it is what happens inside the class that has the most impact on a student’s outcomes. / Through Academic Standards meeting where information is collated by the DHT and disseminated to HoDs and their departments / DHT and KS3 Progress Lead / After each CAP
KS4: Close tracking and analysis of data after each CAP with targeted interventions for specific students and subjects (for example targeted Saturday School, additional lesson P5 on a Wednesday and morning interventions for the core subjects) / Our strategy focuses on high quality teaching and learning however we acknowledge that some students at some times will still require additional support in a smaller targeted group which focuses on their particular need. / KS4 Academic Standards meeting once a half term focus on reviewing and sharing data about key students with HoDs who then feedback to their departments so that eligible students are highlighted. / AHT / After each CAP
Most subjects group students by ability. Maths and English HoDs have been directed to place their disadvantaged students first (this is based on student’s ability, quality of teaching and the dynamics of the group as a whole). / Research shows that the disadvantaged makes significantly less progress than their peers if quality of teaching is poor. Although the Sutton Trust proposes that mixed ability teaching has the most impact, we have not found this to be the case at this school. / HoDs check their internal tracking to ensure students are in the correct groups. Detailed exam analysis after external GCSEs show whether groups have worked or whether a different teacher/approach needs to be taken for the current years. / HoDs / After each CAP
Year 9 options: Our aim is for the vast majority of our students to follow the EBacc route but we acknowledge that this is not the appropriate route for all so we carefully steer our students to suitable courses. We ensure that our more able disadvantaged students are following the EBacc. HoDs run fortnightly Year 9 assemblies where they promote their subjects at GCSE and beyond. Year 9 Options evening / Research clearly shows that future life choices are determined by this options progress and therefore our actions must raise aspirations and ensure that eligible students are offered a broad and balanced curriculum. Unfortunately a proportion of our disadvantaged students’ parents do not engage with Parents’ Evenings or have not themselves followed an academic route themselves therefore these students need more support around options. / AHT has oversight of full options process and will ensure particular attention is paid to our disadvantaged students. / AHT / Different stages of the process throughout the year
C: Destination data reflects raised aspirations amongst
PP students / All students who applied to the Post-16 Centre had an interview to check they were on the correct pathway. Disadvantaged students who applied to local colleges were supported by members of the pastoral team. We aim to encourage our high attaining disadvantaged students to remain in the school at the Post-16 Centre and we actively recruit these students to our ‘A’ Level courses. We are reviewing the quality of our aspiration programme to ensure it inspires our disadvantaged students. In September every Year 11 attended an additional parents’ evening to meet with their form tutor and disadvantaged students also met with a key member of staff (either SLT or the Raising Aspirations Coordinator). / Previous data suggests that a low number of Y11 PP students apply to P16 at TBS and are less likely to enter into high quality FE. / Monitoring student engagement with open evenings and student attendance at Post-16 interviews. / AHTs and Head of Post-16 / Review following internal data collection in Y11 and Y10.
Total budgeted cost / Details on a separate costings document
iii) Other approaches
Desired outcome / Chosen action/approach / What is the evidence and rationale for this choice? / How will we ensure it is implemented well? / Staff lead / When will the implementation be reviewed?
D: Parents of eligible students embrace range of opportunities aimed at increasing parental engagement with the learning process. / Increased opportunities for parents to engage with school - such as pre-emptive phone calls in advance of Parents’ Evening, additional ‘catch up sessions’ for families not attending and home visits or visits off site where necessary. Targeted appointments with hard to reach parents. / Internal data shows
underperformance
linked with attendance to parents evenings Eligible students’ families disproportionately underrepresented at Parents’ Evenings. Educational research shows that parental engagement is a key factor in their children making progress in school / Monitor attendance at Parents’ Eveningswith student support, AHT and Heads of Year to follow up with additional evenings or home visits where appropriate. / AHTs with Heads of Years / After each Parents’ Evening
E: Increased attendance rates for eligible students across all Year Groups / Contracts to be drawn up between the school and families of children who are persistently absent or who are late for school. / External educational research shows that a student makes less progress if their attendance is low or is erratic. This is confirmed with in school data (especially with reading ages for non-attenders). / Termly checks on attendance for groups of key students. / AHT with Heads of Year / Termly
Total budgeted cost / Details on separate costings document
6. Review of expenditure
Previous Academic Year 2016/17
i) Quality of teaching for all
Desired outcome / Chosen action/approach / Estimated impact: did you meet the success criteria? (including impact on students who are not eligible for the PPF in appropriate) / Lessons learned (and whether we would continue with this approach) / Cost
Raise standard of
Teaching and Learning for all students through a high quality CPD. / T&L team established. They lead whole school CPD, share resources, work with SLT to carry out lesson observations/walks. They support teachers who are on the Moving Teachers Forward programme. Departments are on a rolling cycle for review. There is a designated part of the report which focuses on quality of work produced by disadvantaged students and data from the most recent CAP. / Good: Evidence shows that quality of T&L in the school is good / In 2017/2018, learning walks will be carried out more regularly with a focus on key groups. Department reviews will continue to have a focus on targeted eligible students but this is being refined for the next academic year.
Disadvantaged students make good progress in the core subjects of maths, science and
English / Core subjects each have an HLTA to support the learning of disadvantaged students. TAs also used within these departments to support students. / Good: department based information and whole school data (Appendix A) shows that eligible students are making good progress in
line with their peers in most subjects. / There are still some subjects where there is a gap between eligible students and their peers. For 2017-2018, there will be greater analysis of CAP data where we drilldown into the details and discuss barriers with HODs. As part of the academic standards cycle of meetings, standards leads will meet to coordinate strategies. / (£62000, 20% assigned specifically to PP) £13000
ii) Targeted support
Desired outcome / Chosen action/approach / Estimated impact: did you meet the success criteria? (including impact on students who are not eligible for the PPF in appropriate) / Lessons learned (and whether we would continue with this approach) / Cost
To improve the reading ages of all children in
Years 7 & 8 / Accelerated Reader programme, fortnightly reading lesson in English, investment in library (books and resources) plus partial salary for a full-time AR Librarian and part time teacher for Reading Recovery. / Good: students made good progress with their reading / We are going to continue with this strategy in order to improve literacy for all students. In 2017/18 we will further analyse AR data to focus on progress of key groups and follow up with strategic actions. / £1900 package cost.
20% of accelerated reader staff costs - £6000
£9000 for Reading Recovery
To prepare students thoroughly for external exams by identifying gaps in subject knowledge and closing these through targeted interventions. / Additional sessions were run throughout the year. The most strategic was the use of Wednesday period 6 sessions. Transport was provided to enable all students to attend these compulsory sessions. Sessions were run by subject specialists. Morning interventions and Saturday mornings were also run where students could work in small groups on targeted topics to close gaps. / Good: students made good progress from November mocks. This was tracked after each data collection point. / For 2017/2018, we will continue to run the Wednesday P5 sessions but review which subjects are the focus for these sessions (in light of 2017 results). Morning sessions will be extended to Science and History as well and students work in subject areas. Lists to initially be reviewed after November mock exams. / £5200
Disadvantaged students have a mentor in school, someone who will meet with them and give them strategies to help them to overcome their particular barriers to learning (for instance organisation, getting homework completed) / Aspirations Leader worked closely with selected KS4 students. / Mixed: some of the KS4 students involved responded well. / We recognise the value in mentoring these students. When placing students into tutor groups for 2017-2018, careful consideration was given to tutors for our eligible students with a view to these mentoring students. We recognised last year that mentoring is most effective with KS3 students and we can have greater impact in these earlier years. / TLR + teaching load reduction for post £15000.
To raise awareness of our eligible students and their individual needs. / Information shared in staff briefings (weekly) and then all teachers of these students shared effective strategies with the group. / Good: teachers show greater understanding of the needs of these students. / We will continue to highlight students but have now created a display where information is shared with teachers. This is regularly updated with the view to sharing information on as many students as possible. / None
iii) Other approaches
Desired outcome / Chosen action/approach / Estimated impact: did you meet the success criteria? (including impact on students who are not eligible for the PPF in appropriate) / Lessons learned (and whether we would continue with this approach) / Cost
Disadvantaged students have access to the full school experience (including educational visits and extra-curricular activities) / Students in receipt of the PP are given priority access to some clubs and extra-curricular activities (for example homework club) some funded or partly funded; staff running clubs or activities ensure they attempt to gain a diverse range of students participating (including those who are eligible for the PPF) / Good: in school information shows that disadvantaged students are proportionately represented on school trips and activities so that financial disadvantage is not a barrier to full participation in the school experience. / In 2017/2018, we will continue to help finance activities and trips for eligible students. We plan to track and evaluate their participation in a more centrally held way. / £4500
There will be no difference between the attendance of eligible students and the rest of the school. / Work with parents to encourage participation in school via home/school attendance contracts and flexible timetables where relevant and useful. Members of the pastoral team picked up students and brought them into school. / Good: there was no discernible difference between the attendance of eligible students and their peers / In 2017/18 we will continue to use home/school attendance contracts where necessary and ensure we identify any areas of concern at the earliest possible opportunity / £48,000
All eligible students are fully equipped for learning and can access the full curriculum. / Purchase of revision guides, work books, D&T materials, sketchbooks, use of laptops at home and key resources needed for exams. / Good – students have access to all materials needed. / We will continue with this approach in 2017-2018. / £6200
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