Detail

Data

Number of pupils in school

414

Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils

(60) 14.4%

Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers (3-year plans are recommended – you must still publish an updated statement for each academic year)

2024/2025 to 2026/2027

Date this statement was published

December 2024

Date on which it will be reviewed

June 2025

Statement authorised by

Darren Foulke

Pupil premium lead

Leanne Towers

Governor / Trustee lead

Ann Midgley

Detail

Amount

Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year

£106090

Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years

£0

Total budget for this academic year

£106090

Our intention is that all pupils, irrespective of their background or the challenges they face, make good progress and achieve high attainment across all subject areas. The focus of our pupil premium strategy is to support disadvantaged pupils to achieve that goal, including progress for those who are already high attainers.

We will consider the challenges faced by vulnerable pupils, such as those who have a social worker, young carers and those with SEND. The activity we have outlined in this statement is also intended to support their needs, regardless of whether they are disadvantaged or not.

High-quality teaching is at the heart of our approach, with a focus on areas in which disadvantaged pupils require the most support. We know that high quality teaching is disproportionately advantageous to disadvantaged pupils. This is proven to have the greatest impact on closing the disadvantage attainment gap and at the same time will benefit the non-disadvantaged pupils in our school. The attainment and progress of all pupils remains a priority.

Our strategy will continue to consider where additional support is required for pupils whose education and wellbeing were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, notably through tutoring for pupils whose education has been worst affected.

Our approach will be responsive to common challenges and individual needs, rooted in robust diagnostic assessment, not assumptions about the impact of disadvantage. The approaches we have adopted complement each other to help pupils achieve. To ensure they are effective we will:

• ensure disadvantaged pupils are challenged in the work that they’re set

·         act early to intervene at the point need is identified

·         adopt a whole school approach in which all staff take responsibility for disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes and raise expectations of what they can achieve.

Challenge number

Detail of challenge

1

Assessments, observations, and discussions with pupils indicate underdeveloped oral language skills and vocabulary gaps among many disadvantaged pupils. These are evident from Reception through to KS2 and in general, are more prevalent among our disadvantaged pupils than their peers.

2

Our attendance data over the last 2 years indicates that attendance among disadvantaged pupils has been between 91.3%-91.8 % lower than for non-disadvantaged pupils despite strategies intended to improve attendance.

29%- 33% of disadvantaged pupils have been ‘persistently absent’ compared to 11% of their peers during that period. Our assessments and observations indicate that absenteeism is negatively impacting disadvantaged pupils’ progress and parental attitudes to attendance are the biggest barrier to improvements.

3

Assessments, observations, and discussions with pupils suggest disadvantaged pupils generally have greater difficulties with reading than their peers. Strategies aim at improving reading outcomes for disadvantaged pupils have had variable success.

At the end of Reception in the last 3 years, between 58.6%-61.7%  of our disadvantaged pupils meet age-related expectations compared to 75.1%-78.2% of other pupils. PP outcomes have steadily improved at KS2 from 23.1% to 41.7% over the last 3 years but the gap remains wide.

4

Internal and external assessments indicate that maths attainment among disadvantaged pupils is significantly below that of non-disadvantaged pupils.

At the end of Reception in the last 3 years, between 48.3%-54.4%  of our disadvantaged pupils meet age-related expectations compared to 70.2%-73.2% of other pupils. PP outcomes have steadily improved at KS2 from 15.4%-58.3% but the gap remains wide.

 5

Internal and external assessments indicate that writing attainment among disadvantaged pupils is significantly below that of non-disadvantaged pupils.

At the end of Reception in the last 3 years, between 37.6%-63.5%  of our disadvantaged pupils meet age-related expectations compared to 77.2%-79.3% of other pupils. PP outcomes have steadily improved at KS2 from 46.2%-66.7% but the gap remains wide.

6

Analysis of the SEND register and the Pupil premium register shows that  a significant proportion of PP children also have an identified SEND (44%). 10% of all PP children have an EHCP and complex needs. This combination of vulnerabilities mean that this group of children have significant barriers to learning

Intended outcome

Success criteria

Improved oral language skills and vocabulary among disadvantaged pupils.

Assessments and observations indicate significantly improved oral language among disadvantaged pupils. This is evident when triangulated with other sources of evidence, including engagement in lessons, book scrutiny and ongoing formative assessment.

To achieve and sustain improved attendance for all pupils, particularly our disadvantaged pupils.

Sustained high attendance by 2026/27 demonstrated by:

·         the overall unauthorised absence rate for all pupils being no more than 6%, and the attendance gap between disadvantaged pupils and their non-disadvantaged peers being reduced by 3%.

·         the percentage of all pupils who are persistently absent being below 10% and the figure among disadvantaged pupils being no more than 10% lower than their peers.

Improved reading attainment among disadvantaged pupils.

KS2 reading outcomes in 2026/27 show that more than 65% of disadvantaged pupils met the expected standard.

Improved maths attainment for disadvantaged pupils at the end of KS2.

KS2 maths outcomes in 2026/27 show that more than 65% of disadvantaged pupils met the expected standard.

Improved writing attainment for disadvantaged pupils at the end of KS2.

KS2 writing outcomes in 2026/27 show that consistently more than 65% of disadvantaged pupils met the expected standard.

Improved outcomes for SEND and disadvantaged children

Assessments and observations show that all SEND/PP children are making good progress towards their individualised targets.

·          

·          

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Purchase of standardised diagnostic assessments.

Training for staff to ensure assessments are interpreted and administered correctly.

When used effectively, diagnostic assessments can indicate areas for development for individual pupils, or across classes and year groups:

Diagnostic assessment | EEF

These will include:
Learning by Questions

Whiterose Maths Assessments and Smartgrade to standardise scores

1, 3, 4, 5,6  

Develop a full understanding of the barriers to attendance by holding attendance meetings with teachers as part of Pupil Progress meetings

The EEF Leadership Guide: Supporting Attendance EEF Supporting Attendance Guide recommends going beyond the headlines and digging deeper into the attendance of pupils.

2

Embedding dialogic activities across the school curriculum. These can support pupils to articulate key ideas, consolidate understanding and extend vocabulary. We will purchase resources and fund ongoing teacher training and release time.

There is a strong evidence base that suggests oral language interventions, including dialogic activities such as high-quality classroom discussion, are inexpensive to implement with high impacts on reading:

Oral language interventions | Teaching and Learning Toolkit | EEF

Windmill will work with Voice 21 to implement oracy in the curriculum and embed classroom practice.

1, 3, 4, 5

Enhancement of our maths teaching and curriculum planning in line with DfE and EEF guidance.

We will fund teacher release time to embed key elements of guidance in school and to access Maths Hub resources and CPD (including Teaching for Mastery training).

The DfE non-statutory guidance has been produced in conjunction with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, drawing on evidence-based approaches:

Mathematics_guidance: key stages 1_and 2

The EEF guidance is based on a range of the best available evidence:

Improving Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3

4

Enhance writing teaching and curriculum planning in line with DFE and EEF guidance.

We will fund teacher release time to embed key elements of guidance in school and to access moderation and training with other schools e.g Alison Philipson moderation through BBEST.

The EEF guidance Improving Literacy at KS1 and Improving Literacy at KS2 provides evidence on improving all aspects of writing including transcription and composition.

5

Enhance SEND teaching and curriculum planning in line with DFE and EEF guidance.

We will fund teacher release time to embed key elements of guidance in school.

The EEF guidance Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools provides recommendations for improving provision.

6

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

One to one and small group tuition for pupils in need of additional support, delivered in addition to, and linked with, normal lessons.

Tutoring will be implemented with the help of DfE’s guide:

Tutoring: guidance for education settings

Tuition targeted at specific needs and knowledge gaps can be an effective method to support low attaining pupils or those falling behind:

One to one tuition | Teaching and Learning Toolkit | EEF

Small group tuition | Teaching and Learning Toolkit | EEF

1, 2, 3 ,4, 6

Additional phonics sessions targeted at disadvantaged pupils who require further phonics support. This will be delivered in collaboration with our local English hub. 

Phonics approaches have a strong evidence base indicating a positive impact on pupils, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds. Targeted phonics interventions have been shown to be more effective when delivered as regular sessions over a period up to 12 weeks:

Phonics | Teaching and Learning Toolkit | EEF

3

Purchase of a programme to improve listening, narrative and vocabulary skills for disadvantaged pupils who have relatively weak spoken language skills.

Oral language interventions can have a positive impact on pupils’ language skills. Approaches that focus on speaking, listening and a combination of the two show positive impacts on attainment:

Oral language interventions | Teaching and Learning Toolkit | EEF

1,3,5

Pupils are targeted for comprehension support. This support is delivered by a trained practitioner using high quality programmes.

1)    The FFT see that Reciprocal Reading can add as much as +4mths progress to a targeted group but in their Research,  project saw that this gained +2mths for PP children. This training is delivered by the FFT which cites gains as much as +16mths in comprehension

https://literacy.fischertrust.org/overview/rr/

2)    This year we are part of a reciprocal reading control group and will gain training in 2024 subsidised by the EEF

1, 3

Purchase Attendance Officer Support via a SLA to engage hard to reach families.

3)    The EEF Leadership Guide: Supporting Attendance EEF Supporting Attendance Guide recommends Targeted Intervention to supplement universal provision. AO support will add capacity and an independent support offer.

2

Provide bespoke SEND interventions to pupils with SEND/PP duel coding

4)    The EEF guidance Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools states that carefully selected small group and 1:1 interventions are effective.

6

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Whole staff training on high quality teaching and instruction using the EEF teaching Toolkit and other guidance including that from the EEF and educationalists like Rosenshein

The EEF Teaching Toolkit details the pedagogy that is most impactful e.g. metacognition, feedback. The EEF Guidance on High Quality Teaching also provides important pedagogy that maximises outcomes.

1,2,3,4,5,6

Embedding principles of good practice set out in the DfE’s guidance on working together to improve school attendance.

This will involve training and release time for staff to develop and implement new procedures and appointing attendance/support officers to improve attendance.

The DfE guidance has been informed by engagement with schools that have significantly reduced levels of absence and persistent absence.

2

Contingency fund for acute issues.

Based on our experiences and those of similar schools to ours, we have identified a need to set a small amount of funding aside to respond quickly to needs that have not yet been identified.

All

We have analysed the performance of our school’s disadvantaged pupils during the previous academic year, drawing on national assessment data and our own internal summative and formative assessments.

The data demonstrated that the gains made in closing the pupil premium/non pupil premium gap in 2022-2023 were not maintained in 2023-24. Whilst in year data shows that attendance strategies had some impact on pupil premium children it was not enough to pull pupil premium children out of Persistent Absenteeism once children had established a pattern of non-attendance. Early identification and intervention is required moving forwards. The use of Attendance Officer support in the Summer Term 2024 was most impactful and features in the strategy for 2024-2027.

To help us gauge the performance of our disadvantaged pupils we compared their      results to those for disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils at national and local level and to results achieved by our non-disadvantaged pupils (though we know that pupils included in the performance data will have experienced some disruption due to Covid-19 earlier in their schooling, which will have affected individual pupils and schools differently).

The data demonstrates that the gaps between PP and non PP children are large at the end of Reception and remain large at the end of KS2. The three year trend shows that KS2 outcomes for PP children have increased they remain below National with the greatest gap in Reading.

We have also drawn on school data and observations to assess wider issues impacting disadvantaged pupils' performance, including SEND, behaviour and wellbeing. The number of children requiring SEL support decreased significantly as did the number of behaviour incidents associated with PP children. However,  it was identified that 44% of PP children were on the SEND register with 10% having an EHCP. This makes the Windmill disadvantaged cohort extremely complex and SEND is a significant barrier to pupils achieving age related expectations.].

Based on all the information above, the performance of our disadvantaged pupils improved but did not meet expectations, but we are at present on course course] to achieve the outcomes we set out to achieve by 2026/27, as stated in the Intended Outcomes section above. The exception here is attendance, this will require exponential improvement to meet the target set.

Our evaluation of the approaches delivered last academic year indicates that tuition in Upper Key Stage 2 was particularly effective as was the focus on quality first teaching. Least effective were early attempts to improve attendance which improved significantly with support from a Local Authority Attendance Officer.We have reviewed our strategy plan and made changes to how we intend to use some of our budget this academic year. The Further Information section below provides more details about our planning, implementation, and evaluation processes.

Programme

Provider

Oracy Curriculum Development

Voice 21

Additional activity

Our pupil premium strategy will be supplemented by additional activity that is not being funded by pupil premium. That will include:

·         Embedding more effective practice.

·         Utilising BBEST to deliver support for disadvantaged families.

·         Offering a wide range of high-quality extracurricular activities to boost wellbeing, behaviour, attendance, and aspiration. Activities will focus on building life skills such as confidence, resilience, and socialising. Disadvantaged pupils will be encouraged and supported to participate.

Planning, implementation, and evaluation

In planning our new pupil premium strategy, we evaluated why activity undertaken in previous years had not had the degree of impact that we had expected. We will also commission a pupil premium review to get an external perspective.

We have triangulated evidence from multiple sources of data including assessments, engagement in class book scrutiny, and conversations with parents, students and teachers, in order to identify the challenges faced by disadvantaged pupils.

We looked at several reports, studies and research papers about effective use of pupil premium, the impact of disadvantage on education outcomes and how to address challenges to learning presented by socio-economic disadvantage. 

We used the EEF’s implementation guidance to help us develop our strategy, particularly the ‘explore’ phase to help us diagnose specific pupil needs and work out which activities and approaches are likely to work in our school. We will continue to use it through the implementation of activities.

We have put a robust evaluation framework in place for the duration of our three-year approach and will adjust our plan over time to secure better outcomes for pupils.