Detail

Data

School name

Berkeley Academy

Number of pupils in school

472 Max (including up to 52 in Nursery)

Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils

Circa 33.40

Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers (3 year plans are recommended)

2021/2022 to

2024/2025

Date this statement was published

September 2022

Date on which it will be reviewed

July 2025

Statement authorised by

Kevin Prunty,

CEO

Pupil premium lead

Preeti Panesar,

Head of School

Governor / Trustee lead

Philip Dobison,

Chair of MATB

Detail

Amount

Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year (2023-2024)

£184,445

Recovery premium funding allocation this academic year  (2023-2024)

£19,249

National Tutoring Programme allocation this academic year  (2023-2024)

Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years (enter £0 if not applicable)

0

There is strong evidence that more families are affected by financial hardship and with more serious impact on their children than ever before, this includes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and going forward in terms of catch-up. This is reflected in the increased workload of the academy’s Family Support Worker and the workload on those staff additionally deployed during the pandemic to provide more frequent support for pupil premium children.

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

The intentions and activities outlined in this statement are intended to support the needs of all pupils, 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 (Literacy and numeracy). 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 the academy. Implicit in the intended outcomes detailed below, is the intention that non-disadvantaged pupils’ attainment will be sustained and improved alongside progress for their disadvantaged peers.

Our strategy is also integral to wider school plans for education recovery, notably in its targeted support through the National Tutoring Programme for pupils whose education has been worst affected.   

Our approach will be responsive to common challenges and individual needs, identified through regular and robust diagnostic assessment. The approaches we have adopted complement each other to help pupils excel. 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

Data suggests that disadvantaged pupils generally have greater difficulties with phonics than their peers. This negatively impacts their development as readers.

3

Assessment data indicates that disadvantaged pupils generally are working below the expected standard in reading, writing (SPaG) and maths.

4

Our assessments and observations indicate that the education and wellbeing of many of our disadvantaged pupils have been impacted by partial school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic to a greater extent than for other pupils. These findings are supported by national studies.

5

Our assessments, observations and discussions with pupils and families have identified social and emotional issues for many pupils, notably due the lack of opportunity to socialise with peers and enrichment opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges particularly affect disadvantaged pupils.

Teacher referrals for support have markedly increased during the pandemic. 75 pupils (the majority of whom are disadvantaged) have been referred for additional support with social and emotional needs, all of these pupils require (some have already received some) small group or 1:1 interventions.

6

Our attendance data last year indicates that attendance among disadvantaged pupils was 3% lower than the overall attendance average. Our assessments and observations indicate that absenteeism is negatively impacting disadvantaged pupils’ progress (academically and socially).

Intended outcome

Success criteria

Improved oral language skills and vocabulary among disadvantaged pupils.

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

Improved reading attainment among disadvantaged pupils, including phonics screening check results and end of Key Stage outcomes.

Phonics, KS1 and KS2 reading outcomes in 2023/24 and 2024-25 will show an improvement in the percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard and better.

All pupils to make maximised progress, including our disadvantaged pupils, thus leaving KS2 at age-related expectations.

Phonics, KS1 and KS2 outcomes in all areas in 2023/24 and 2024-25 will will show an improvement in the percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard and better.

To offer a range of enrichment opportunities for all pupils in our academy, particularly our disadvantaged pupils and to target the emotional and social aspects of learning.

The high-quality extracurricular activities offered will 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.

There will be an increase in the number of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils attending after school clubs, trips, competitions and tournaments, etc. This will be evidenced through:

• qualitative data from pupil voice and surveys
• teacher observations
• recorded on Activity Passports each term, so that teachers can monitor and intervene as required
• pupils will be able to regulate their emotions, articulate how they are feeling clearly and identify triggers for themselves – this will ensure that  they are fully (emotionally) ready for learning

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

Sustained high attendance  demonstrated by:

• High attendance for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils
• the percentage of all pupils who are persistently absent being below 10%

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Training for new and less experienced staff to ensure assessments are interpreted (gap analysis and using the mark scheme) and administered correctly.

Standardised tests/formal assessments provide reliable insights into the specific strengths and weaknesses of each pupil to help ensure they receive the correct additional support through interventions or teacher instruction

2 and 3

£20,000

To fund additional staff in year groups with the most disadvantaged pupils to help accelerate their development and progress by providing nurturing support and help with learning.

1-5

£89,300

Embed use of Twinkl (DfE validated Systematic Synthetic Phonics programme) to secure stronger phonics teaching for all pupils (including training for all staff).

Phonics approaches have a strong evidence base that indicates a positive impact on the accuracy of word reading (though not necessarily comprehension), particularly for disadvantaged pupils (EEF).

Using one validated programme will ensure consistency, pace and coverage.

2

£1900

Improve the quality of social and emotional learning through ‘Zones of Regulation’.

Social and emotional approaches will be embedded into routine educational practices and supported by professional development and training for staff.

There is extensive evidence associating childhood social and emotional skills with improved outcomes at school and in later life (e.g., improved academic performance, attitudes, behaviour and relationships with peers): https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/SEL/EEF_Social_and_Emotional_Learning.pdf

4

£58,000

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

To provide targeted interventions in small groups or one-to-one, booster classes, holiday tuition, etc. as needed to help pupils catch up and achieve as well as their peers.

Research shows that small group tuition can have an impact of up to four months’ progress over the course of a year and that by providing training to those delivering these interventions (therapies), increases the impact: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/small-group-tuition

3

£11,500

To invest in ICT equipment and learning resources for the benefit of all pupils but with those who do not have sufficient ICT facilities (devices and connectivity) at home particularly in mind.

To provide specific learning resources free of charge to eligible pupils as required (books, stationary, uniform, as well as food, toiletries, etc.).

Research shows, including by the Office for National Statistics, the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers widened during the COVID-19 pandemic and school closures due to lack of reliable devices and connectivity.

4

£5,000

Additional phonics sessions targeted at disadvantaged pupils who require further phonics support. This will be delivered by trained tutors. 

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:

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/phonics

2

£10,000

Engaging with the National Tutoring Pro-gramme to provide a blend of tuition, mentoring and school-led tutoring for pupils whose education has been most impacted by the pandemic. A significant proportion of the pupils who receive tutoring will be disadvantaged, including those who are high attainers.

Tuition targeted at specific needs and knowledge gaps can be an effective method to support low attaining pupils or those falling behind, both one-to-one: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/small-group-tuition

3 and 4

£33,300

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Embedding principles of good practice set out in the DfE’s Improving School Attendance advice.

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

5

To continue to employ a Family Support Worker who supports vulnerable pupils and families with issues that have a negative impact on the children’s well-being and learning for example helping to broker better access to support services, council services or financial support. The Family Support Worker refers many families to food banks and other charities as many are destitute.

To fund a Sand Play Therapist to work with vulnerable children and sometimes parents who struggle emotionally or have experienced trauma.

By providing the tailored support that vulnerable families need, we will equip parents with the skills to support their children, so that they are emotionally ready to learn and thrive. Research shows that parental engagement and support is key in pupil progress:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343690803_IMPACTS_OF_PARENTAL_SUPPORT_ON_ACADEMIC_PERFORMANCE_AMONG_SECONDARY_SCHOOL_STUDENTS_IN_ISLAMABAD

5

£15,200

£5,200

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

£16,250

Overall attendance was higher than the national average. 

Our assessments and observations indicated that pupil wellbeing and mental health were significantly impacted last year, primarily due to COVID-19-related issues. The impact was particularly acute for disadvantaged pupils (and their families). We used pupil premium funding to provide wellbeing support for all pupils, and targeted interventions where required. We are building on that approach with the activities detailed in this plan. Including the academy’s enrichment offer.

In planning our new pupil premium strategy, we triangulated evidence from multiple sources of data including assessments, engagement in class, book scrutiny, conversations with parents and pupils in order to identify the challenges faced by disadvantaged pupils. We also used the research evidence published by The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to feed into our planning (including studies about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disadvantaged pupils).

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.