This statement details our school’s use of pupil premium (and recovery premium for the 2022 to 2023 academic year) funding to help improve the attainment of our disadvantaged pupils.
It outlines our pupil premium strategy, how we intend to spend the funding in this academic year and the effect that last year’s spending of pupil premium had within our school.
The total budgeted cost is £163,710.
School overview
School name
Dartford Primary Academy
Number of pupils in school
633
Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils
13.74%
Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers (3 year plans are recommended)
2021-22 to 2024-25
Date this statement was published
September 2021
Date on which it will be reviewed
September 2023
Statement authorised by
Rebecca Roberts, Principal
Pupil premium lead
Declan Filsell, Assistant Principal
Governor / Trustee lead
Anne Barritte, lead for disadvantaged pupils
Funding overview
Detail
Amount
Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year
£148,195
Recovery premium funding allocation this academic year
£15,515
Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years (enter £0 if not applicable)
£0
Total budget for this academic year
If your school is an academy in a trust that pools this funding, state the amount available to your school this academic year
£163,710
part a: pupil premium strategy plan
Statement of intent
At Dartford Primary Academy our vision is that all pupils reach their full potential, regardless of background, and become Determined Persistent Achievers. We believe that all children should experience the same rich, culturally diverse and engaging learning experiences in order to prepare them for their place in society.
At Dartford Primary we recognise that disadvantaged children often face more challenges socially and academically and therefore our pupil premium strategy aims to counteract these challenges and narrow the gaps that these children face.
Highly-effective quality first teaching is at the heart of our approach, with a focus on areas in which disadvantaged pupils require the most support. 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. 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 including non-disadvantaged pupils. 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 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.
Challenges
This details the key challenges to achievement that we have identified among our disadvantaged pupils.
Challenge number
Detail of challenge
1
Our pupil premium children lack a wealth of cultural capital experiences which limits their ability to explore their imagination or peak their curiosity.
2
A limited reading exposure also limits a child’s ability to progress in line with their peers and widens the vocabulary gap.
3
Families are often unaware of how to support their children and do not always have the skills to do so.
Intended outcomes
This explains the outcomes we are aiming for by the end of our current strategy plan, and how we will measure whether they have been achieved.
Intended Outcome
Success Criteria
To narrow the gap in attainment at ‘expected standard’ between pupils in receipt of the Pupil Premium grant and those who are not (less than -10% in all areas) across the school.
Combined attainment at the end of Key Stage to be sustained at no less than 71%
To narrow the gap in attainment at ‘higher standard’ between pupils in receipt of the Pupil Premium grant and those who are not (less than -15% in all areas) across the school.
All year groups will have children who achieve the higher standard in combined attainment.
To narrow the gap in progress between pupils in receipt of the Pupil Premium grant and those who are not at the end of KS2.
Children in receipt of Pupil Premium grant will make accelerated progress in order to narrow the gap with their peers.
To ensure all pupil premium pupils feel safe, happy and are ready to learn each day through support and wider strategies of engagement.
Children will show positive behaviours for learning and will demonstrate engagement in lessons through questioning. Children will be able to discuss what makes them feel happy at school and who keeps them safe.
Activity in this academic year
This details how we intend to spend our pupil premium (and recovery premium funding) this academic year to address the challenges listed above.
Teaching (for example, CPD, recruitment and retention)
Budgeted cost: £25,700
Activity
Evidence that supports this approach
Challenge number(s) addressed
Maths
Times Table Rockstars program and Numbots
Technology and other resources focussed on supporting high quality teaching and learning
Studies have shown that the use of digital technology can improve outcomes by 4 months.
Digital Technology | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1
Writing
Development of approaches to writing in order to energise pupils and give them purpose to write with a particular focus on the use of feedback.
Developing high quality teaching, assessment and a curriculum which responds to the needs of pupils
These strategies will be based around the needs of the children in our school, one key strategy is feedback which adds up to 6 months progression to a child’s learning.
Feedback | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1 & 2
Reading
Myon
An online library for children to explore which can be linked directly to their AR quizzes and levels.
Technology and other resources focussed on supporting high quality teaching and learning
Providing children with a rage of engaging texts is vital to creating a love of learning. This resource means that children have access to books without having to take them home physically. Again, the use of digital technology adds up to 4 months impact on learning.
Digital Technology | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1 & 2
Recruitment
Employment of 3 teaching assistants – one for EYFS, one for KS1 and 3 for KS2 – to ensure capacity for targeted interventions.
Recruitment and retention of teaching staff
Whilst the impact of teaching assistants as a rule is fairly limited. The impact of small group interventions and individualised instructions is notable, at 4 and 3 months progress respectively.
Individualised Instruction | Toolkit strand |Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
Small group tuition | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1 & 2
Training
TT Education
CPD for all staff to develop subject knowledge and understanding
Professional development on evidence-based approaches, for example feedback, metacognition, reading comprehension, phonics or mastery learning
Staff will feel confident to plan and execute an engaging and exciting curriculum which will stimulate the interests of all pupils. When pupils are engaged they will make connections and ask questions, which will in turn help them to develop their knowledge and understanding.
1 & 2
Targeted academic support (for example, tutoring, one-to-one support structured interventions)
Budgeted cost: £51,000
Activity
Evidence that supports this approach
Challenge number(s) addressed
Speech and Language
EYFS speech and language programme and allocated HLTA to run this.
Interventions to support language development, literacy, and numeracy
Teaching assistant deployment and interventions
EEF notes a 5 month impact on learning for oral language interventions. It also adds that Early Years interventions, although expensive, have an impact of 5 months progression.
Oral language interventions | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)
1 & 2
Extend TA hours for SALT
Teaching assistant deployment and interventions
Oral language interventions are proven to add 5 months progression to a child’s learning.
In order to facilitate effective SALT delivery we have extended the reception TA working hours in order to ensure that they
Oral language interventions | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)
1 & 2
Accelerated Reader for KS1 and KS2
Implementation of the reading challenge program.
Interventions to support language development, literacy, and numeracy
Reading comprehension strategies have been extensively researched and have been proven to impact learning progress by 6 months.
Reading Comprehension Strategies | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1 & 2
RWI leader appointed
Interventions to support language development, literacy, and numeracy
Phonic interventions are vital and are proven to have an impact of up to 4 months.
Phonics | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1 & 2
HLTA appointed to support RWI Reading Leader
Teaching assistant deployment and interventions
One to one and small group tuition
Phonic interventions are vital and are proven to have an impact of up to 4 months. In order to ensure that the interventions are well planned and delivered accurately we have been able to appoint a RWI HLTA to support the reading leader.
Phonics | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1 & 2
PiXL Therapies
Purchase of the PiXl intervention strategy to accelerate progress.
One to one and small group tuition
Gaps can be actively assessed and responded to dynamically. The EEF states that small group tuition can add up to 4 months of learning progress. In previous years this intervention strategy has seen 50% of disadvantaged children achieved the combined expected standard.
Small group tuition | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1 & 2
1:1 Phonics
Targeted phonics sessions for those working in the lowest 20%
One to one and small group tuition
Phonics is the bedrock of the reading framework and is an essential element of helping children to access a broad and balanced curriculum. Phonic interventions are proven to have an impact of 4 months on learning.
Phonics | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1
Reading Crew
TAs paid overtime to hear groups of pupils who do not read at home read 1:1.
Teaching assistant deployment and interventions
One to one and small group tuition
Reading interventions are proven to have up to 6 months impact on the ability of children. This will help with fluency, comprehension and confidence building.
Reading Comprehension Strategies | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1 & 2
Tutoring 1:3 KS2
Tutor to support gaps in Reading, Writing and Maths within UKS2
One to one and small group tuition
Gaps can be actively assessed and responded to dynamically. The EEF states that small group tuition can add up to 4 months of learning.
Small group tuition | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
1 & 2
Reading books KS1 and KS2
Engaging, high quality reading texts purchased for school libraries. These represent a broad and balanced curriculum and promote an inclusive and diverse culture.
Activity and resources to meet the specific needs of disadvantaged
pupils with SEND
Engaging books and texts will capture the imagination of pupils and develop their love of reading.
2
Wider strategies (for example, related to attendance, behaviour, wellbeing)
Budgeted cost: £87,010
Activity
Evidence that supports this approach
Challenge number(s) addressed
Inclusion team
Employment of a team to focus on attendance, mental wellbeing, family relationship and provide specific interventions they are trained in.
Supporting attendance
Parents will have more trust in the school which will enable them to discuss their needs and the needs of their children so that they can be properly supported.
1 & 3
Pupil Support Mentor
A focus adult to encourage and model learning behaviours.
Supporting pupils’ social, emotional and behavioural needs
Children in this year group have been affected greatly by the disruption in learning over this Covid-19 period. This disruption has also affected learning behaviours. The use of a pupil support mentor will enable children to focus and to achieve their learning goals. EEF Toolkit highlights 4 months impact.
Behaviour Interventions |Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation |EEF
1 & 3
ELSA TAs
Specific TAs trained in ELSA.
Supporting pupils’ social, emotional and behavioural needs
Helping children to self-regulate and to build their social and emotional resilience and understanding means that they are able to access the academic learning that is being taught to them. The EEF states that the teaching of metacognition and self-regulation has an impact of 7 months whilst social and emotional learning interventions add 4 months.
Metacognition and Self Regulation |Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation |EEF
Social and Emotional Learning Strategies | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation |EEF
1 & 3
Solihull Parent Groups
Targeted support group for families run by FLO.
Communicating with and supporting parents
Parental support enables parents to feel more confident in supporting their children and their learning.
3
Uniform
To fund new uniform.
Communicating with and supporting parents
Parents may not be able to afford uniform as it can be expensive and this can mark children out as different in a negative way.
3
Cultural Capital Opportunities
Funding of trips, experiences and clubs.
Extracurricular activities, including sports, outdoor activities, arts, culture and trips
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds may not have the same opportunities socially and culturally as their non-disadvantaged peers. By enabling them to access the same opportunities we are able to open up a variety of experiences for them.
3
Sports Clubs
A range of sports and activities clubs are available. These have been planned around the context of the school and in discussion with the pupils.
Extracurricular activities, including sports, outdoor activities, arts, culture and trips
Sports participation is shown by the EEF to have a 1 month impact on learning.
Physical Activity | Toolkit strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
3
Activities Week
Children experience a multicultural week each year at school which enables them to explore another country through art, craft, dance and drama. School trips are also planned.
Extracurricular activities, including sports, outdoor activities, arts, culture and trips
Arts participation is shown by the EEF to have a 2 month impact on learning.
Arts Participation | Toolkit | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF
3
part b: review of outcomes in the previous academic year
pupil premium strategy outcomes
This details the impact that our pupil premium activity had on pupils in the 2021 to 2022 academic year.
Key stage 1 and 2 outcomes:
Year 2
GAP MODULE 6
Gap closing since year start
Maths
0%
Yes
Reading
14%
Yes
Writing
7%
Yes
Combined
10%
Yes
Year 6
GAP MODULE 6
Gap closing since year start
Maths
1%
Yes
Reading
-6%
Yes
Writing
7%
Yes
Combined
-1%
Yes
Dartford Primary’s end of key stage outcomes show a narrowing and closing of the gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils in reading, writing and maths.
Pupil voice survey by English leader evidenced high engagement with class reader texts from the reading spine.
Observations of vocabulary focused reading lessons evidenced referring to, building on and being able to interpret the meaning of new vocabulary. Overall attainment in reading increased in every year group.
Writing has been a significant focus area due to the impact of Covid-19 school closures. Pupil engagement with writing and quality of teaching significantly improved due to the impact of our approach to writing and extensive CPD programme. This year has been built upon through the CPD for the 21-22 academic year.
Phonics interventions have ensured that 88% of pupils in year 1 and 98% of pupils in year 2 achieved the expected standard. 94% of disadvantaged pupils achieved the standard of the check in year 1 in 2022 and 100% of Y2.
Where possible, TA hours have continued to be extended to provided targeted planning and preparation time for working with the children during the school day. This enabled more time to be dedicated to 1:1 reading which improved fluency for these children. Recruitment meant that pupils did make progress to close gaps as evidenced in pupil progress discussions. The funds that were spent on an immersive reading corridor was shown to be hugely successful, regular learning walks evidenced pupils choosing books, discussing them in detail and recommending them to peers.
Our dedicated inclusion team continued to ensure that worry boxes, circle of friends and sensory circuits were able to be run specifically to meet the needs of pupils. ELSA interventions continue to be significantly in demand this academic year due to the long lasting impact of covid. We saw a significant rise in a need for this within our Y5 and Y6 cohorts and will invest further next academic year. Solihull Parent Group Training was completed and resourced ready for implementation. Uniform has been available and families were both able to request and were offered personalised support with this from our dedicated Family Liaison Officer.
This year we have furthered our extra curricular and cultural capital opportunities, this saw engagement of pupil premium pupils in clubs rise to 38%. We are now looking to implement lunchtime clubs to ensure 100% of pupils have access to these.
Externally provided programmes
Programme
Provider
Times Table Rock stars
Maths Circle Ltd
Accelerated Reader
Renaissance
PixL
The PixL Club
Read, Write Inc.
Ruth Miskin
Myon
Renaissance
TT Education
TT Education
Further Information
Additional activity
Our pupil premium strategy will be supplemented by additional activity that is not being funded by pupil premium or recovery premium. That will include:
- utilising a DfE grant to train a senior mental health lead. The training we have selected will focus on the training needs identified through the online tool: to develop our understanding of our pupils’ needs, give pupils a voice in how we address wellbeing, and support more effective collaboration with parents.
- offering a wide range of high-quality extracurricular lunchtime clubs to boost wellbeing, behaviour, attendance, and aspiration. Activities will focus on ‘building your profile’ linking with the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile attributes.
- implementation of a ‘team rewards’ strategy to further build on pupils’ collaboration skills.
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.