Pupil Premium Statement

Pupil Premium Strategy Statement

This statement details our school’s use of pupil premium (and recovery premium) 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 outcomes for disadvantaged pupils last academic year.

To download a copy of this policy, please Click Here.

School overview

Detail	Data
Number of pupils in school	783
Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils	49.94%
Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers	2024/25 – 2026/27
Date this statement was published	October 2024
Date on which it will be reviewed	October 2025
Statement authorised by	S Trehearn
Pupil premium lead	A Barlow
Governor / Trustee lead	A Buckland

Funding overview

Detail	Amount
Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year	£353,970
Recovery premium funding allocation this academic year	£74,002.05
Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years	£0
Total budget for this academic year	£427,972.05

Part A: Pupil premium strategy plan

Statement of intent

Our aim is that all students, regardless of their background or the challenges they face, make good progress and achieve high attainment across the curriculum, with a particu-lar focus on EBacc subjects. Our pupil premium strategy is centered on supporting dis-advantaged pupils to reach this goal, including those who are already high attainers.

We will take into account the challenges faced by vulnerable pupils, such as those with a social worker or young carers. The activities outlined in this statement are designed to support their needs, whether or not they are classified as disadvantaged.

High-quality teaching is at the core of our approach, particularly in areas where disad-vantaged pupils need the most support. This method has been proven to close the at-tainment gap and will benefit all pupils, including non-disadvantaged pupils. Implicit in our intended outcomes is the goal of maintaining and improving the attainment of non-disadvantaged pupils alongside the progress of their disadvantaged peers.

Our strategy is also a key part of our broader plans for educational recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, benefiting all pupils. We will adopt a responsive approach based on robust diagnostic assessments, avoiding assumptions about the effects of disad-vantage. The approaches we have selected are designed to complement each other and help all students excel. To ensure effectiveness, we will:

Challenge disadvantaged pupils through the work they are assigned
Intervene early when needs are identified
Foster a whole-school approach where all staff take responsibility for disadvan-taged pupils’ outcomes and raise expectations of what they can achieve

We will achieve this by:

Ensuring the delivery of high-quality teaching for all pupils
Improving behaviour and reducing suspensions across the Academy
Ensuring all students can read at a level that allows them to access an age-appropriate curriculum
Providing high-quality support to pupils whose outcomes are below expectations
Maintaining a strong support system to address the social, emotional, and mental health needs of our disadvantaged pupils
Supporting pupils in accessing resources and experiences that enrich their aca-demic journey and build their cultural capital

Challenges

This details the key challenges to achievement that we have identified among our disadvantaged pupils.

Challenge number	Detail of challenge
1	PP pupils on average attain lower compared to Non-PP pupils. Our data suggests that PP pupils A8 is 7.6 lower than Non pp and also 16.3% lower in 5+EN %
2	Attendance, including persistent absenteeism gaps are significant between PP & Non-PP leading to an attainment gap. % Attendance for PP pupils is 2.54% lower than our non-PP pupils and persistent absenteeism gap has widened from 22/23 to 23/24 by 3.1%.
3	Our pastoral work and observations, borne out by national data, sug-gests PP pupils are less likely to experience consistent, key stability fac-tors in their home life, and benefit significantly from consistent expecta-tions on school site, and clear pastoral care.
4	Disadvantaged pupils often lack access to the resources and opportuni-ties that promote cultural capital, putting them at a disadvantage com-pared to their peers.
5	Our DSL/Pastoral team report that a disproportionately high proportion of our vulnerable register are PP (72%). This means these pupils are in need of more pastoral support and often, wider social services.
6	Ensuring that pupils can read at an appropriate level is crucial for them to access an age-appropriate curriculum. Our PP pupils are on average have a lower than expected reading age to Non-PP pupils on entry to the academy and in each year group.

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
Improve attainment among our PP pupils across the curriculum at the end of KS4, particularly in EBacc subjects.	By the end of our current plan in 2026/27 PP pupils A8 gap will narrow with their non-PP peers An average A8 score of at least in line with National averages. At least a 73% (Nat avg) passing both maths and English at a grade 4 or above
Improve overall attendance of PP pupils and a reduction of persistent absenteeism in line with National figures and their non-PP peers	Sustained high attendance by 2026/27 demonstrated by: Percentage of PP pupils who are persistently absent reduced in line with national figures and no more than 2% lower than their non pp peers. Overall attendance gap between PP and non PP reduced and in line with national figures
To build cultural capital for our PP pupils through our extra-curricular offer and Enrichment programme	Increased proportion of PP pupils to attend at least one extra-curricular club Increased provider access to FE & HE to raise number of pupils remaining in education for 3 years post 16.
Reduction in the number of inclusion and suspensions	Reduced number of PP pupils who carry out inclusions and suspension Reduction of repeat PP pupil suspension referrals
Improve the literacy levels of our PP pupils	Improved reading levels for PP pupils and narrowing of the gap compared to their non-pp peers. Increase English 4+% & 5+% and A8 headlines for PP to become in line with non PP pupils.

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)

Activity	Evidence that supports this approach	Challenge number(s) addressed
CPD focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning. Weekly in house CPD to address identified areas of need in teaching and learning. Staff referral to external agencies for subject specific CPD. Affiliation to National College teaching and learning support.	https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net/documents/guidance-for-teachers/pupil-premium/Pupil_Premium_Guide_Apr_2022_1.0.pdf	1,4,6
Recruitment of dedicated lead for reading across the school. English department to deliver a range of reading enhancement programmes.	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/reading-comprehension-strategies	1,6
SENDCo delivering phonics programmes for weakest readers.	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/literacy-ks3-ks4	6
Appointment of full time EAL coordinator to assess, monitor, support and teach students where English is an additional language.	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/literacy-ks3-ks4	1,6
Working with specialists from Croydon to embed teaching and learning projects. Work with primary specialists and secondary specialists to enable teaching and learning projects (across all subjects).	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/implementation https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net/eef-guidance-reports/effective-professional-development/EEF-Effective-Professional-Development-Guidance-Report.pdf?v=1635355217	1,6
Whole school, consistent approach to targeted vocabulary instruction to close the vocabulary gap that exists for PP students.	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/literacy-ks3-ks4	1,6
Whole school, consistent approach to recap and recall within lessons (silent starter).	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/literacy-ks3-ks4	1,6
Over staffing in English, maths and science to facilitate withdrawal, support, or smaller class sizes.	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/implementation	1,6
Whole school timetable adapted to prioritise the delivery of PSHE and Enrichment as part of the core curriculum.	Extending school time \| EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)	3,4

Targeted academic support (for example, tutoring, one-to-one support, structured interventions)

Activity	Evidence that supports this approach	Challenge number(s) addressed
Continue to enhance reading comprehension, oracy and literacy skills though the NGRT programme	https://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/assessments/products/new-group-reading-test-for-secondary/	1,6
Embedding of Disciplinary literacy across the school with enhanced resources	https://bedrocklearning.org/literacy-blogs/disciplinary-literacy/	1,6
Enhanced delivery of the Lexia programme	https://www.lexialearning.com/	6
Intervention groups after school for all Year pupils	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/extending-school-time	1,6
Pupil Premium students to receive revision guides for all subjects.	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/supporting-revision-and-the-seven-step-model	4,6
Phonics delivery throughout the school for the weakest readers- to start after half term	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/literacy-ks3-ks4	1,6

Wider strategies (for example, related to attendance, behaviour, wellbeing)

Activity	Evidence that supports this approach	Challenge number(s) addressed
Whole staff training on behaviour management and anti-bullying approaches with the aim of developing our school ethos and improving behaviour across school.	Both targeted interventions and universal approaches can have positive overall effects. Behaviour interventions \| EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)	All
Internal EWO and attendance officer EWO and attendance officer work collaboratively to provide timely interventions to maintain and improve attendance.	[Withdrawn] Improving school attendance: support for schools and local authorities - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)	2
The Duke of Edinburgh Award.	The Award scheme is designed to extend the extra-curricular opportunities. It develops the cultural capital and the school subsidises places to allow disadvantaged students to experience the opportunity. Annual Statistics - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (dofe.org)	4
Academy Days	Students experiencing a wide and diverse range of experiences in and out of London. This develop the cultural capital of students experiencing activities in one of the major cities Against the odds: achieving greater progress for secondary students facing socio-economic disadvantage - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)	4
Enrichment activities – a range of enriching activities within the school day.	Students have the opportunity to develop their cultural capital through activities beyond the curriculum. Extending school time \| EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)	1,4,6
Schools National Breakfast Scheme – available to all pupils before every school day.	Students have access to a free breakfast each morning. This opportunity promotes students to arrive earlier and be prepared for the school day with nourishing food and drink options. Impact of the NSBP (family-action.org.uk)	1,2,3,4,5
Careers Week.	Careers Fairs to develop links with local and global businesses providing insight into the world of work. Pupil premium students prioritised for career guidance. Careers guidance and access for education and training providers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)	4
Year 7 Transition Programme.	A support programme for vulnerable students finding the transition from primary school difficult. EEF Blog: Supporting pupils through transitions – a trio of… \| EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)	3
External mentoring programmes.	A range of outside agencies working with students to reengage/ motivate them to succeed within the Academy. Mentoring \| EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)	3,5
School Counsellor employed by school.	Working with vulnerable students needing specific support with emotional and mental health needs to provide strategies and support to students as in need. Advice template (publishing.service.gov.uk)	3,5
Additional support staff. Two Pastoral Support Team members.	Two extra members of staff appointed to support vulnerable students with issues surrounding behaviour and routines across the school. NAPCE	2,3,5
Summer School	A week of activities for the incoming Year 6 students to orientate themselves within the school building ahead of the September start. Summer schools guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)	2,3,4
Unifrog.	Webinars and podcasts specifically tailored to promote career pathways and develop cultural capital. Pupil premium students prioritised for career guidance. Careers guidance and access for education and training providers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)	4
Well-Being room.	A place within school to support the most vulnerable students, housed within the pastoral department.	All
Contingency fund for acute issues.	We regularly experience the need for a small amount of funding to be available for issues that need addressing quickly such as uniform and shoes for, as yet unidentified need.	All

Part B: Review of the previous academic year

Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils

Review of the previous academic year

Outcomes for Disadvantaged Pupils – 2024 Performance Data

We have analysed the performance of our school’s disadvantaged pupils during the 2023/24 academic year, using Key Stage 4 performance data and our own internal assessments.

In 2024, the Progress 8 (P8) score for our disadvantaged pupils was -0.01. This indicates the amount of progress made across eight qualifications between the end of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4, compared to similar pupils nationally. The Attainment 8 (A8) score, which measures GCSE attainment across eight subjects, was 37.2. For more information, please refer to the Department for Education (DfE) guidance on Key Stage 4 performance measures.

When comparing these results to 2022/23, we improved the P8 score for disadvantaged pupils from -0.11 to -0.01, an increase of 0.10. Additionally, the gap between our advantaged and dis-advantaged pupils in P8 has narrowed by 0.28. However, our A8 score decreased slightly from 38.9 to 37.2, a difference of 1.7, resulting in a slight widening of the A8 gap by 1.8.

We also compared our results to national figures to assess the performance of our disadvan-taged pupils. In 2023/24, the national A8 score for disadvantaged pupils was 34.5, compared to 50 for non-disadvantaged pupils. The national average P8 score for disadvantaged pupils was -0.57, compared to 0.16 for non-disadvantaged pupils.

Our Key Stage 4 data and internal assessments suggest that while we have performed favour-ably against national P8 and A8 figures (2023/24) and narrowed our P8 gaps, the outcomes still fall below our expectations.

The EBacc entry rate for disadvantaged pupils is 39.7%. This is lower than in 2022/23 but re-mains considerably higher than the national figure of 28.6% for disadvantaged pupils (2023/24).

Absence rates among disadvantaged pupils were 2.54% higher than their peers in 2023/24, with persistent absence 4.7% higher. Although our disadvantaged pupils’ attendance exceeds the national rate for disadvantaged pupils by 1.62%, we are not satisfied with the attendance gaps between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils. Addressing this will remain a focus in our new plan.

Our assessments indicated an improvement in pupil behaviour last year; however, challenges around wellbeing and mental health persist, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.

While these results demonstrate some progress, we are not yet on track to achieve the out-comes set for 2026/27, as detailed in the Intended Outcomes section. Consequently, we have reviewed our strategy and adjusted our budget allocation for this academic year, as outlined in the Activity in This Academic Year section.