This statement details our school’s use of pupil 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 effect that last year’s spending of pupil premium had within our school.
Detail | Data |
|---|---|
School name | Brixham College |
Number of pupils in school | 1093 |
Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils | 32% |
Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers | 2023/2026
|
Date this statement was published | November 2023 |
Date on which it will be reviewed | April / July 2024 |
Statement authorised by | Mark Eager, Principal |
Pupil premium lead | Lisa Redfern, Vice Principal |
Governor / Trustee lead | Dave Richardson, Regional Board of Trustees. |
Detail | Amount |
Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year | £294,975 |
Recovery premium funding allocation this academic year | £91,000 |
Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years (enter £0 if not applicable) | £0.00 |
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 |
£385,975 |
Brixham College recognises that all students, regardless of their background, should have equal access to a curriculum which will enable them to reach their potential. Pupil Premium is a government initiative where additional funding is given to schools to enable them to:
Our priority is to ensure that all disadvantaged students, including those who are performing well and other groups of students in need of support, are supported and challenged by adopting a personalised approach to ensure that their progress and attainment is maximised. We therefore use regular tracking of where the money is spent, evaluating the effectiveness and the impact, enabling plans to evolve or be amended if they are not having the intended impact.
The Department of Education has emphasised that ‘the government is quite serious in its ambition not to micromanage schools’. Schools should be the decision makers, using evidence to inform professional judgements. They have no particular view on using Pupil Premium on whole College initiatives, as long as the progress and attainment gap is closing between the highest and lowest achieving students, within the context of generally improving attainment.
Ofsted also agree that schools should have the autonomy to decide how the Pupil Premium is spent and confirm that there are no specific evaluations or judgements to be made. The Department of Education and Ofsted unanimously agree that Pupil Premium funding can be spent ‘where school leaders feel it is most needed’, as long as every effort is taken to ensure that all students, regardless of their background or ability, are given the opportunity to excel academically.
Pupil Premium funding is a national initiative, launched in 2011, designed to raise attainment for all disadvantaged pupils.
‘Closing the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers is the greatest challenge facing English schools. The gap is stubborn because its causes are entrenched and complex, and most lie beyond the control of schools and educators. However, it is clear that schools can make a difference.
In England, the gap has closed in both primary and secondary schools since the introduction of the Pupil Premium, and in every part of the country schools have demonstrated how great teaching and careful planning can make a huge impact on the outcomes of disadvantaged children.’
Education Endowment Foundations – The EEF Guide to Pupil Premium Funding
For further details visit: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/guidance-for-teachers/using-pupil-premium
Strategy – A tiered approach
At Brixham College we have adopted a tiered approach to Pupil Premium spending which allows the school to focus on a series of targeted strategies which will have the greatest impact. These are:
Spending on improving teaching and providing professional development opportunities is at the forefront of our approach. Ensuring that every pupil is receiving the best quality experience in the classroom that we can offer is essential to success, and it is therefore the top priority for our Pupil Premium spending. High quality teaching is at the heart of our approach, with a focus on areas which disadvantaged students need the most support.
Evidence consistently demonstrates the positive impact of well-planned and delivered targeted academic support. We use a variety of support mechanisms including 1:1 and small group support as a key part of our strategy, to supplement effective classroom teaching and learning.
The final element of our approach is to provide support in tackling the most significant, non-academic barriers to success at school, including attendance, behaviour and social and emotional support.
This details the key challenges to achievement that we have identified among our disadvantaged pupils.
Challenge number | Detail of challenge |
1
| The Attainment Gap in Key Stage 4 Results – Brixham College identifies the academic underperformance of socially disadvantaged students at the end of Key Stage 4. In 2023 the Pupil Premium gap narrowed to 0.10 compared to 2019 (0.66) and 2022 (1.04) which demonstrates impact and our continued committed to raising attainment of socially disadvantaged students and closing the gap between them and their peers. However, in order to maintain this our disadvantaged students require continued targeting through high quality teaching and learning (The Brixham Way and ‘The Challenge Classroom’).
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2
| Reading: Brixham College Recognises that KS3 disadvantaged pupils generally have lower levels of reading comprehension than peers. Observations and assessments suggest disadvantaged students have weaker literacy and numeracy skills than their peers. This impacts on their progress in all subjects. On entry to year 7 in 2022, the reading age of disadvantaged students was approximately 5% lower than that of their peers, and the gap is wider for disadvantaged boys. This gap increased with Year 7 2023 to 12% and increased gain with Year 8 2023 at 23%. However, it decreases for Year 9 2023 at 4%. Our concern is with the current year 8. |
3
| Behaviour – Brixham College recognises that Disadvantaged students are more likely to be sanctioned repeatedly and more likely to be identified as less engaged in lessons that their peers. Disadvantaged students are more likely to be at risk of suspensions than their peers. Behaviour records suggest this is the case. In 2022-2023 a higher number of PIP serious breaches were awarded to disadvantaged proportionally than non-disadvantaged. 50% of all Serious Breaches were given to disadvantaged students |
4
| Digital Deprivation – At Brixham College we recognise potential barriers for disadvantaged students with engagement in lesson and completion of Seminar Study. However, book samples indicate when a disadvantage student is present there is little difference between their peers. Location brings high levels of lack of cultural capital for many of our students |
5
| Well-being – At Brixham College our assessments, observations, student surveys, parental contacts have identified social and emotional issues for many pupils, such as anxiety, depression (some of which is diagnosed by medical professionals) low confidence, low self-esteem. This is partly driven by concern about catching up on lost learning and exams/future prospects, and the lack of wider College experiences due to the pandemic. These challenges particularly affect disadvantaged pupils, including their attainment. This academic year has seen two thirds of the tier one SEMH intervention support offered at Brixham College utilized by disadvantaged students. Over two thirds of the students taking part in Year 7 transition SEMH intervention are disadvantaged. In total, over half of all SEMH support is allocated to this group because of the presented need. In the period 2022 – 2023, students accessing students support services was 20% higher with non-disadvantaged. Over 50% of disadvantaged students access small group work and 1-1 support. |
6
| Attendance – At Brixham College we recognise that our attendance among disadvantaged pupils has been 4.9% lower than for non-disadvantaged pupils, both impacted by the pandemic. 46.7% of disadvantaged pupils have been ‘persistently absent’ compared to 35.3% of non- disadvantaged students during that period. Our assessments and observations indicate that absenteeism is negatively impacting disadvantaged pupils’ progress. |
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 attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their peers.
| By the end of our current plan in 2024/25, student attainment at Key Stage 4 will be broadly in line with the school average. This year the (10PR3) cohort attainment figure is 36.9 (whole school 42.7) and P8 is –0.55 (whole school –0.21)
|
Improved reading comprehension among disadvantaged pupils across KS3.
| Reading comprehension tests demonstrate improved comprehension skills among disadvantaged pupils and a smaller disparity between the scores of disadvantaged pupils and their non-disadvantaged peers. Teachers should also have recognised this improvement through engagement in lessons, a focus on Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary, being able to read challenging texts, Targeted questioning via Guided Reading, an improvement of academic writing and book scrutiny. |
To achieve and sustain Improved attitude to learning with disadvantaged students.
| Teacher reports, class observations and discussions with students would indicate that students are more able to monitor and regulate their own behaviour and attitude to learning. This is supported by a reduction in the number of disadvantaged students isolated or experiencing suspensions. |
To improve disadvantaged engagement with Digital technology, including self-regulation of Seminar Study, cramming and coursework completion.
| Teachers develop effective in class approaches to ensure the progress of disadvantaged students. Students demonstrate the equivalent progress in lessons as that of their peers. Students will be equipped with being able to answer challenging questioning and engagement in thinking tools. Disadvantaged students have high rates of completion with Seminar Study, engagement in ‘Cramming’ and coursework completion. |
To achieve and sustain improved wellbeing for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged.
| Sustained high levels of wellbeing from 2024/25 demonstrated by:
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To achieve and sustain improved attendance for all pupils, particularly our disadvantaged pupils. |
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This details how we intend to spend our pupil premium (and recovery premium funding) this academic year to address the challenges listed above.
Budgeted cost: £129,527
Activity | Evidence that supports this approach | Challenge number(s) addressed |
Reduction in class sizes in English and Maths in some year groups.*
| It is suggested that smaller class sizes can impact on learning when reduced numbers allow teachers to teach differently, for example, having higher quality interactions with students or minimising disruption. | 1 |
Enhanced focus on T&L introducing ‘Thinking’ Toolkit and ‘The Challenge Classroom’ strategy. CPD to support high quality T&L and delivery of the strategy, including Knowledge Organisers, Cramming materials.
| This includes teaching a range of strategies to support students with approaches used in the classroom and independent seminar study, with the securing of knowledge and skills. It is suggested that teaching metacognitive strategies to students can help students become more independent learners. Metacognition and self-regulation | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF ‘Developing Boys Literacy’ from ‘The Boy Question’ by Mark Roberts ‘The 6 Principles’ by Andy Tharby ‘Teaching for Mastery‘ by Mark McCourt TSAT ‘Thinking ‘ Maps, Hats, habits of mind | 1,4 |
Reading: Ensure the curriculum has a rigorous and sequential approach to developing students’ fluency, confidence and enjoyment in reading. Reading in all year groups is regularly assessed and interventions are swift to address any gaps* | It is critical to develop student resilience and confidence to be able to deal with challenging texts which enables them to them from attempt and access assessments and examination questions. Students who read more widely will extend their vocabulary. Closing the Vocabulary’ Gap by Alex Quigley ‘Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools’ EEF ‘Developing Boys Literacy’ from ‘The Boy Question’ by Mark Roberts ‘Reading Reconsidered’ by Doug Lemov ‘Reading for Meaning’ by Doug Lemov ‘Wigfield, Guthrie and McGough’ Measuring Motivation in Reading. | 2 |
Quality Assurance to have an increased focus on PP groups to ensure standards and educational experiences are in line with non-PP students. This will include a focus on the classroom, enrichment and CEIAG. Quality Assurance will also focus on CPD which will include Learning Walks, Students Voice, Book Sample, monitoring of data. professional dialogue and access to a breadth of online networking and resources to support teacher pedagogy. *
| Continued professional development, understanding the specific needs of our disadvantaged students and developing pedagogy which supports high quality teaching and learning. ‘Teacher Quality: why it matters, and how to get more of it’ 2010 by Dylan William ‘Lesson Study Handbook’ by Pete Dudley ‘Closing the Vocabulary’ Gap by Alex Quigley ‘Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools’ EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit – EEF EEF – Using your Pupil Premium funding effectively EEF – ‘Teacher Feedback to Improve Pupil Learning’ ‘Developing Boys Literacy’ from ‘The Boy Question’ by Mark Roberts ‘Reading Reconsidered’ by Doug Lemov ‘Teaching for Mastery‘ by Mark McCourt ‘Reading for Meaning’ by Doug Lemov ‘Wigfield, Guthrie and McGough’ Measuring Motivation in Reading ‘The 6 Principles’ by Andy Tharby ‘Teaching for Mastery‘ by Mark McCourt | 1,2,3,4 |
Budgeted cost: £91,000
Activity | Evidence that supports this approach | Challenge number(s) addressed |
Targeted reading intervention using Phonics and Fresh Start Training for disadvantaged pupils who need additional help to comprehend texts and address vocabulary gaps.* | Reading comprehension strategies can have a positive impact on pupils’ ability to understand a text, and this is particularly the case when interventions are delivered over a shorter timespan: Reading comprehension strategies | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF | 2 |
Targeted Maths intervention for disadvantaged pupils who need additional help to support numeracy gaps*
| Numeracy intervention strategies can have a positive impact on students’ ability to access and understand mathematics. EEF – ‘Improving Mathematics in Key Stage 2 and 3’ | 1 |
Engaging with the National Tutoring Programme 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. * | Small group tuition which targets specific needs and knowledge gaps has been found to be an effective method in supporting students. One to one tuition | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) And in small groups: Small group tuition | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF | 1, 2, 3 |
Introduce KS3 and KS4 PP Champions across the school focusing the attainment and progress*
| A focus on small groups of disadvantage students | 1 |
NB: * indicates those activities approved in the PP Guidance document “Menu of Approaches”
Budgeted cost: £129,527
Activity | Evidence that supports this approach | Challenge number(s) addressed |
A range of student support services to provide students with strategies to support mental health and increased levels of engagement in the classroom.
| Evidence suggests effective mental health strategies can support young people with improved resilience and engagement in the classroom. Attachment Theory - Louise Bomber Boys don’t try - Matt Pinkett and Mark Roberts Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - Youth Endowment Fund Safeguarding Team to support the understanding of ACE on a child’s development
| 5 |
Behaviour: Embedding ‘The Behaviour Hub’, CPD to ensure a consistent approach through pastoral and academic intervention. Use the approach of Tom Bennet to ensure consistency and transparency in the implementation of behaviour expectations for both students and staff.
| There is evidence to suggest that Tom Bennet’s approach to behaviour management is effective and can have a high impact on reducing low level disruption and reducing isolations, Fixed term suspensions and permanent exclusions. EEF –Effective Behaviour Management Tom_Bennett_summary.pdf (tombennetttraining.co.uk) - Training for beginner teachers Resources for School Leaders - Tom Bennett Training Attachment Theory - Louise Bomber Boys don’t try - Matt Pinkett and Mark Roberts Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - Youth Endowment Fund Safeguarding Team to support the understanding of ACE on a child’s development | 3 |
Key Pastoral staffing to support disadvantaged students | We have identified the need for an enhanced layer of support for disadvantaged students with emerging social and emotional issues, academic underperformance as identified through our monitoring systems. These students benefit from additional monitoring and pastoral support. | 5 |
Attendance: Embedding principles of good practice set out in DfE’s Improving School Attendance advice.*
| The DfE guidance has been informed by engagement with schools that have significantly reduced persistent absence levels.
Attendance Matters - publication School attendance: guidance for schools - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Leaders Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) The Key - Online support tool for Senior KSIE 2021
| 6 |
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 |
NB: * indicates those activities approved in the PP Guidance document “Menu of Approaches”
Total budgeted cost: £385,975
This details the impact that our pupil premium activity had on pupils in the 2022 to 2023 academic year.
In the last academic year of 2022-2023, we aimed for our disadvantage pupils to be broadly in line with their peers. The PP gap narrowed to 0.10 compared to 2019 (0.66) and 2022 (1.04) At A Level The focus on PPs showed a positive impact and at times in line or exceeded whole school data 33% A*-A grades compared 2022 (7.1%) There was no split data for A*/A in 2019 53% A*-B grades compared to 2019 (14.3) and 2022 (21.4) 93% A*-C grades compared to 2019 (64.3) and 2022 (42.9) The strategies but in place to support disadvantage students to overcome the challenges are beginning to be embedded and fruitful. Reflecting on the outcomes for disadvantaged students we acknowledge the ongoing disruption and the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted all subject areas, enrichment provision and disadvantaged attendance to varying degrees. The impact of the pandemic has been most significantly felt by the disadvantaged and the most vulnerable. However, the impact has been mitigated by our resolution to keep children in educations, provide high quality curriculum and teaching and learning and pastoral services to support complex social and emotional issues. Last year we purchased Standardised diagnostic assessments for Year 7 for Cognitive Ability. Standardised tests can 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. Students who accessed intervention following tests made positive progress, nearly 30% of the PP students engaged in the literacy intervention achieved age related reading age and 50% made progress overall in reading age. Last year we invested in CPD to support high quality Teaching & Learning and The Brixham Way. Quality Assurance indicates an embedding of ‘The Brixham Way’, students engaging in the completion of seminar study. All teachers have had CPD on ‘Closing the Vocabulary Gap’ and CPD on ‘Disciplinary Literacy’ Reading in all year groups is regularly assessed and interventions are swift to address any gaps. We have seen improvement with PP students in Year 7 & 9 reading ages and students voice indicates that Guided reading is having a positive impact on students increasing vocabulary. Last year we enhanced our maths teaching and curriculum planning in line with DfE KS3 and EEF guidance and implementation of a mastery curriculum, to develop and enhance consistency with used methods and procedures. We released teachers for meeting time to embed key elements, including Teaching for Mastery training. Teaching staff have received CPD on calculators and all provided as well as electronic version on all teaching desktops. Teachers support PP students with use of calculators in lessons and regularly audit calculators for all PP students. Last year we focused on Improving literacy in all subject areas in line with recommendations in the EEF Improving literacy in schools' guidance. We have professional development and Improvement time to support teacher CPD with whole school reading strategies and vocabulary, All teachers have received CPD on ‘Closing the Vocabulary Gap’ and CPD on ‘Disciplinary Literacy’ in all subject areas via The National College. Last year we provided Targeted Maths intervention for disadvantaged pupils who need additional help to support numeracy gaps. CAT4 Assessments sat in Year 7 supported the identification of Maths Catch Up students requiring intervention where they scored 90 or below in the ‘Quantitative’ element. Last year we engaged with the National Tutoring Programme 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. PP/SEND students targeted. Student engagement was varied and the impact on final grade was limited. We are reconsidering approaches to Tutoring. Last year we focused on improving the attendance of all students through targeted interventions, enhanced parental contact. Throughout the year we remained broadly in line with the National Average rate which was impacted after the return from the pandemic. Brixham College focussed on supporting students through attachment and emotional support. Last year we focused on improving behaviour and mental health and well-being by increasing the staffing in these areas significantly. We offered additional interventions such as boys project groups for targeted boys whose behaviour was challenging. All of these students remain in education
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Measure | Details |
How did you spend your service pupil premium allocation last academic year? | Support with enrichment activities. |
What was the impact of that spending on service pupil premium eligible pupils? | Students accessed a residential trip. |
Our Pupil Premium Strategy has been supplemented by the College’s investment in technology. Access to technology will ensure our students organise, communicate, learn and study at home and in the College. The provision of Chromebook to all of our students will narrow the gap with the digital divide and compensate for the negative impact of college closure or periods of isolation which impact on student progress. This wider school strategy and been implemented to support all students, most importantly ensuring disadvantaged students are not marked out from their peers. We have continued to move to a digital world in our ‘normal way of working taking a blended approach to teaching and learning, continuing to develop digital literacy with both our students and staff. Our focus will be ensuring all disadvantaged students are accessing digital technology fully, using this to support all aspects of their studies both in the classroom and beyond.
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