Red Oak Primary School, Lowestoft, Suffolk

PARENT REPORT and GOVERNING BODY REPORT

PUPIL PREMIUM FUNDING 2015-16

 

1. What is the Pupil Premium?

 

The Pupil Premium is additional money given to schools to enable them to support pupils, who may be disadvantaged, to raise their educational attainment. It is available to schools to support pupils eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) and those who are Looked After or in Care (LAC).

 

The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011. For each child registered as eligible for FSM or LAC a school received £488. In April 2012 the amount was raised to £600 per pupil, and in April 2013 was raised to £900 per pupil. Raised in 2014 to £953 and again for 2014/2015 to £1300 and £1900 for LAC children. .  Since announcing the Pupil Premium, the Government has extended its reach to cover any child that has been registered for FSM in the past six years. This is known as the ‘Ever 6’ model.

 

A premium has also been introduced for children whose parents are currently serving in the armed forces; this was £250 in 2012/2013 and rose to £300 for 2013/2014. This service premium is designed to address the emotional and social well-being of these pupils.

 

National school performance tables will now include information about the progress of pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium. From September 2012 Ofsted will survey the use of Pupil Premium money in schools when making their inspections. Also from September 2012 schools must publish information to parents about how pupil premium funding has been used and what impact it has had on pupil progress.

 

2. Pupil Premium at Red Oak Primary School.

 

Compared to other schools Red Oak has a relatively high number of children who take up FSM or who are LAC. In total 220 children of our school population is receiving a FSM each day including UFSM.

 

For the academic year 2014/2015, 45% of the school population were Pupil Premium - well above the national average of 28%. We received a total of £193169 in Pupil Premium funds. While the additional support we provide to our pupils costs significantly more than this amount, particularly if they have special educational needs, we welcome the funding.

 

As a school we are able to determine for ourselves how best to use the Pupil Premium money to support our pupils as long as it is not used in order to compensate for recent financial cutbacks to schools. The focus of Pupil Premium funding is on raising educational attainment. To evaluate effective use of the monies received we have to be clear about how pupil progress and attainment is monitored.

 

For the academic year 2015/2016 we have 146 of our school population claiming FSM or are LAC. We anticipate receiving £211200 to continue to support these children.

 

 

 

3. How we monitor pupil progress and attainment.

 

To track pupil progress at Red Oak Primary, we use a commercial tracking system called Essex Tracker. This is of great importance at Red Oak Primary school. These systems offer detailed reports on the progress and attainment of pupils within the school, compared to national statistics. We have used this data to prepare this report.

 

In addition to tracking individual pupil progress we monitor groups of children such as FSM, LAC, G&T, girls and boys, spring and summer term born children, pupils with Special Educational Needs, pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, and pupils for whom English is and additional language etc.

 

The data we have collected has been consistently used during our termly and half termly pupil progress meetings. At these meetings, Class teachers, Key Stage Leaders, Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher, who leads on Special Educational Needs, meet to discuss pupil progress, possible interventions and the impact the support is having on the children’s learning.

 

Where pupils are not on track to reach their targets staff will look at changes that can be made to help the pupils make the required progress. This may mean modifying teaching, providing the pupil with an intervention programme, or moving the child to the Special Educational Needs register and providing additional support.

 

The focus of the tracking meetings is about closing the gap between groups of pupils, so that every pupil is encouraged to make progress and reach their full potential. The following reports focus particularly on FSM and LAC pupils.

 

4. Pupil Premium funding for the academic year September 2014 to July 2015.

 

For the academic year 2014/2015 we had 45% of the school population, for which we received a total of £193169 in Pupil Premium.

 

The Pupil Premium was used to subsidise support for pupils in the following ways;

• The majority of the funds were used to provide Teaching Assistant support within the classroom. Pupils received small group teaching, or individual tuition, which helped them to improve their learning and make progress.

• Additional One to One support for pupils who were not on track to achieve Level 4 in maths, writing and reading in Year 6.

• Subsidising the payment of school trips and events in school.

• Subsidising the payment for before or after school clubs
• Subsidising the payment for Breakfast Club.
• Subsidising music specialist payment for all year groups.
• Employing a speech and language specialist 1 day a week.
• Employing an Educational Psychologist to help earlier identification of needs.
• Employing a full time Parent Support worker.

 

5. What our pupil progress tracking information tells us about any differences in progress and attainment between FSM and non-FSM pupils.

 

5.1 Reception

The Teaching Assistants support that was put in place for pupils in Reception consisted of

• Speech and Language
• Behaviour and Well Being
• Support for Phonics
• Numeracy
• Literacy
• Small Group Work
• Nurture support and social skills development.
• EAL support
• Elklan trained 1 to 1 support
• One to one support maths and literacy
• Fine + Gross motor skill development

 

Outside agencies such as the School Nurse, Speech & Language, behaviour support, PRU, CIR and Outreach Support also helped with this year group. We had 23 FSM pupils in Reception during this academic period. 82.6% of pupil premium children were working at or above expectation in all compared to 72.4% for no pupil premium children.

 

5.2 Year 1

 

The Teaching Assistants support that was put in place for pupils in Year 1 was for

• Behaviour and Well Being
• Phonics and Reading
• Numeracy and Literacy
• Small group work.
• Nurture Group
• Fine and gross motor skills development.
• Lunchtime nurture support.
• Elklan trained 1 to 1 support.
• Fine + Gross motor skill development
• Behaviour support, speech and language.
• Lunchtime Nurture Group

 

 

Outside agencies such as the School Nurse and outreach support also helped with this year group.

 

Year 1

Group	Number in group	Attainment			Progress (End of last year-End of Summer 2)
		Read	Write	Maths	Read	Write	Maths
All	45	10.0	9.3	9.8	4.7	4.1	4.7
Pupil Premium	16	9.7	9.1	9.7	4.6	4.1	4.6
Not Pupil Premium	29	10.2	9.4	9.8	4.8	4.1	4.7

 

The table above shows average points scores. These points can be converted into a National Curriculum levels as follows:

 

1B = 9pts, 1A = 11pts 2C = 13pts, 2B= 15pts 2A = 17pts,

3C = 19pts 3B = 21pts 3A = 23pts 4C = 25pts 4B = 27pts 4A = 29pts

 

5.3 Year 2

 

The Teaching Assistant support that was put in place for pupils in Year 2 was for

• A Nurture Group
• Well Being
• Phonics and Reading
• Numeracy and Literacy
• Small Group Work
• Training costs for Assistant to develop and run First Class Maths Intervention.
• Fine + Gross motor skill development.
• Talking Partners Programme for Speaking and Listening.
• Elklan trained 1 to 1 support, Speech and Language, CIR AND Educational Psychologist.
• Lunchtime Nurture Group

 

Outside agencies such as the School Nurse, CIR, PRU and Outreach Support also helped with this year group.

 

Year 2

Group	Number in group	Attainment			Progress (End of last year-End of Summer 2)
		Read	Write	Maths	Read	Write	Maths
All	52	15.5	13.8	15.1	5.0	4.0	5.2
Pupil Premium	25	14.4	12.8	13.9	5.1	4.1	5.0
Not Pupil Premium	27	16.7	14.8	16.5	4.9	3.8	5.5

 

The table above shows average points scores. These points can be converted into a National Curriculum levels as follows:

 

1B = 9pts, 1A = 11pts 2C = 13pts, 2B= 15pts 2A = 17pts,

3C = 19pts 3B = 21pts 3A = 23pts 4C = 25pts 4B = 27pts 4A = 29pts

 

 

By Year 2 we would like most pupils to score 15 points which is a level 2B. It must be noted that several of these children are on the SEN register and although they might not have achieved the same levels as their peers, they have made progress. Parents are able to see this in their child’s report and the success of their Individual Educational Action Plan.

Children with Special Needs often make small steps when they are younger and then by the time they leave school in Year 6 they catch up with their peers and have made good progress.

 

 

 

5.4 Year 3

 

The Teaching Assistants support that was put in place for pupils in Year 3 was for

• Social skills
• Well Being and Behaviour
• Lunchtime Nurture Group
• Phonics and Reading
• Numeracy and Literacy
• Small Group Work
• Elklan trained 1 to 1 support
• Fine and gross motor skill development.

 

Outside agencies such as the School Nurse, outreach support, behaviour support and speech and language also helped with this year group.

 

 

Year 3

Group	Number in group	Attainment			Progress (End of last year-End of Summer 2)
		Read	Write	Maths	Read	Write	Maths
All	49	20.1	18.7	18.5	4.5	4.1	3.7
Pupil Premium	23	19.5	18.2	18.1	4.0	3.9	3.8
Not Pupil Premium	26	20.8	19.1	18.9	4.9	4.3	3.6

The table above shows average points scores. These points can be converted into a National Curriculum levels as follows:

 

1B = 9pts, 1A = 11pts 2C = 13pts, 2B= 15pts 2A = 17pts,

3C = 19pts 3B = 21pts 3A = 23pts 4C = 25pts 4B = 27pts 4A = 29pts

 

By Year 3 we would like most pupils to score 19 points which is a level 3C. We aim for 4 points progress from Year 2 while 3 points progress is satisfactory.

5.5 Year 4

 

The Teaching Assistant support that was put in place for pupils in Year 4 was for

• Handwriting
• Spelling
• Social skills
• Well being and Behaviour
• Nurture group
• Phonics and Reading
• Numeracy and Literacy Support
• Small Group Work
• One to One support for writing

 

Year 4

Group	Number in group	Attainment			Progress (End of last year-End of Summer 1)
		Read	Write	Maths	Read	Write	Maths
All	33	24.9	23.2	23.2	4.5	4.2	4.7
Pupil Premium	19	24.2	22.7	23.1	4.1	4.1	4.7
Not Pupil Premium	14	26.0	23.9	23.3	4.3	4.3	4.6

The table above shows average points scores. These points can be converted into a National Curriculum levels as follows:

 

1B = 9pts, 1A = 11pts 2C = 13pts, 2B= 15pts 2A = 17pts,

3C = 19pts 3B = 21pts 3A = 23pts 4C = 25pts 4B = 27pts 4A = 29pts

 

By year 4 we would like most pupils to score 21/22 points which is a level 3B. We aim for 6 points progress from year 2 and 3 points in a year.

Progress was less than excepted in all groups. This year group had a lot of disruption as teacher left in January and had a variety of supply teachers. These children will need extra support next year to increase progress although attainment is mainly on track and above for FMS children.

FSM children have achieved well, similar to their peers. We will continue with intervention strategies into year 5 so that they continue to make progress, particularly in Reading. The gap has closed by Year 4 between FSM children and their peers in attainment.

 

 5.6 Year 5

 

The Teaching Assistant support that was put in place for pupils in Year 5 was for,

• Additional Numeracy and Literacy support
• Small Group Work.
• Social and emotional groups. Behaviour and Well Being
• Phonics and Reading 1 to 1 support.
• Numeracy and Literacy small group teaching
• Small group work.
• Nurture Group
• Fine and gross motor skills development.
• Lunchtime nurture support.
• Elklan trained 1 to 1 support.
• Fine + Gross motor skill development
• Behaviour support, speech and language.
• Support from parent support worker.
• Educational psychologist

 

• In addition to TA support due to the increase in new children, most arriving with special educational needs the school employed an addition teacher to reduce class size and target support further.

 

 

 

 

 

Year 5

Group	Number in group	Attainment			Progress (End of last year-End of Summer 2)
		Read	Write	Maths	Read	Write	Maths
All	34	24.4	21.9	22.9	4.5	4.3	3.6
Pupil Premium	22	23.6	20.9	22.3	3.9	3.7	3.2
Not Pupil Premium	12	25.9	23.9	24.1	5.8	5.5	4.5

The table above shows average points scores. These points can be converted into a National Curriculum levels as follows

 

1B = 9pts, 1A = 11pts 2C = 13pts, 2B= 15pts 2A = 17pts,

3C = 19pts 3B = 21pts 3A = 23pts 4C = 25pts 4B = 27pts 4A = 29pts

 

By year 5 we would like most pupils to score 25 points which is a level 4C. This is as expected or better in reading, and almost inline in writing and maths. We aim for 9 points progress from year 2 and 3 points from year 4.

 

5.7 Year 6

 

The Teaching Assistant support that was put in place for pupils in Year 6 was for,

• Additional Numeracy and Literacy support
• Small Group Work.
• One to One tuition for Maths
• Behaviour and Well Being
• Phonics and Reading small group and 1 to1.
• Numeracy and Literacy
• Small group work.
• Nurture Group
• Fine and gross motor skills development.
• Lunchtime nurture support.
• Elklan trained 1 to 1 support.
• Fine + Gross motor skill development
• Behaviour support, speech and language.
• Support from parent support worker.
• School nurse

 

Outside agencies such as the School Nurse and outreach support also helped with this year group.

 

 

Year 6

Group	Number in group	Attainment			Progress (End of last year-End of Summer 2)
		Read	Write	Maths	Read	Write	Maths
All	24	27.8	27.3	28.3	2.5	4.0	3.9
Pupil Premium	16	27.4	27.0	28.0	3.0	4.1	3.8
Not Pupil Premium	8	28.5	26.8	28.8	1.5	3.8	4.0

 

The table above shows average points scores. These points can be converted into a National Curriculum levels as follows:

 

1B = 9pts, 1A = 11pts 2C = 13pts, 2B= 15pts 2A = 17pts,

3C = 19pts 3B = 21pts 3A = 23pts 4C = 25pts 4B = 27pts 4A = 29pts 5C = 31pts

 

By Year 6 we would like most pupils to score 27 points which is a level 4B. We aim for 12 points progress from Year 2 and 3 points from year.

 

By the time pupils leave us in Year 6, FSM pupils have mainly caught up with their peers and attain well.

 

We are very proud of the pupils and the staff who have worked with them.

 

6. How are we using our money?

Teaching Assistant Support and other interventions are put in to place as soon as needs are identified. Pupil progress is monitored effectively and interventions are modified as required to be responsive to pupil needs.

 

Attainment gaps have narrowed significantly between FSM and non-FSM pupils by Year 6. By the time children leave in Year 6 they attain in line with non FSM pupils. We believe therefore the interventions we make for FSM pupils are effective in narrowing any attainment gap.

 

7. Pupil Premium funding for the academic year September 2015 to July 2016.

 

As can be seen from the above report support continues for children as they move from one year group to the next where necessary. For the academic year 2015 / 2016 we will continue to build on the successful model of evaluation, monitoring and appropriate interventions for FSM and LAC pupils.

Pupil Premium funding will be used in the following ways;

• Mainly on Teaching Assistant Support within the classroom, so that these pupils receive small group teaching, or individual tuition, which helps the children to get more personalised support thus improving their learning and progress.
• Specialised learning resources if needed.
• Subsidising the payment of school Trips and events in school.
• Subsidising the payment before or after school clubs
• ONE to ONE and small group support for pupils who are not on track to succeed Level 3 in English, or Maths in year 4, or level 4 in English or Maths in year 6.
• Subsidising Library service.
• School Safeguarding officer.
• Subsidising Breakfast Club.

 

• 8. Linking with other agencies to help children and families with wider issues.

 

As a school we pride ourselves on the very good multi agency support network that we offer children and families. We offer counselling support from the School Nurse accessed through the local NHS Trust, we have strong links with local Pupil Referral Units and Special schools, and call on numerous outreach workers, such as for Speech and Language, Occupational Health, and Educational Psychology.

 

The amount of multi-agency working has increased in recent years at Red Oak, every week we hold Team Around the Child meetings, and parent meetings to support pupils and their families. Our Deputy and parent support worker does an excellent job involving relevant agencies and as a result pupils make progress, and families feel supported.

 

Not all children who are in receipt of FSM experience underperformance in terms of attainment or achievement at school. However, their need for personal, pastoral or for enhanced educational access can be addressed through use of Pupil Premium. For example a FSM pupil may be Gifted and Talented and may attend enrichment activities, such as the Inter Schools Maths Challenge.

 

9. Communicating with Parents.

 

Each year in July, parents receive a copy of their child’s report detailing the attainment and progress made by their child. Where pupils receive outside agency help or ONE to ONE tuition parents will continue to be informed.

 

Where appropriate, from September 2012 we will contact parents of service children and discuss what support they may need.

 

To keep parents informed how our school uses the Pupil Premium a report will be published on the school’s website every Autumn Term from 2012.

 

 

Research suggests that families in the East Midlands, South East and East of England may be less likely to register their children for FSM, even when they are entitled to them. The money which we receive at Red Oak when parents or carers claim their entitlement to FSM is important. We continue to encourage parents and carers to apply for FSM if they are eligible. School office staff are very familiar with the systems for claiming free school meals and will always handle parent enquiries about FSM sensitively.

 

10. The Role of Governors.

 

In addition to this report, reports are made to the Governing Body on a termly basis through the Headteachers Report to Governors. These continue to inform governors of tracking procedures and the impact of interventions and support programmes.

 

11. Transfer of FSM Information between Schools.

 

Where children are moving to Red Oak Primary School contact with class teachers and previous schools/nursery settings takes place in order to determine potential FSM eligibility and understand previous interventions where appropriate.

 

Where children leave Red Oak Primary School, receiving schools will be made aware of children’s most recent support programmes prior to transfer in order to guide continuity in provision and assist transfer discussions with parents and carers.

 

 

 

Mrs H. Madsen

Headteacher

September 2015