Charlotte Carter-Wall

1.  Charlotte Carter-Wall Why are we here � we have a shared belief that poverty is more than income but about life chances. Someone who has grown up in poverty is less likely to get good educational qualifications and they are disadvantaged well into adulthood since educational qualifications are such a strong determinant of later income and opportunities. Transmission across the generations. This is a major contributing factor to patterns of recurring social immobility. This session will offer the opportunity to delve into some of the most influential school practices that at a local level have sought to break the link Health warning � there is no panacea or silver bullet alas Many of them small steps - daily victories that herald substantial change over time. Small steps� meaningful change Not all have lower attainment but how do you know? FSM typically find it slightly harder to catch up if they fall behind and the higher attaining typically find it much harder to excel. I am going to talk about age 7 as a tipping point. Children�s life chances are most heavily predicated on their development in the first 5 years of life The hopeful interventions It is all too easy to spend money in what looks like sensible or effective ways but without finding discernible impact on pupils. Why are we here � we have a shared belief that poverty is more than income but about life chances. Someone who has grown up in poverty is less likely to get good educational qualifications and they are disadvantaged well into adulthood since educational qualifications are such a strong determinant of later income and opportunities. Transmission across the generations. This is a major contributing factor to patterns of recurring social immobility. This session will offer the opportunity to delve into some of the most influential school practices that at a local level have sought to break the link Health warning � there is no panacea or silver bullet alas Many of them small steps - daily victories that herald substantial change over time. Small steps� meaningful change Not all have lower attainment but how do you know? FSM typically find it slightly harder to catch up if they fall behind and the higher attaining typically find it much harder to excel. I am going to talk about age 7 as a tipping point. Children�s life chances are most heavily predicated on their development in the first 5 years of life The hopeful interventions It is all too easy to spend money in what looks like sensible or effective ways but without finding discernible impact on pupils.

2. Thinking differently Philip Schelecty quote In England, although we have a good track record in improving overall standards, if we look at vulnerable groups of pupils, such as those eligible for FSM, large gaps remain. We need to think differently Frank Field Abolish child poverty and audacious goal � a failed strategy Since 1997 �150billion redistributed to poor families but only 600K children moved above the 60% poverty line � 2.8million remain below it.Philip Schelecty quote In England, although we have a good track record in improving overall standards, if we look at vulnerable groups of pupils, such as those eligible for FSM, large gaps remain. We need to think differently Frank Field Abolish child poverty and audacious goal � a failed strategy Since 1997 �150billion redistributed to poor families but only 600K children moved above the 60% poverty line � 2.8million remain below it.

3. UK is above OECD average on school standards � but below on variance and equity UK has one of the steepest socio-economic gradients in education among other similar countries and our disadvantages children do worse than those from other countries by a considerable amount. Primary cause of child poverty is lack of opportunities amongst parents with low skills and qualifications. Such parents are less likely to work and if they do are more likely to have low earnings Leitch report[1] revealed there are currently 3.2 million jobs in the UK which do not require any qualifications; by 2020 this number is predicted to have fallen to 600,000. We are not speaking of extreme poverty alone, reduced attainment can be seen across a spectrum � from families who have enough to live on but no luxuries, some professional people suffering temporary poverty � very large number of low income families but with lower intensity than those at the extreme. There is also a separate correlation between poverty and success in mid-life. Controlling for qualifications, people in their 30s who experienced financial hardship when growing up are less likely to be doing well.UK has one of the steepest socio-economic gradients in education among other similar countries and our disadvantages children do worse than those from other countries by a considerable amount. Primary cause of child poverty is lack of opportunities amongst parents with low skills and qualifications. Such parents are less likely to work and if they do are more likely to have low earnings Leitch report[1] revealed there are currently 3.2 million jobs in the UK which do not require any qualifications; by 2020 this number is predicted to have fallen to 600,000. We are not speaking of extreme poverty alone, reduced attainment can be seen across a spectrum � from families who have enough to live on but no luxuries, some professional people suffering temporary poverty � very large number of low income families but with lower intensity than those at the extreme. There is also a separate correlation between poverty and success in mid-life. Controlling for qualifications, people in their 30s who experienced financial hardship when growing up are less likely to be doing well.

4. Mind the gap Facts do speak for themselves and they are not decreasing quickly enough FSM pupils make up 16% and 14% of the school population at primary and secondary IDACI MOSAIC The research shows that difference emerges before entry to school and widen as children move through the education system, especially during the primary years. By age 11 only around three-quarters of children from the poorest fifth of families reached the expected level at KS2, compared with 97% of children from the richest fifth. Even where children have performed well at age 7 they were more likely than better-off children to fall behind by age 11 and poorer children who performed badly at 7 were less likely to improve their ranking. The gap widens further during secondary education and persists into Higher Education. At KS4, 54.2% of non-FSM pupils achieve 5 or more A*-C grade GCSEs or equivalent (including English and mathematics) compared to 26.6% of FSM pupils � an attainment gap of 27.6 percentage points. 21% of pupils living in the most deprived 5th of areas achieve 5 or more GCSE grades A*-C or equivalent (including English and mathematics), compared with 75% of the top quintile � an astonishing 54% gap! Persistent absentees are nearly 3 times more likely to be eligible for FSM than other pupils. FSM pupils are around 3 times more likely to receive either a permanent or fixed period exclusion than children who are not eligible. Progress in English 2010 Pupils eligible for FSM in above the floor schools had a similar progress rate to those not eligible for FSM in below floor schools with a large gap in progress between these groups and pupils who are both eligible for FSM and attended a below floor school. Similar pattern for maths but with much smaller improvements in below floor schools regardless of FSM eligibility. Facts do speak for themselves and they are not decreasing quickly enough FSM pupils make up 16% and 14% of the school population at primary and secondary IDACI MOSAIC The research shows that difference emerges before entry to school and widen as children move through the education system, especially during the primary years. By age 11 only around three-quarters of children from the poorest fifth of families reached the expected level at KS2, compared with 97% of children from the richest fifth. Even where children have performed well at age 7 they were more likely than better-off children to fall behind by age 11 and poorer children who performed badly at 7 were less likely to improve their ranking. The gap widens further during secondary education and persists into Higher Education. At KS4, 54.2% of non-FSM pupils achieve 5 or more A*-C grade GCSEs or equivalent (including English and mathematics) compared to 26.6% of FSM pupils � an attainment gap of 27.6 percentage points. 21% of pupils living in the most deprived 5th of areas achieve 5 or more GCSE grades A*-C or equivalent (including English and mathematics), compared with 75% of the top quintile � an astonishing 54% gap! Persistent absentees are nearly 3 times more likely to be eligible for FSM than other pupils. FSM pupils are around 3 times more likely to receive either a permanent or fixed period exclusion than children who are not eligible. Progress in English 2010 Pupils eligible for FSM in above the floor schools had a similar progress rate to those not eligible for FSM in below floor schools with a large gap in progress between these groups and pupils who are both eligible for FSM and attended a below floor school. Similar pattern for maths but with much smaller improvements in below floor schools regardless of FSM eligibility.

6. Hidden resistance How would you respond to these viewpoints if you heard them in your staffroom? What are the key messages we need to project to staff about support for FSM pupils? There are only a small number of FSM pupils in our school; it�s not a big issue for us, so why do we need to act differently? It is a big issue precisely because there are only a few of them. It may help to consider them as a minority group in some of the same ways we would consider the needs of an ethnic minority. Isn�t poverty a symptom of underperformance, not a cause of it? No. Poverty and the correlated features of poverty, e.g. poor health and diet; poor parenting skills; low aspirations; inter-generational unemployment; poor transport, etc. are causally linked to school underperformance. Of course, FSM does not necessarily indicate underperformance, but it is a reliable indicator of potential vulnerability. Singling out FSM pupils for special support is contrary to a policy of equal opportunity Not so. Providing equality of opportunity does not always mean treating everyone the same. There are times when what we need to do is take action to equalise opportunity? Before we can narrow gaps, we must know what the gaps are � hence the importance of identifying vulnerable pupils and tracking their progress. It is stigmatising to identify and target FSM / poor pupils Tracking by FSM does not mean visibly labelling FSM pupils or treating them overtly differently within the classroom. Monitoring, support and intervention all need to be pursued discretely and sensitively and we rely on the professionalism of teachers to achieve this. Tracking can help reveal systematic low aspirations. Teachers should have high expectations of all pupils. Raising the performance of FSM pupils as an issue could highlight unconscious stereo-types of what poor children can achieve. It is better to do nothing. Left alone, a minority of FSM pupils will be assimilated into the culture of the school in time. Unfortunately, this is not the case. If ignored, the differences between the minority pupils and the majority culture are more likely to exacerbate the problem than negate it. How would you respond to these viewpoints if you heard them in your staffroom? What are the key messages we need to project to staff about support for FSM pupils? There are only a small number of FSM pupils in our school; it�s not a big issue for us, so why do we need to act differently? It is a big issue precisely because there are only a few of them. It may help to consider them as a minority group in some of the same ways we would consider the needs of an ethnic minority. Isn�t poverty a symptom of underperformance, not a cause of it? No. Poverty and the correlated features of poverty, e.g. poor health and diet; poor parenting skills; low aspirations; inter-generational unemployment; poor transport, etc. are causally linked to school underperformance. Of course, FSM does not necessarily indicate underperformance, but it is a reliable indicator of potential vulnerability. Singling out FSM pupils for special support is contrary to a policy of equal opportunity Not so. Providing equality of opportunity does not always mean treating everyone the same. There are times when what we need to do is take action to equalise opportunity? Before we can narrow gaps, we must know what the gaps are � hence the importance of identifying vulnerable pupils and tracking their progress. It is stigmatising to identify and target FSM / poor pupils Tracking by FSM does not mean visibly labelling FSM pupils or treating them overtly differently within the classroom. Monitoring, support and intervention all need to be pursued discretely and sensitively and we rely on the professionalism of teachers to achieve this. Tracking can help reveal systematic low aspirations. Teachers should have high expectations of all pupils. Raising the performance of FSM pupils as an issue could highlight unconscious stereo-types of what poor children can achieve. It is better to do nothing. Left alone, a minority of FSM pupils will be assimilated into the culture of the school in time. Unfortunately, this is not the case. If ignored, the differences between the minority pupils and the majority culture are more likely to exacerbate the problem than negate it.

7. How would you respond to these viewpoints if you heard them in your staffroom?

8. Factors influencing attainment Primary Parental aspiration for HE How far parents & children believe their own actions can affect their lives Children�s behavioural issues Teenage years Teenagers & parents� expectations for HE Materials resources e.g. computer access Engagement in anti-social behaviour Young people�s belief in their own ability at school Aspirations Generalisations about attitudes, beliefs and behaviours surrounding aspirations in disadvantaged communities are unhelpful and need to be avoided The research also identified that place matters and that aspirations differed significantly between places and were distinctive. They were influenced by social class, culture and history or people�s direct experience of the place they live in � young white working class people are among the least aspirational. Local solutions are likely to be most effective because of the distinct nature of how aspirations are formed in different types of social setting. For example, London had diverse, ethnically rich community and the highest aspirations between 13-15; Nottingham was a predominately white working class community where a large number were interested in traditional roles and Glasgow which drew from the least homogeneous area � ambitions were polarised to begin with and became common. They were slightly lower than LondonGeneralisations about attitudes, beliefs and behaviours surrounding aspirations in disadvantaged communities are unhelpful and need to be avoided The research also identified that place matters and that aspirations differed significantly between places and were distinctive. They were influenced by social class, culture and history or people�s direct experience of the place they live in � young white working class people are among the least aspirational. Local solutions are likely to be most effective because of the distinct nature of how aspirations are formed in different types of social setting. For example, London had diverse, ethnically rich community and the highest aspirations between 13-15; Nottingham was a predominately white working class community where a large number were interested in traditional roles and Glasgow which drew from the least homogeneous area � ambitions were polarised to begin with and became common. They were slightly lower than London

9. Which pupils are deprived? The single common factor of disadvantage does not make FSM pupils a homogeneous group of children or young people. Each child will have their own particular and often wide range of needs and barriers to learning. However, provided with the appropriate support and challenge, disadvantaged pupils will progress well. The challenge for schools is to go beyond the obvious impact of poverty to address some of the obstacles these pupils might experience. Evidence from schools serving disadvantaged communities suggests that a disadvantaged child is more likely than their more advantaged peers to display a number of characteristics which might limit their capacity to make good progress - children believed much less in their own abilities and that their own actions could affect their lives, behavioural problems or children being much less likely to experience a rich home environment Generational poverty - adds to material deprivation the weight of historic expectation and an ingrained culture of low aspirations and undervaluing of educational currency. All children need to leave education with the skills and qualifications to achieve economic well-being. The single common factor of disadvantage does not make FSM pupils a homogeneous group of children or young people. Each child will have their own particular and often wide range of needs and barriers to learning. However, provided with the appropriate support and challenge, disadvantaged pupils will progress well. The challenge for schools is to go beyond the obvious impact of poverty to address some of the obstacles these pupils might experience. Evidence from schools serving disadvantaged communities suggests that a disadvantaged child is more likely than their more advantaged peers to display a number of characteristics which might limit their capacity to make good progress - children believed much less in their own abilities and that their own actions could affect their lives, behavioural problems or children being much less likely to experience a rich home environment Generational poverty - adds to material deprivation the weight of historic expectation and an ingrained culture of low aspirations and undervaluing of educational currency. All children need to leave education with the skills and qualifications to achieve economic well-being.

10. Underachievers are characterised by: Passivity in learning dispositions Accepting things at face value Lacking strategic awareness � of thinking, feeling and planning/doing Not looking for meaning and sense making in their learning Being �stuck and static� in their sense of themselves as learners. Being unable to �tell their story� The same data in words rather than numbers. The characteristics of underachievers in terms of their learning power � plus the finding from qualitative data � that they found it difficult to tell their stories � share narratives that mattered to them. The same data in words rather than numbers. The characteristics of underachievers in terms of their learning power � plus the finding from qualitative data � that they found it difficult to tell their stories � share narratives that mattered to them.

11. Things we know work to close gaps Visibility data not an end in itself min. 2 levels of progress Parents not all H2R Transition Within school and from school to home � school as an oasis Resilience � often lacking Horizons Include opportunities to bring visitors into the school to talk about their own routes to success Visibility data not an end in itself min. 2 levels of progress Parents not all H2R Transition Within school and from school to home � school as an oasis Resilience � often lacking Horizons Include opportunities to bring visitors into the school to talk about their own routes to success

12. Holding them to it � no one fails Wrotham QK Engaging pupils in their learning Career Champions Bournemouth Park Rokeby Manor Promoting a culture of respect for local values Lealands Stopsley Retford Oaks Holding them to it � no one fails Wrotham QK Engaging pupils in their learning Career Champions Bournemouth Park Rokeby Manor Promoting a culture of respect for local values Lealands Stopsley Retford Oaks

13. Aim: To secure an important lift in results of a target group of Year11 girls in mathematics and to make 6th form success & university the norm and not the exception. Outcomes: All girls added at least two grades to their mathematics performance in Year 11, compared to the rest of the year group who added a grade - one girl added 4 grades. The project stemmed the decline in mathematics performance observed in similar groupings in previous years. Average attendance rose by over 2% and effort grades in mathematics rose by at least 20%. School 1

14. School 2 Aim: To close the FSM attainment gap in boys� writing in year 5 and to develop a can-do classroom. Outcomes: The year 5 teacher commented, �In September writing standards were pretty poor� punctuation and grammar weren�t a consistent part of independent writing. This target group were reluctant writers, would struggle with ideas and would appear frightened about writing, often asking for confirmation of each sentence� documenting had a positive effect and they are now writing fluently and at length.� Average progress made in writing was 3.71 points with one child in the group progressing by 8 points.

15. Making a real difference HOW�? JRF Delivering equality of educational opportunity cant rely solely on better delivery of school curriculum. Improving the impact of teachers on pupil achievement in the UK � interim findings (London School of Economics and Stanford University, USA) Key findings from the research: The report suggested that the difference between a very effective teacher and a poorly performing teacher on pupil attainment was large. For example, in one study, if all teachers were ranked in terms of how much value added they added to pupils over a year in maths, then a teacher in the top sixth of the rankings would raise pupil performance by 40% more than a teacher in the bottom sixth. Teaching was found to be more important for disadvantaged pupils� outcomes. The same study (as above) found that for such pupils, again in maths, the difference between being with a top sixth and a bottom sixth teacher related to a year�s worth of test score gain. MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE Narrowing the gap requires deprived pupils to make accelerated progress, i.e. more than other groups Many schools are able to help disadvantaged pupils in some practical ways that really make a difference, for example, providing breakfast clubs in the morning for pupils whose ability to concentrate and learn might otherwise by hampered, and providing computers to disadvantaged pupils to extend home learning. Progress is most impressive when intervention is fully aligned with teaching and learning and activities are not stand alone but seen as very much part of the way forward with an increasingly creative, flexible and personalised curriculum. Basically � good teaching and learning. Isn�t a different pedagogy for disadvantaged children � but is important to make sure they can access every offer. For example, Have a limited language repertoire and rely almost entirely on informal modes of talk Overwhelming importance of good use of data to track disadvantaged pupils � know where they are and how they are doing. JRF Delivering equality of educational opportunity cant rely solely on better delivery of school curriculum. Improving the impact of teachers on pupil achievement in the UK � interim findings (London School of Economics and Stanford University, USA) Key findings from the research: The report suggested that the difference between a very effective teacher and a poorly performing teacher on pupil attainment was large. For example, in one study, if all teachers were ranked in terms of how much value added they added to pupils over a year in maths, then a teacher in the top sixth of the rankings would raise pupil performance by 40% more than a teacher in the bottom sixth. Teaching was found to be more important for disadvantaged pupils� outcomes. The same study (as above) found that for such pupils, again in maths, the difference between being with a top sixth and a bottom sixth teacher related to a year�s worth of test score gain. MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE Narrowing the gap requires deprived pupils to make accelerated progress, i.e. more than other groups Many schools are able to help disadvantaged pupils in some practical ways that really make a difference, for example, providing breakfast clubs in the morning for pupils whose ability to concentrate and learn might otherwise by hampered, and providing computers to disadvantaged pupils to extend home learning. Progress is most impressive when intervention is fully aligned with teaching and learning and activities are not stand alone but seen as very much part of the way forward with an increasingly creative, flexible and personalised curriculum. Basically � good teaching and learning. Isn�t a different pedagogy for disadvantaged children � but is important to make sure they can access every offer. For example, Have a limited language repertoire and rely almost entirely on informal modes of talk Overwhelming importance of good use of data to track disadvantaged pupils � know where they are and how they are doing.

16. What works in the classroom Maximise interactive teaching and learning with opportunities for �talk for learning� Opportunities to express their views Group or paired work Peer assessment Track progress and intervene if it slows or stalls Feedback Guided work Mentor support / 1:1 tuition

17. interventions at the level of school or community risk creating a �scattergun� approach that will not address the causes but local solutions are likely to be most effective Children form low income families have contrasting experiences at school Likely to feel less sense of control over their learning and become reluctant recipients More likely to feel anxious Most effective where it makes them feel more involved in their own futures and this means a vision which addresses multiple aspects of their own futures � measures to do this can be illusive but cant be ignored.interventions at the level of school or community risk creating a �scattergun� approach that will not address the causes but local solutions are likely to be most effective Children form low income families have contrasting experiences at school Likely to feel less sense of control over their learning and become reluctant recipients More likely to feel anxious Most effective where it makes them feel more involved in their own futures and this means a vision which addresses multiple aspects of their own futures � measures to do this can be illusive but cant be ignored.

18. What am I particularly well placed to contribute to this development? Why?

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