How do governors judge the impact of the pupil premium? Sue Hackman Lancashire GovernorsMay 2013
Carefully!
Ofsted see the PP as a governor issue ‘The governing body ensures that funds generated by the pupil premium are used to provide additional support, particularly in literacy.’ ‘Governors work closely with the school’s leaders, supporting and challenging them. Additional funds are used wisely to help individual pupils.’ ‘Governors take a close interest in the use of the pupil premium and challenge the headteacher to show how it is working.’
Ofsted see the PP as a governor issue ‘The governing body does not check the impact of the additional funding provided to tackle under-achievement.’ ‘Members of the governing body are not clear enough about their roles and responsibilities to enable them to effectively challenge leaders about pupil progress.’ ‘Governors have not challenged senior leaders strongly enough about why some pupils do not make better progress.’ ‘Governors have failed to ensure that the additional money received from the government to support pupils eligible for FSMs is spent on helping them.’
Summary of Ofsted’s main criticisms • Governors don’t get enough information to launch a challenge. • Sometimes they don’t get the information because there is no information! • They sometimes get the information but don’t know what can be expected of the most disadvantaged pupils. • The money is being spent in ways that may or may not raise standards – who knows? • The money is being spent in ways that cannot easily be monitored. • Governors don’t feel confident or empowered to make the challenge.
Specifically…. • Only 1 in 10 say that the PP has changed what they do • Many say they are using the fund to maintain provision • Schools with smaller numbers tend to bundle the money in with the rest • 3 in 10 schools are using it to buy TAs and 1 in 10 to fund a teacher • A third were paying for new curriculum opportunities • Many schools were hard pressed to say how they were spending it
KS2 English FSM pupils
KS2 Maths FSM pupils
Narrowing the gap between FSM pupils and others
Four hard measures of success • Are we raising standards among the PP pupils? • Are we narrowing the gap between PP pupils and the rest? • Are we improving progress among PP pupils? • Do we compare well on these measures against other schools this year?
Rough national benchmarks (KS2) KS2 English 85% non-FSM 67% FSM Gap is 18% KS2 Maths 83% non-FSM 67% FSM Gap is 16%
Rough national benchmarks (KS2) Annual progress in closing gaps Nationally, we are closing gaps at the rate of just under 1% a year. Aim for 1+% Annual improvement among FSM children Nationally, the improvement varies between 1-3% each year in Maths, and 1-2% in English. Aim for 1.75+%
Rough national benchmarks (KS4) 5 A-C inc EM 58.8% non-FSM 36.3% FSM Gap is 26.3% Annual progress in closing gaps 0.33% Annual improvement among FSM children 3.3% a year (5 year average)
Look on the Ofsted site for your FSM data
Look on the Ofsted site for your FSM data
Indicators that you are doing it right • There is a simple account of how the money is being spent. • It is being spent on things that are known to work. • The teachers know who the PP pupils are. • The school has analysed the pattern of results among PP pupils. • The school has a SMART credible plan to close the gap. • There is a way of measuring whether the plan is working.
Interim (proxy) measures • Termly progress measures • Behaviour • Attendance • Teacher perceptions • Observation • Checks against the plan • Questionnaires/focus groups
A dipstick day (prep) Study in advance: • the data • the plan • account of expenditure
A dipstick day (on the day) • Check your information against national norms and evidence • Observation of catch-up • Observation of target pupils in a lesson • Focus group with 5 or 6 PP pupils on the help they are getting • Sample the workbooks of some other PP pupils • Talk to one or two parents of beneficiaries • Review of progress with leadership
What works?
One-to-one tuition What works?
Some really good news about one-to-one tuition (but based on small sample group)
Parent-child interaction What works?
What works? Tracking and tacking
What works? High expectations
What works? Good quality of teaching
What have other schools done which has worked for them?
What have other schools done that worked? Narrowing the Gap in the Performance of Schools Recruited staff from the local community
What have other schools done that worked? Narrowing the Gap in the Performance of Schools Got in local heroes
What have other schools done that worked? Narrowing the Gap in the Performance of Schools Introduced a strong praise, reward and incentives strategy
What have other schools done that worked? Narrowing the Gap in the Performance of Schools Established fair, tough, respectful discipline
What have other schools done that worked? Narrowing the Gap in the Performance of Schools Provided experiences they won’t get anywhere else
What have other schools done that worked? Identified and worked with opinion-leading pupils Narrowing the Gap in the Performance of Schools
What have other schools done that worked? Narrowing the Gap in the Performance of Schools Taught the conventions of language and behaviour
Narrowing the Gap in the Performance of Schools The Extra Mile www.education.gov.uk/publications
For future consideration… Use the Education Endowment Fund
Thank you!
