Detail

Data

School name

Rye Hills Academy

Number of pupils in school

875

Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils

32.4%

Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers

2021 - 2024

Date this statement was published

December 2021

Date on which it will be reviewed

April 2022

Statement authorised by

T Spoors

Pupil premium lead

K Scott

Governor / Trustee lead

M Saxton

Detail

Amount

Pupil premium funding allocation academic year 2021/22

£283,635

Recovery premium funding allocation 2021/22 only

£43935

Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years (enter £0 if not applicable)

£ 0

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

£327,570

Rye Hills Academy is working to support disadvantaged pupils in all areas of their education from the moment they arrive in school. Our aim is that every disadvantaged pupil will achieve at least as well as their peers, have every opportunity to excel and be fully prepared for the next stage in their education and future employment. It is vital that we support our pupil’s physical and mental health and wellbeing to enable them to fully engage in learning. Pupils need to experience a wealth of enrichment experiences to widen their horizons and unlock future opportunities.

Some disadvantaged pupils face many and complex barriers during their education which make effective learning very difficult. Other pupils have very specific, individual needs and still others, have few barriers at all. Below are some of the main difficulties faced, although it must also be said that the difficulties encountered are not unique to those who are disadvantaged. We aim to meet and support pupils at their point of need, wherever possible and feasible.

Common barriers to learning for disadvantaged pupils include less support at home, especially during the pandemic, weak language and communication skills, fewer opportunities to read books, fewer resources to help with learning (eg text books/internet access), lack of confidence, more frequent behaviour difficulties and attendance and punctuality concerns. Some pupils have struggled with their physical and mental well being and this has been exacerbated as a result of the pandemic. There may be complex family situations that prevent children from flourishing. Some pupils have limited opportunities to experience cultural trips and visits. Some have fewer opportunities to learn about the wide range of opportunities once they leave school for higher education and employment. The challenges are varied and there is no 'one size fits all'.

Pupil Premium and Recovery Premium Funding contribute to the work of the school in meeting the needs of disadvantaged pupils by:

• ensuring that teaching and learning opportunities meet the needs of all the pupils
• ensuring that all pupils benefit from high-quality teaching in the classroom
• ensure all pupils have a place to study in a school where they can access adult support, class texts and the internet
• offering tuition in small groups or 1 to 1 where there is identified the need.
• developing the resilience of pupils, building their self-esteem and enabling them to develop the skills that will enable them to learn effectively in the classroom environment
• providing therapeutic intervention were needed through the use of personal intervention programmes and counselling where appropriate
• working closely with pupils who need additional support to manage their behaviour
• working with pupils and their families to identify the causes of attendance concern and support good attendance
• ensuring pupils have every opportunity to access enrichment programmes
• ensuring pupils receive high-quality careers information, advice and guidance so that they have high aspirations for themselves and for their future
• ensuring pupils personal development is well supported and that they are ready for post-16 education/training/employment
• meeting individual needs wherever possible and feasible.

Challenge number

Detail of challenge

1.

Some pupils struggle to attend regularly, some are often late and some are persistently absent (exacerbated by the pandemic)

2.

Some students struggle to manage their behaviour (exacerbated by the pandemic)

3.

Some students need extensive pastoral support for a variety of reasons (exacerbated by the pandemic)

4.

Some students struggle with the increased complexity of organisation with a secondary environment and increased demands for independent work.

5.

Some students face significant challenges in their lives and have social, emotional and mental health needs that prevent them from learning (exacerbated by the pandemic)

6.

Some students need additional adult support to help to enable them to fully achieve their potential both during the school day and after school with managing homework.

7.

Some students need individual tuition and/or teaching in small groups to enable them to achieve (exacerbated by the pandemic)

8.

Some students have little aspiration for the future and are in need of additional adult support and additional careers guidance so that they do not limit their own potential.

9.

Some students have low levels of literacy and numeracy which impedes their learning and their confidence.

10.

Some students lack access to the internet and the use of computers to support their studies.

11.

Some students lack space to study.

12.

Some students need to experience a wealth of enrichment experiences in-order to widen their horizons and unlock future opportunities.

13.

School uniforms can cause significant challenges for some families.

14.

Some students do not have access to a healthy diet which impacts their general well-being. Some do not participate regularly in sports and need proactive, individual support in order to overcome barriers (exacerbated by the pandemic).

15

All pupils need the highest quality of teaching in every classroom. High-quality teaching is at the heart of our approach, with a focus on areas in which disadvantaged pupils require the most support. This is proven to have the greatest impact on closing the disadvantaged attainment gap and at the same time will benefit the non-disadvantaged pupils in our school.

16.

Some pupils need additional personal development so that they have the resilience to cope with everyday challenges, form strong, positive relationships and are ready emotionally for key transitions.

17

Narrowing the attainment gap across Reading, Writing, Maths and Science

Intended outcome

Success criteria

Pupils who are disadvantaged achieve well and at least in line with national averages at the end of Key Stage 4

Progress 8 score of disadvantaged cohort is positive.

Improved rates of progress across KS3

Pupils make as much progress as other students in KS3

Attendance

The average attendance of the disadvantaged cohort is in line with the national average or above. 

Transition ready

Pupils complete transition matrix to assess and evidence readiness for post-16 progression.

All students have transition plans in place inline with career development strategy.  

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

High-quality professional development for all staff to secure high-quality teaching strategies underpinned by metacognitive strategies, planning for interleaving and retrieval practice and grounded through a rich knowledge-based curriculum

EEF guide to pupil premium – tiered approach – teaching is the top priority, including CPD

EEF guide to improving working memory

EEF: Metacognition and Self Regulated Learning

9,15,16,17

Staffing costs to provide coaching support and lead professional development.

EEF guide to pupil premium – tiered approach – teaching is the top priority, including CPD

Sutton Trust – quality first teaching has a direct impact on student outcomes.

9,16,17

Deepen teacher’s understanding of pedagogy across each curriculum area by engagement with subject specialists in their field.

EEF: Effective Professional Development

EEF: Teaching and Learning Toolkit

Ofsted: Subject Curriculum research reviews

3,15,9,16, 17

Introducing the Trusts literacy and numeracy policy and ensuing literacy is a focus of teachers’ planning.

EEF: Preparing for Literacy

EEF: Improving Literacy – Supporting oral language development KS1/KS2

EEF: Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools

9,15,17

Learning resources:

Expenditure on textbooks, resources and training to support bespoke subjects.

Expenditure on development and Maintenance of online learning platforms for pupils to support learning (Staff and Student POD) 

EEF: Teaching and Learning Toolkit

The EEF guidance is based on a range of the best available evidence:

Improving Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3

4,9,10,15,16,17

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Gaps in maths and English identified by teaching staff. Maths and English tuition leads plan for bespoke intervention to enable pupils to catch up on earlier work that is missed or poorly understood, due to the pandemic.

Deliver series of lessons (1-1 or small group) to enable pupils to consolidate insecure learning and catch up with the schemes of learning.

Where appropriate and possible, classes to be reduced in size to increase individual support and facilitate recovery of learning. (This is a whole-school priority that encompasses all pupils)

EEF: Teaching and Learning Toolkit - One to one tuition & Small Group Tuition

7,9,15,17

In all other subjects, Heads of Department to identify pupils who need bespoke curricular intervention Pupils should be taught in small groups where there are common areas or individual 1-1 tuition arranged as appropriate. 

EEF: Teaching and Learning Toolkit - One to one tuition & Small Group Tuition

4,6,7,9,10,15,17

Professional development for all staff in developing a love of reading for pleasure and for learning within their specialist subject areas.

Identified pupils - 1-1 regular reading planned into the curriculum. Support for pupils to learn is provided through the library and Laurea Centre

EEF: Preparing for Literacy

EEF: Improving Literacy – Supporting oral language development KS1/KS2

EEF: Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools

5,7,8,9,12,15,17

To provide students with adult mentoring support, access to workspace and IT facilities to support their learning.

EEF: Mentoring

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,13

To identify students with low levels of literacy and numeracy which impedes their learning and their confidence and facilitate/enable bespoke provision to meet the identified needs.

EEF: Preparing for Literacy

EEF: Improving Literacy – Supporting oral language development KS1/KS2

EEF: Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools

9,15,17

Provision and deployment of teaching assistants appropriately is essential to supporting learning ‘in the moment’ and being able to respond to pupils who need additional support to keep up and catch up. 

EEF: Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants

2,4,6,8,9

Provision and staffing of safe spaces available to targeted children throughout the day.

NFER: Recovery during a pandemic

2,3,4,5,6,10,17

Social and Emotional Learning – interventions to support children with a range of skills including for example, emotional regulation, managing grief. Deployment of   Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner 

EEF: Improving Social and Emotional Learning in Primary Schools

NFER: Recovery during a pandemic

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,12,13,16

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Attendance team to work with families to reduce the absence of pupils who struggle to attend regularly.

EEF: Guide to the pupil premium

1

Pastoral teams to support pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour including the provision of personal intervention programmes.

EEF: Teaching and Learning Toolkit – Learning behaviours

EEF: Improving Behaviour in Schools

2,3,4,5,6,8,12,13,16

To provide pastoral support to pupils who need additional help, including those who face significant challenges in their lives and have social, emotional and mental health needs that prevent them from learning well (this includes support for those who have experienced bereavement)

EEF: Improving Social and Emotional Learning in Primary Schools

EEF: Guide to the pupil premium

EEF: Healthy Minds

DFE: Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges

2,3,4,5,6,8, 12,13,16

Encourage pupils to take part in extra-curricular activities (onsite) to widen their experiences and broaden their horizons.

Facilitate pupils in taking part in a range of enrichment experiences (off-site) in order to widen their horizons and unlock future opportunities.

EEF: Guide to the pupil premium

12,13

Provision for clear post 16 guidance

EEF Guide to the Pupil Premium

8

Support for families from the attendance team

DfE: Improving school attendance: support for schools and local authorities

Sutton Trust: Learning in Lockdown

1

The academic year 2020-21 marked the end of the pupil premium plan.

The engagement of pupils with online learning was the same for disadvantaged pupils and other pupils throughout the lockdown periods of the pandemic. (Attendance figures during the academic year 2020-21 when the school was not in lockdown, are so heavily distorted due to covid illness and periods of self-isolation/bubble closure, that comparisons of groups of pupils have very limited meaning.)

All pupils were in contact with teaching staff every day of the pandemic online and through telephone contact ranging from daily to once per week with bespoke and individual support where needed. A significant number of pupils attended school during the pandemic.

End of Year assessments in Year 11 indicate that overall, disadvantaged students achieved on average, across all their subjects, a grade below that of other students.

The deployment of pupil premium funding has been utterly crucial in supporting our pupils throughout the pandemic.