Pupil Premium

The Harris Academy Rainham, Pupils Premium Statement and Spending Review

The Government introduced the Pupil Premium Grant in April 2011. This grant which is additional to the main Academy funding, is seen by the government as the best way to address the national inequalities between students eligible for free school meals, or have been within the last 6 years, (PP) and Looked after Children (LAC) and other students. This grant will ensure that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the students who need it most. The pupil premium is allocated to schools and is clearly identifiable in our budget. Academies can decide how the pupil premium money is spent as they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual students within their responsibility.

At Harris Academy Rainham we support all of our students. We do this by providing high quality classroom teaching supplemented by interventions to support vulnerable learners as well as additional support to enable our high ability students to achieve high academic standards. All leaders in this Academy including the Governors are committed to ensuring the Pupil Premium funding is targeted to provide the best possible outcomes to students that may be at a disadvantage.

Click here to access our Free School Meals Eligibility Check

Pupil Premium Statement 2016-2017

Spending Review: 2016 – 2017

 

1. Summary Information
Total number of students in the Academy –	933 pupils
Number of PP Eligible pupils (year 7,8,9,10,11)	231 pupils    (50 of which are year 11s)
Total pupil premium budget	2016-2017: £244,788.00

 

Improvement Initiative	Objective	Expenditure (approx.)	Impact	Evidence of impact
Improving outcomes and progress for PP students in the key subjects (Bucket 1 Subjects and Bucket 2 subjects initially).   E.g Mathematics, English, Science, Geography, History and the Sciences.   Inclusive of purchasing of external staff time e.g tutors etc.	Strategies, actions and targets are discussed and reviewed weekly to improve engagement and progress for PP groups and individuals. Resources are specifically bought for PP students based upon an individual need basis to ensure maximum success.	£40k	Students have personalised resource programmes in place. E.g Student X bought revision guides and DVDs for key subjects “she/he” is struggling to make positive progress in (according to progress 8 calculations).	Greater improvement against mock scores over time through use with books and guides to help students. More confidence noted in specific PP students. Improvement in whole school PP outcome/tracking against progress 8.
Reading Programme.	Accelerated reading programme implemented in KS3 to help improve individual reading ages and inference of texts.	£13k	Improved reading ages for PP students, which in turn increases their ability to access the whole school curriculum.	Continuous monitoring of PP students across their subject areas from teaching tracking. Expected or positive progress 8 scores highlighted.
Student Support (including trips)	Barriers are removed to support pupils with their academic achievements to purchase uniform, textbooks, equipment and other essential items.	£15k	Individual discussions are held with our students to remove barriers to learning.	Support provided by school to purchase uniform and assist with trips.
In School	Counsellor/Life Coach based in school for students to access when referred. PP students are given access to this service.	£19k	Support in place for vulnerable students with emotional, behavioural or needs which prevent them making greater progress academically.	Students identified and referred by Pastoral team and Vice Principals responsible for KS4 outcomes and behaviour standards.
Increased teaching capacity in Secondary	To provide intensive one to one sessions for any identified students. Whether tutors physically visit the site or through online methods (tutoring solutions online).	£42k	To achieve outcomes in line with non-pp students within the context of Harris Academy Rainham.	Greater progress in mock assessments and overall subject achievement.
Improving outcomes and progress for MA - PP students in the all subjects affecting their progress 8 scores.	Strategies, actions and targets are discussed and reviewed weekly to improve engagement and progress for MA PP groups and individuals. Resources are specifically bought for MA PP students based upon an individual need basis to ensure maximum success. Specific trips have been conducted to ensure greater progress and ambition for these particular students.	£11k	Students have personalised resource/intervention programmes in place. E.g Revision guides for specific students. Greater engagement and progress ensured against specific targeted subjects that secures greater progress for the students and school.	Greater improvement against mock scores over time through use with books and guides to help students. More confidence noted in specific MA - PP students. Improvement in whole school PP outcome/tracking against progress 8.

Brilliant Club

Programme implemented in KS3/KS4 to help improve ambition in the most able and stretch them in terms of learning.

£8k

A programme aimed at stretching and challenging the most able with ‘university’ research skills. This should in turn help their ability to access the whole school curriculum in such a way.

Continuous monitoring of students across their subject areas from teaching tracking. Expected or positive progress 8 scores highlighted. More motivation noted to attend university and realise their own potential as MA students.

Engagement with the wider curriculum Improve the behaviour of a minority of students (Social, Emotional etc)

Access to life coach and counsellor

£22k

A tailored programme to meet the individual needs of the pupil. Working on confidence

U.Divakaran (Pastoral Lead) K. West (Pastoral)

 

Review:

What are the strategies that the Academy used in this particular Academy Year (2016-17)?

Strategies begin during the pupils’ final primary year. Members of our SENCO team will visit feeder primary schools, at the end of the academic year 2016/17, to assess the needs of incoming pupils. In order to quickly raise aspirations and promote a culture of high expectation a member of the senior leadership team meets personally during their last primary year the parents of every incoming year 7 pupil. Pupil, parent and senior leader signs a contract of expectation for specific rigorous targets that include standards of behaviour, attendance and academic performance. Targets are set the same regardless of need or disadvantage except that in order to account for the learning effects of disadvantage in primary years (research suggests a 15% lack of progress by the time secondary school is reached) the targets of pupil premium pupils are adjusted upwards. Resources are thus automatically directed towards those who struggle most to meet targets and the academy effectively accepts responsibility explicitly for closing the pre-existing gap.

Throughout their school career, teaching staff and every senior and middle leader are held to account for these targets via performance management.  A dedicated full time pastoral team, which also comprises of a qualified counsellors, assists senior leaders in rigorously monitoring, investigating and addressing non-attendance, low level misbehaviour or perceived changes in attitude. Personal learning guides meet pupils in small groups each week to discuss learning. 

In addition, extensive training will be introduced for Teaching Assistants to deliver literacy intervention, such as programmes like ‘Read, Write, Inc’ (Ruth Miskin). In terms of numeracy, the Academy has implemented a ‘Catch up Numeracy’ programme, delivered by two members of staff, who have been fully trained in this method/approach. Elklan Training (Speech and Language) will also be undertaken by staff with a view to implement this in the current academic year. Most Able disadvantaged pupils are also enrolled on the ‘Harris Experience’, a programme that looks to offer this particular group of students enriching activities that fosters a love of learning.

Also, the Academy used a life coach to work with students that have or had a particular need, which will in turn enhance their educational experience. Behaviour mentors were also used to ensure students behaviour for learning is exemplary in and around the Academy. These support mechanisms are hoped to have a positive influence on students development, both academically and personally.

In every year group for every subject, data on progress against target is collated every six weeks and analysed for gaps in progress between groups and interventions put in place. Underperformance attracts intervention in the form of specialised subject tuition in or out of timetable, after hours extra lessons or holiday timetables.  Funds are made available for disadvantaged pupils to experience life coaching sessions and aspirational trips such as ‘Harris Westminster’ for current Yr 11 high ability PPM pupils that may widen perspectives on further educational opportunities for this key group. Trips and visits may also promote character or develop self-esteem (such as kayaking) or purchase basic educational resources such as revision guides or catering ingredients.

Data evidenced guidance will be provided to every pupil and their parents by a senior leader when choosing GCSE or equivalent options. Senior leaders consider aspirations for university, the degree and quality of parental support and academic performance in guiding carefully on options choices. Pupil premium details are central to the process.  Following the collation of choices made, a review is made pupil by pupil by two senior leaders to ensure aspirations are not limited by choices. In year 11, pupil and parent resign a contract of expectation; pupils are allocated a mentor who is a member of the senior leadership team for the purpose of maintaining effort, focus and purpose and also to target support and relevant resources.  Data highlighting disadvantaged pupils is rigorously collected and monitored and made available to teaching staff for the purpose of identifying underachievement or highlighting concerns- this occurs on a half termly basis as routine, but can be looked upon for instant intervention if the need occurs.  On exam days, pupils are invited to the academy early where pastoral and teaching staff are available. Breakfast is provided free of charge to exam pupils.