Michael Drayton Junior School Pupil Premium Strategy.

What we do

We use a multi-strand approach, identified below. The approaches we have implemented are all drawn from current educational research, such as the EEF, and their impact is carefully tracked and monitored within school. (See Pupil Premium Impact Statement and Intended Spend documents below.) 

1.    Create a culture

 Our staff take responsibility for the learning and progress of all children and know who our disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils are. There are no excuses for underperformance and the language of ‘learning’ is used right across school and, through meta-cognitive strategies such as ‘Learning Detectives’, children are developed as learners from when they enter in Year 3.

2.    Continually strive to improve day to day teaching:

The continual development of ‘Quality First Teaching’, 'Feedback for Learning’ and the inclusion of meta-cognitive strategies in lessons have ensured that teaching and learning continues to improve. Intensive support packages are put in place to ensure teaching is never less than consistently good.

3.    Improve the effectiveness of interventions and deploy skilled staff

 We continually evaluate, through rigorous data tracking, the effectiveness of the interventions we offer. We train our support staff and teachers to deliver the highest quality interventions that reap the greatest benefits for our children in terms of maximising their progress. We invest heavily in staff development to ensure that all children including disadvantaged are being taught by skilled professionals. Support staff timetables are fluid, based on need, and interventions are evaluated so that alterations can be made. All staff are held accountable for the progress of the pupils they have taught.

4.    Increase the opportunities for experiential learning

 Improvements to the school environment and the outdoor environment including the development of the Al Fresco Area, the enhancement of home learning opportunities and the subsidisation of trips and visits where necessary, all count towards the increased engagement of our disadvantaged pupils.

5.    Provide stretch and challenge

 It is not always the case that disadvantaged pupils are the lowest attaining. We have put in place a range of tailored interventions and opportunities to provide stretch and challenge for those more able children. These opportunities include our mastery learning and specialist maths mastery programs.