Pupil premium strategy statement
This statement details our school’s use of pupil premium funding to help improve the attainment of our disadvantaged pupils.
It outlines our pupil premium strategy, how we intend to spend the funding in this academic year and the effect that last year’s spending of pupil premium had within our school.
School Overview
| Detail | Data |
| School name | Selsdon Primary School & Nursery |
| Number of pupils in school | 409 |
| Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils | 32% |
| Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers | 2022/2023 to 2025/2026 |
| Date this statement was published | May 2023 |
| Date on which it will be reviewed | May 2024 |
| Statement authorised by | Susan Papas, Executive Headteacher |
| Pupil premium lead | Hugo Feitor, Head of School |
| Governor | Graham Cluer, Chair of Governing Board |
Funding overview
| Detail | Amount |
| Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year | £179,090 |
| Recovery premium funding allocation this academic year | £17,408 |
| Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years | £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 |
£196,498 |
Part A: Pupil premium strategy plan
Statement of Intent
| Our intention is that all pupils, irrespective of their background or the challenges they face, make good progress and achieve high attainment across all subject areas. The focus of our pupil premium strategy is to support disadvantaged pupils to achieve that goal, including progress for those who are already high attainers.
We will consider the challenges faced by vulnerable pupils, such as those who have a social worker and young carers. The activity we have outlined in this statement is also intended to support their needs, regardless of whether they are disadvantaged or not. 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 disadvantage attainment gap and at the same time will benefit the non-disadvantaged pupils in our school. Implicit in the intended outcomes detailed below, is the intention that non-disadvantaged pupils’ attainment will be sustained and improved alongside progress for their disadvantaged peers. Our strategy is also integral to wider school plans for education recovery, notably in its targeted support through the National Tutoring Programme for pupils whose education has been worst affected, including non-disadvantaged pupils. Our approach will be responsive to common challenges and individual needs, rooted in robust diagnostic assessment, not assumptions about the impact of disadvantage. The approaches we have adopted complement each other to help pupils excel. To ensure they are effective we will:
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Challenges
This details the key challenges to achievement that we have identified among our disadvantaged pupils.
| Challenge number | Detail of challenge |
| 1 | Assessments, observations, and discussions with pupils suggest disadvantaged pupils generally have greater difficulties with phonics than their peers. This negatively impacts their development as readers. |
| 2 | Our last published data in 2019 indicate that attainment among disadvantaged pupils, in maths and reading is significantly below that of non-disadvantaged pupils.
In 2019, 61% of our disadvantaged pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (age-related expectations) compared to 78% of all pupils. |
| 3 | Internal assessments indicate that attainment among disadvantaged pupils, in the broader curriculum is significantly below that of non-disadvantaged pupils.
This relates to issues with phonics and reading, which negatively impacts their ability to access a broader range of subjects. |
| 4 | Our assessments and observations indicate that physical literacy for many of our disadvantaged pupils have been impacted by school closures to a greater extent than for other pupils. These findings are supported by national studies.
This has resulted in significant gaps leading to pupils falling further behind age-related expectations in physical development. Additionally, the overall health of pupils, in terms of obesity and physical activity, has decreased. This is especially pertinent for disadvantaged pupils. These issues relate to situations around housing and lack of resources for some disadvantaged pupils. |
| 5 | Our assessments and observations indicate that the education and wellbeing of many of our disadvantaged pupils have been impacted by partial school closures to a greater extent than for other pupils. These findings are supported by national studies.
This has resulted in significant knowledge gaps leading to pupils falling further behind age-related expectations, in all subjects, but particularly in phonics and social and emotional development. |
| 6 | Our assessments, observations and discussions with pupils and families have identified social and emotional issues for many pupils, notably due to school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These challenges particularly affect disadvantaged pupils, including their attainment. |
| 7 | Our attendance data for this year indicates that attendance among disadvantaged pupils has been 1.3% lower than for non-disadvantaged pupils. Attendance for all pupils is below national expectations. |
Intended outcomes
This explains the outcomes we are aiming for by the end of our current strategy plan, and how we will measure whether they have been achieved.
| Intended outcome | Success criteria |
| Improved reading attainment among disadvantaged pupils. | KS1 and KS2 reading outcomes in 2025/26 show that more than 78% of disadvantaged pupils met the expected standard.
Outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2025/26 show that disadvantaged pupils achieve in line with their peers. |
| Improved maths attainment for disadvantaged pupils at the end of KS2. | KS2 maths outcomes in 2024/25 show that disadvantaged pupils achieve in line with their peers. |
| Improved attainment in the broader curriculum among disadvantaged pupils. | Internal assessments and observations indicate significantly improved outcomes for subjects in the broad curriculum, particularly among disadvantaged pupils. This is evident when triangulated with other sources of evidence, including engagement in lessons, book scrutiny, and ongoing formative assessment.
Assessments should indicate that pupils are able to apply knowledge across a broad range of subjects and utilise their reading skills to help learning across a range of subjects. |
| Improved physical literacy among disadvantaged pupils. | Internal assessments and observations indicate significantly improved outcomes in physical literacy, particularly among disadvantaged pupils.
Sustained high levels of physical literacy from 2025/26 demonstrated by:
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| To achieve and sustain improved wellbeing for all pupils in our school, particularly our disadvantaged pupils. | Sustained high levels of wellbeing from 2025/26 demonstrated by:
|
| To achieve and sustain improved attendance for all pupils, particularly our disadvantaged pupils. | Sustained high attendance from 2025/26 demonstrated by:
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Activity in this academic year
This details how we intend to spend our pupil premium (and recovery premium funding) this academic year to address the challenges listed above.
Teaching Costs
Budgeted cost: £96,126
| Activity | Evidence that supports this approach | Challenge number(s) addressed |
| Purchase of Little Wandle Phonics Programme to secure stronger phonics teaching for all pupils. | Phonics approaches have a strong evidence base that indicates a positive impact on the accuracy of word reading (though not necessarily comprehension), particularly for disadvantaged pupils:
Phonics | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF |
1, 2, 3 |
| Enhancement of our maths teaching and curriculum planning in line with DfE and EEF guidance.
We will fund teacher release time to embed key elements of guidance in school and to access Maths Hub resources and CPD (including Teaching for Mastery training). |
The DfE non-statutory guidance has been produced in conjunction with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, drawing on evidence-based approaches:
Maths_guidance_KS_1_and_2.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk) The EEF guidance is based on a range of the best available evidence: |
2, 3 |
| Improve the quality of social and emotional (SEL) learning.
SEL approaches will be embedded into routine educational practices and supported by professional development and training for staff. |
There is extensive evidence associating childhood social and emotional skills with improved outcomes at school and in later life (e.g., improved academic performance, attitudes, behaviour and relationships with peers):
EEF_Social_and_Emotional_Learning.pdf(educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) |
5, 6 |
| Improve the quality of overall teaching to ensure that all pupils can access the whole curriculum.
We will fund additional training across the curriculum for teachers and support staff. |
High quality teaching benefits all children, low threshold-high ceiling activities mean that all children can be included in every lesson. | 1, 2, 3 |
Targeted Academic Support
Budgeted cost: £39,500
| Activity | Evidence that supports this approach | Challenge number(s) addressed |
| EYFS interventions. Trained Teaching Assistants in Nursery and Reception. Additional resources for Reception and Nursery classes and outdoor learning environments. | Evidence shows that giving priority to EYFS intervention, putting expenditure early in the developmental life cycle (below 5), proved to be very effective.
Evidenced in Fair Society Healthy Lives (The Marmot Review) |
1, 2, 3 |
| Maths and Literacy Booster Clubs. Pupils in Year 6 who are identified as falling behind the age-related expectations are provided with additional sessions in core subjects before and after school. | Tuition targeted at specific needs and knowledge gaps can be an effective method to support low attaining pupils or those falling behind, both one-to-one:
One to one tuition | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) |
2 |
| Additional phonics sessions targeted at disadvantaged pupils who require further phonics support. This will be delivered in collaboration with our local English hub. | Phonics approaches have a strong evidence base indicating a positive impact on pupils, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds. Targeted phonics interventions have been shown to be more effective when delivered as regular sessions over a period up to 12 weeks:
Phonics | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF |
1 |
| Engaging with the National Tutoring Pro-gramme to provide a blend of tuition, mentoring and school-led tutoring for pupils whose education has been most impacted by the pandemic. A significant proportion of the pupils who receive tutoring will be disadvantaged, including those who are high attainers. | Tuition targeted at specific needs and knowledge gaps can be an effective method to support low attaining pupils or those falling behind, both one-to-one:
One to one tuition | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) And in small groups: Small group tuition | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF |
1, 2, 3 |
Wider Strategies
Budgeted cost: £204,909
| Activity | Evidence that supports this approach | Challenge number(s) addressed |
| Whole staff training on behaviour management and anti-bullying approaches with the aim of developing our school ethos and improving behaviour across school. | Both targeted interventions and universal approaches can have positive overall effects:
Behaviour interventions | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) |
5 |
| Additional Teaching Assistants for those identified with behaviour needs who are not funded by, or applying for, EHCPs. | Both targeted interventions and universal approaches can have positive overall effects:
Behaviour interventions | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) |
All |
| Embedding principles of good practice set out in the DfE’s Improving School Attendance advice.
This will involve training and release time for staff to develop and implement new procedures and appointing attendance/support officers to improve attendance. |
The DfE guidance has been informed by engagement with schools that have significantly reduced levels of absence and persistent absence. | 7 |
| Speech and Language Therapist support for oral language interventions. | Speech and Language interventions are effective at supporting oral language skills and social and emoti9onal development. | 5, 6 |
| Nurture provision. Small, structured teaching groups for children showing signs of behavioural, social or emotional difficulties, particularly those who are experiencing disruption or distress outside school. | Nurture groups assess learning and social and emotional needs and give help that is needed to remove the barriers to learning.
Evidenced at Nurture Provision in Primary Schools. |
5, 6 |
| Contingency fund for acute issues. | Based on our experiences and those of similar schools to ours, we have identified a need to set a small amount of funding aside to respond quickly to needs that have not yet been identified. | All |
Total budgeted cost: £340,535
Part B: Review of outcomes in the previous academic year
Pupil premium strategy outcomes
This details the impact that our pupil premium activity had on pupils in the 2020 to 2021 academic year.
| Our internal assessments during 2021/22 suggested that the performance of disadvantaged pupils was lower than in previous years in key areas of the curriculum.
Our assessment of the reasons for these outcomes points primarily to Covid-19 impact, which disrupted all our subject areas to varying degrees. As evidenced in schools across the country, school closure was most detrimental to our disadvantaged pupils, and they were not able to benefit from our pupil premium funded improvements to teaching and targeted interventions to the degree we had intended. The impact was mitigated by our resolution to maintain a high quality curriculum, including during periods of partial closure, which was aided by use of online teaching, through Zoom and SeeSaw, as well as the school blogs. Overall attendance in 2021/22 was higher than the national average. However, there is a significant gap in attendance between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. For this reason, we continue to make it a focus for the next three years. Our assessments and observations indicated that pupil behaviour, wellbeing and mental health were significantly impacted last year, primarily due to COVID-19-related issues. The impact was particularly acute for disadvantaged pupils. We used pupil premium funding to provide wellbeing support for all pupils, and targeted interventions where required. We are building on that approach with the activities detailed in this plan. |
Further Information
| Additional activity
Our pupil premium strategy will be supplemented by additional activity that is not being funded by pupil premium or recovery premium. That will include:
Planning, implementation, and evaluation In planning our new pupil premium strategy, we evaluated why activity undertaken in previous years had not had the degree of impact that we had expected. We also commissioned a pupil premium review to get an external perspective. We triangulated evidence from multiple sources of data including assessments, engagement in class book scrutiny, conversations with parents, students and teachers in order to identify the challenges faced by disadvantaged pupils. We looked at a number of reports, studies and research papers about effective use of pupil premium, the impact of disadvantage on education outcomes and how to address challenges to learning presented by socio-economic disadvantage. We also looked at studies about the impact of the pandemic on disadvantaged pupils. We used the EEF’s implementation guidance to help us develop our strategy, particularly the ‘explore’ phase to help us diagnose specific pupil needs and work out which activities and approaches are likely to work in our school. We will continue to use it through the implementation of activities. We have put a robust evaluation framework in place for the duration of our three-year approach and will adjust our plan over time to secure better outcomes for pupils. |