Focus: Pupil Premium Report

This report should be read alongside others in the ‘What we know about ourselves’ section of the website or internal server.

CONTEXT 

Larwood School is a primary school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH) and all pupils have an Educational Health Care Plan. Pupils are referred to us as part of a panel system organised by Hertfordshire. Key factors to consider as part of this year included:

• During the course of 2019-20, we added to our capacity from 80 to 86 pupils. This was due to the revamping of a previous space called the Play barn, which enabled ore pupils to join our school and reduce lost time away from education. This was in direct response to the placement crisis that Hertfordshire has been experiencing with special needs pupils.
• During the course of the year, around 60% of our pupils either had a formal diagnosis of autism or had the traits of autistic behaviour
• Like other schools across the country our provision was effected by Covid 19. We took the decision to close down at the start of the crisis (March) due to a lack of staff and the high infection rate. During the Easter holidays we opened for Key Worker pupils, then slowly but carefully expanded numbers over a period of weeks. BY June we had all pupils experiencing some physically based provision, except those that needed to shield, and those whereby parents choose to keep children at home for a variety of reasons. Therefore we had half of the year effected by Covid 19, which impacted upon our attendance, progress and curriculum model.
• We adapted our provision in light of Covid 19 to provide a physical school and virtual school.
• We continued to support a local secondary SEMH School (Brandles) that had gone into Special Measures following inspection in 2018. In Feb 2020, they were formally adopted in Larwood Academy Trust.
• We were inspected by Ofsted in October 2019 and it concluded that:

Larwood School continues to be a good school.

There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now. Pupils thrive at this school. They learn in a stimulating environment where adults deliver curriculum that is exciting and helps pupils learn well. Pupils’ needs are often met through carefully planned activities from specialist teachers. Staff organise learning to get the very best from pupils.

All of our pupils have all experienced exclusion and at least 1 term away from education.

The vast majority of pupils arrive at Larwood having been receiving part time education. One hour a day quite often being the norm.

It is appropriate to state that all of our pupils have experienced the challenges and issues that any officially designated pupil premium pupil may have.

Please note there are specific characteristics of this cohort which include family related breakdown including pupils witnessing violent incidents, legal proceedings, medication issues, family upheaval/displacement, and drug and alcohol related issues.

Overall general profile for the school during 2019-20

Year	Number of pupils and % change over the year	Boy/girl	% Autistic Spectrum Condition	% 2years plus at Larwood	Profile Low/Mid/High
1	0-	NA		0
2	6-50%	Boys	67%	0	80/20/0
3	10-50%	Boys	60%	40%	90/10/0
4	17-53%	16 B 1G	67%	41%	78/22/0
5	25-28%	23B  2G	44%	50%	92/8/0
6	26-35%	20B  6G	50%	11-46%	84/16/0

 

Key points arising from this profile with impact on future practice:

1. The biggest ‘in year’ pupil variation took place for across three year groups this year, whilst we have tended to have one year that stands out. Therefore, Years 2, 3 and 4 all had 50%+ variation. Our systems have refined to such n extent that this is our ‘norm’ and I have challenged many an external visitor (including Ofsted in October 2019) to identify new pupils in the class. None have been successful so far!
2. We remain heavily boy orientated however, we did have our highest number of girls for some time- 7 . Curriculum adjustments were made to reflect this, including some topics and groupings being for girls only.
3. The Space Hub evolved and much of its practice refined to assist pupils with autism. This was noted via our 2019 inspection.
4. As with many other schools and the rest of the UK, we only had what can be described as a ‘normal’ six months of provision. From March onwards, we had to rapidly adapt due to Covid 19. This led to a restructuring of staff roles and a vast range of video/online learning resources being used for our pupils. We maintained a Key Worker/most vulnerable group throughout the pandemic, and then gradually extended numbers when safe to do so. Therefore by July, we had approx. two thirds of the pupil population accessing at least two days of physically taught curriculum per week.

WARNING-COVID IMPACT FROM MARCH AND SMALL COHORT NUMBERS

What is the Pupil Premium?

The government have funded research that has demonstrated that those pupils who are eligible for ‘free school meals’, those in care, and those that have parents in the armed forces, can be disadvantaged when at school comparing to those who do not experience such circumstances.  At Larwood School, we have pupils who are deemed to be from a disadvantaged background due to low income and hence pupils being able to claim free school meals as well as a small proportion who are in (or have been) in care.

Our targets for the pupils that qualify for this funding are:

• To ensure that whatever proportion of time spent at Larwood is enhancing their progress and well-being.
• To provide the best possible transition and therefore create the opportunity for learning for these pupils
• To provide ‘Wave 1’-Quality first teaching with particular focus on literacy and numeracy, and Wave 2-catch where appropriate
• To ensure that pupils get back to learning, behaving and making progress that did not take place in their previous settings.

The Sutton Trust has reviewed possible interventions and applied an evidence rating of 1* for very low or negative impact for very low or no cost, to 4* rating for high impact activities which are low cost. The rating may be referred to in the text below.

How the pupil premium was used during 2019-20:

PLEASE NOTE-AS PART OF OUR APPROACH TO HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND PROGRESS, ALL STUDENTS AT LARWOOD ARE GIVEN A "FREE SCHOOL MEAL" WHETHER THEY QUALIFY FOR A FREE SCHOOL MEAL OR NOT!

Additional support was provided for all of the students at Larwood via our enhanced staffing ratios. This means that for every class (usually 10 students or below), there is a teacher and a Learning Support Assistant. (3* rating by Sutton Trust report) This is essential, not only for Pupil Premium pupils but for all pupils. As our pupils arrive and they have already experienced school breakdown and quite often family breakdown, the extra support, time and guidance are all essential components in the process that allows our pupils to re-engage with the education system.

Targeted support for students was also provided due to the enhanced nature of our staffing. This in practical terms meant that each child received greater input and individual feedback relating to behaviour and progress from both class teacher and Learning Support Assistant. For example, one pupil within this group received targeted support dedicated to issues and perceptions in relation to attendance.

Cost associated with providing this level of support is in excess of the grant provided, but supplemented with other funding.

Another special feature of our curriculum include:

• Year 6 pupils during 2018-2019 was our MAPS course (Music, Art and Performance Skills) for Year 6 pupils, alongside the MAD course (Music, Art and Drama course for pupils in year 5. (3* rating according to Sutton Trust)
• Additional support was put into place for literacy based needs supporting pupils in in Year 4 (moving to Year 5) but also supporting other pupils where the need was identified.
• Provision of a Skills based curriculum on Thursday afternoons including a range of off-site activities such as skiing and elements of a life skills course
• The introduction of Hand on Mondays, where all lesson content is taught in a kinaesthetic way whenever possible
• The introduction of stunning starts and fantastic finishes to support motivation for writing. Additional costs were incurred with this process for all pupils.
• A comprehensive CPD program for all staff based on the needs of all pupils and staff but included working with ASC pupils, behaviour management, mental health Level 2 award for staff, numeracy and safe guarding.
• A range of interventions for pupils based on needs and identified outcomes. This has included Lego Therapy, Brain Gym, increased read/write/numeracy support, Animal Assisted Therapy and use of attendance related strategies to ensure consistency of provision.

In June 2019, the Education Endowment Foundation updated its guidance in relation to best practice for use of Pupil Premium funding. It’s findings correlate strongly with Larwood Schools and the following is extracted directly from that guidance:

A tiered approach to Pupil Premium spending Teaching for example:

Professional development Recruitment and retention Support for early career teachers

Targeted academic support for example Structured interventions Small group tuition One-to-one support

Wider strategies for example Behaviour approaches Breakfast clubs Increasing attendance

Adopting a tiered approach The tiered approach is a guide, not a prescription. Many strategies will overlap categories, and the balance between categories will vary from year to year as schools’ priorities change. However, the idea of tiers of support can offer a useful framework for thinking about how to balance different forms of spending. Schools can also use a tiered approach to help focus on a small number of strategies that are likely to make the biggest difference. For example, a school with high Pupil Premium funding might select two to three priorities in each category, considering the support for successful implementation that needs to be in place and how their chosen approaches work together, rather than creating a longer list of strategies that will each receive less attention. Teaching Spending on improving teaching might include professional development, training and support for early career teachers and recruitment and retention. Ensuring an effective teacher is in front of every class, and that every teacher is supported to keep improving, is the key ingredient of a successful school and should rightly be the top priority for Pupil Premium spending. Targeted academic support Evidence consistently shows the positive impact that targeted academic support can have, including on those who are not making good progress across the spectrum of achievement. Considering how classroom teachers and teaching assistants can provide targeted academic support, including how to link structured one-to-one or small group intervention to classroom teaching, is likely to be a key component of an effective Pupil Premium strategy. Wider strategies Wider strategies relate to the most significant non-academic barriers to success in school, including attendance, behaviour and social and emotional support. While many barriers may be common between schools, it is also likely that the specific features of the community

WARNING-COVID IMPACT FROM MARCH AND SMALL COHORT NUMBERS

This data was generated via the Chris Quigley Depth of Learning system and in association with the Essentials Curriculum (new Sept 2018).

What did we do during pandemic related to Covid 19?

After an initial two closure just before the Easter holidays (unsafe staffing levels due to isolation procedures), we started to have a number of pupils back in school during the Easter holidays. We did the following over time:

• Initially maintained a small group of pupils in school with a small cohort of staff
• Started to rotate staff each week for one/two days in school where they were able to
• SLT came in every day but maintained social distance
• Monitored all pupils each week via tutor based calls/emails
• Tutors sent out personalised videos using the Larwood School YouTube channel
• Produced over 300 online lessons/assemblies and challenges for pupils when they were not in attendance
• Gradually extended the number of pupils and staff back in school over time. By July, all staff had been in school for at least one day and approx. two thirds of pupils had been back. Only those pupils whose parents did not want to send them back, or were shielding did not attend in July.
• We concentrated on outdoor learning and did not follow our prescribed curriculum for pupils in attendance at this time.
• The Headteacher write to parents each week and surveyed them as to what they wanted/planned for with their children.

WARNING-COVID IMPACT FROM MARCH AND SMALL COHORT NUMBERS

Progress in Writing for PP Pupils:

Year 2- 3 pupils and 100% good progress from starting points

Year 3-6 pupils, with 5/6 or 83% making good progress with one pupil making progress.

Year 4-5 pupils-all made progress in writing, however, one pupil only in situ for less than one term

Year 5-16 pupils with 12 pupils making good progress (75%) and 4 pupils making progress.

Year 6-20 pupils with 15 making good progress (75%) and 5 making progress

WARNING-COVID IMPACT FROM MARCH AND SMALL COHORT NUMBERS

Progress in Mathematics for PP Pupils:

Year 2- 3 pupils and 100% good progress from starting points

Year 3-6 pupils, with 100% making good progress.

Year 4-5 pupils-all made progress in Mathematics, however, one pupil only in situ for less than one term

Year 5-14/16 pupils made good progress (88%) with 2 pupils making progress

Year 6-14/20 pupils made good progress (70%) with 6 pupils making progress.

WARNING-COVID IMPACT FROM MARCH AND SMALL COHORT NUMBERS

Progress in Science for PP Pupils:

Year 2- 3 pupils and 100% good progress from starting points

Year 3-6 pupils, with 100% making good progress.

Year 4-1 pupils-made good progress in Science, with 4 pupils making progress and one pupil only in situ for less than one term

Year 5-14/16 pupils made good progress (88%) with 2 pupils making progress

Year 6-14/20 pupils made good progress (70%) with 6 pupils making progress.

Overall, the profile, even though only valid until Easter due to Covid, shows good progress for our pupils across most year groups. Further progress may have also taken place during the summer term

What didn’t go according to plan or as well as we had hoped in 2019/20

Year 4-more pupils not making ‘good’ progress rather than progress alone. NB Numbers are low is this cohort.

We didn’t have the opportunity to apply all interventions as we had planned-Covid 19!

What should Larwood School do to enhance better pupil progression, as a result of this self-evaluation, next year?

Description         Desired impact   Indicators for success     Any cost?

Review each pupil upon arrival back in school in September, to provide a personalised package of support where needed.	Pupils make good progress from starting points, and gaps are minimised/closed where they have been created.	DOL will indicate good progress	NO
Covid 19	This had the biggest effect on some pupils, as an unknown issue, therefore when we face further issues, we want to be able to provide continuity of provision, with feedback. This would be for any circumstances, apart from if a pupil was ill and could not partake in work.	Reviewed and adjusted virtual learning processes   Physical learning resources ready for a two week absence.	CPD time Photocopying
Monitor and personalise due to previous Covid outbreak and any new outbreaks over time.	Accurate assessment information that informs planning and actions as time/situations changes with pupils and Covid	Continuity of provision will be maintained.	NO

How will the Pupil Premium be spent during 2020-21 (£47,520)

• Please note that we staff all classes with extra support due to the needs of our pupils, but we also give..

• All pupils access to a free midday meal (hot lunch is a daily choice) –(26k per year)
• A range of staff are allocated to deliver weekly support in a range of areas. This includes literacy, maths, daily dog therapy including reading to Buddy, specialised dog therapy, brain gym, social skills, sand tray therapy, counselling, (2 x staff-36k per year)
• POD Provision, which ranges from daily support to more concentrated support depending on context. (2 x staff 40k per year)

You will note that we spend way over our PP allocation on an annual basis.

Focus: Pupil Premium

This report should be read alongside others in the ‘What we know about ourselves’ section of the website or internal server.

Context

Larwood School is a primary school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH) and all pupils have an Educational Health Care Plan. Pupils are referred to us as part of a panel system organised by Hertfordshire. Key factors to consider as part of this year included:

• During the course of 2018-19, we added to our capacity from 64 day pupils to 80 day pupils. This was due to a residential unit consultation that concluded by closing that unit and opening an additional 12 day places. The extra day spaces are all for pupils who have an SEMH diagnosis and autism. This is called The Space Hub
• During the course of the year, around 60% of our pupils either had a formal diagnosis of autism or had the traits of autistic behaviour
• We started to provide an outreach service for primary schools within Stevenage. This was contracted via our Developing Specialist Provision Locally (DSPL) group, and we have staffed this appropriately.
• Throughout the year, we supported a local secondary SEMH School (Brandles) that had gone into Special Measures following inspection in 2018. Continued discussion and work has taken place for use to be able to sponsor them and for them to become part of Larwood Academy Trust.
• We reviewed and changed our curriculum ready for implementation in September 2018 alongside a new assessment system. This is the Chris Quigley Essentials curriculum and the Depth of Learning assessment that works alongside the CG curriculum. This all took place before the big Ofsted focus on the curriculum!
• All of our pupils have all experienced exclusion and at least 1 term away from education.

• The vast majority of pupils arrive at Larwood having been receiving part time education. One hour a day quite often being the norm.
• 3 pupils last year attended 5 schools.  2 pupil has been at 4 schools, 32 pupils had been at 3 schools and the rest of the cohort had been at 2 schools. Therefore, 49% of the cohort had been at, at least two schools before Larwood. 1 pupil had been permanently excluded from both mainstream and specialist provision.

It is appropriate to state that all of our pupils have experienced the challenges and issues that any officially designated pupil premium pupil may have.

Please note there are specific characteristics of this cohort which include family related breakdown including pupils witnessing violent incidents, legal proceedings, medication issues, family upheaval/displacement, and drug and alcohol related issues.

Overall general profile for the school during 2018-19

Year	Number of pupils and % change over the year	Boy/girl	% Autistic Spectrum Condition	% 2years plus at Larwood	Profile Low/Mid/High
1	2-100%	Boy	100%	0	100/0/0
2	6-50%	Boys	67%	0	80/20/0
3	9-44%	Boys	78%	22%	77/11/11
4	20-35%	19 B 1G	65%	5-15%	75/15/0
5	17-53%	13B  4G	70%	6-35%	72/12/6
6	27-22%	25B  2G	52%	11-48%	80/15/5

Key points arising from this profile with impact on future practice:

1. The biggest ‘in year’ pupil variation took place for Yr 1 (100% but only 2 pupils) followed by Year 5 (53%). The range of in-year variation with pupil growth was between 22% (yr 6) and Year 1. Limited growth in Year 6 is helpful for established pupils and staff but is impossible to predict or control. Our current pupil induction process seems to allow the vast majority of pupils to arrive and settle down quickly, many of which then make rapid and sustained progress. We need to continue to refine and replicate this practice.
2. We remain heavily boy orientated with 7 girls in the school during 2018-19. We must continue to review our provision for girls and their needs as individuals and as a group as the year progresses. Our practice evolved this year, and additions such as girl only PSHE sessions and a broader range of activities were met positively by pupils.
3. We continue to have a high proportion of pupils with autism, and with the opening of The Space Hub, this has got even higher! This varies from 52% in Year 6 to -100% in year . Pursuing best practice for autistic children is in the best interests of all and our Hub needs to develop into a beacon for potential replication across Hertfordshire
4. We are dominated by a low ability profile across the school based on very sketchy previous assessments. However, our own internal assessments also prove that there are huge gaps in learning and development for all pupils upon entry to Larwood.

What is the Pupil Premium?

The government have funded research that has demonstrated that those pupils who are eligible for ‘free school meals’, those in care, and those that have parents in the armed forces, can be disadvantaged when at school comparing to those who do not experience such circumstances.  At Larwood School, we have pupils who are deemed to be from a disadvantaged background due to low income and hence pupils being able to claim free school meals as well as a small proportion who are in (or have been) in care.

Our targets for the pupils that qualify for this funding are:

• To ensure that whatever proportion of time spent at Larwood is enhancing their progress and well-being.
• To provide the best possible transition and therefore create the opportunity for learning for these pupils
• To provide ‘Wave 1’-Quality first teaching with particular focus on literacy and numeracy, and Wave 2-catch where appropriate
• To ensure that pupils get back to learning, behaving and making progress that did not take place in their previous settings.

The Sutton Trust has reviewed possible interventions and applied an evidence rating of 1* for very low or negative impact for very low or no cost, to 4* rating for high impact activities which are low cost. The rating may be referred to in the text below.

How the pupil premium was used during 2018-19:

PLEASE NOTE-AS PART OF OUR APPROACH TO HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND PROGRESS, ALL STUDENTS AT LARWOOD ARE GIVEN A "FREE SCHOOL MEAL" WHETHER THEY QUALIFY FOR A FREE SCHOOL MEAL OR NOT!

Additional support was provided for all of the students at Larwood via our enhanced staffing ratios. This means that for every class (usually 10 students or below), there is a teacher and a Learning Support Assistant. (3* rating by Sutton Trust report) This is essential, not only for Pupil Premium pupils but for all pupils. As our pupils arrive and they have already experienced school breakdown and quite often family breakdown, the extra support, time and guidance are all essential components in the process that allows our pupils to re-engage with the education system.

Targeted support for students was also provided due to the enhanced nature of our staffing. This in practical terms meant that each child received greater input and individual feedback relating to behaviour and progress from both class teacher and Learning Support Assistant. For example, one pupil within this group received targeted support dedicated to issues and perceptions in relation to attendance.

Cost associated with providing this level of support is in excess of the grant provided, but supplemented with other funding.

Another special feature of our curriculum include:

• Year 6 pupils during 2018-2019 was our MAPS course (Music, Art and Performance Skills) for Year 6 pupils, alongside the MAD course (Music, Art and Drama course for pupils in year 5. (3* rating according to Sutton Trust)
• Additional support was put into place for literacy based needs supporting pupils in in Year 4 (moving to Year 5) but also supporting other pupils where the need was identified.
• Provision of a Skills based curriculum on Thursday afternoons including a range of off site activities such as skiing and elements of a life skills course
• The introduction of Hand on Mondays, where all lesson content is taught in a kinaesthetic way whenever possible
• The introduction of stunning starts and fantastic finishes to support motivation for writing. Additional costs were incurred with this process for all pupils.
• A comprehensive CPD program for all staff based on the needs of all pupils and staff but included working with ASC pupils, behaviour management, mental health Level 2 award for staff, numeracy and safe guarding.

In June 2019, the Education Endowment Foundation updated its guidance in relation to best practice for use of Pupil Premium funding. It’s findings correlate strongly with Larwood Schools and the following is extracted directly from that guidance:

A tiered approach to Pupil Premium spending Teaching for example:

Professional development Recruitment and retention Support for early career teachers

Targeted academic support for example Structured interventions Small group tuition One-to-one support

Wider strategies for example Behaviour approaches Breakfast clubs Increasing attendance

Adopting a tiered approach The tiered approach is a guide, not a prescription. Many strategies will overlap categories, and the balance between categories will vary from year to year as schools’ priorities change. However, the idea of tiers of support can offer a useful framework for thinking about how to balance different forms of spending. Schools can also use a tiered approach to help focus on a small number of strategies that are likely to make the biggest difference. For example, a school with high Pupil Premium funding might select two to three priorities in each category, considering the support for successful implementation that needs to be in place and how their chosen approaches work together, rather than creating a longer list of strategies that will each receive less attention. Teaching Spending on improving teaching might include professional development, training and support for early career teachers and recruitment and retention. Ensuring an effective teacher is in front of every class, and that every teacher is supported to keep improving, is the key ingredient of a successful school and should rightly be the top priority for Pupil Premium spending. Targeted academic support Evidence consistently shows the positive impact that targeted academic support can have, including on those who are not making good progress across the spectrum of achievement. Considering how classroom teachers and teaching assistants can provide targeted academic support, including how to link structured one-to-one or small group intervention to classroom teaching, is likely to be a key component of an effective Pupil Premium strategy. Wider strategies Wider strategies relate to the most significant non-academic barriers to success in school, including attendance, behaviour and social and emotional support. While many barriers may be common between schools, it is also likely that the specific features of the community

Positive developments during 2018-19 (overview and data related)

• We continued with our philosophy that all pupils at Larwood are vulnerable and therefore all are treated with the same high level of diligence and care that any PP pupil should have.

• Most pupils made good progress when compared to starting points and other indicators. (see tracker sheet for overview and individual trackers as examples)
• A new group tracker was used by the Headteacher during 2018/19 and shared with various parties on a termly basis to help enable all to maintain an overview of progress during the course of the year
• 13/21 pupils (62%) ended the year with good and/or improving attendance when compared to starting points. With the 6 pupils where additional support was directed specifically in connection with attendance, 5 made good improvements and all had 90% at the end of the year, and 2 pupils had 95%+ attendance.  One pupil improved their attendance overall and in comparison to last year but remained low at 66%.
• All pupils in this group made progress or good progress in their reading-see individual tracker sheets
• 13/21 pupils made good progress with writing (62%) and all other pupils made progress with writing.-see tracker sheets
• 12/21 pupils made good progress with Maths and the remaining 9 pupils all made progress in this area.
• 12/21 pupils made good progress in Science and the remaining 9 pupils all made progress in the area-see tracker sheets.
• Communication and sharing of information for this cohort was better in comparison to previous years due to the introduction and use of the tracker.
• 6/21 pupils were deemed suitable to just receive  Level 1 and Level 2 support. 9 pupils also accessed Level 3 support and 6 pupils accessed Levels 1-4 support.
• Level 3 support. This included specific interventions which may have included Sprite, numeracy, Brain Gym, attendance focus, Frank the Dog etc. All pupils made good progress with these interventions including one pupil who was in crisis during the autumn term dramatically reduce his number on incidents and return to a Level 1 program, two pupils having the best recorded attendance since being at Larwood, and two pupils not having any behavioural incidents at all.
• Level 4 support included two cases whereby attendance was improved by 6% across the year for both pupils, and for all pupils great progress was noted in relation to low number of incidents or decreasing number over time.

Positive developments during 2018-19 (Specific intervention related):

The shading above is based on a traffic light system, therefore green indicates good progress etc.

Sprite (In house delivery):

Animal assisted therapy (External provider and trained dog):

Three pupils within the cohort experienced this type of intervention. All three engaged very positively with the process and for one pupil, it seemed to be a turning point in relation to their behaviour, which then also had a huge impact on their progress in read/write and Maths (graphs are available to view in relation to this). This is an expensive and specific intervention, however, can be life changing one and is almost impossible to put a price on!

Cooking (In house delivery):

All pupils benefited from this provision inline with the rest of their class and

Brain Gym (In house delivery)

POD (In house, separate area/delivery):

This was used for one pupil and due to a variety of factors-please discuss with Headteacher.

Space Hub (School, within our school for SEMH pupils who also have autism)

This was used for one pupil only and due to a variety of factors-please discuss with Headteacher. There is a higher level of adult support in the Space Hub (12 pupils and 4 staff, compared to 8 pupils and 2 staff in the rest of the school), and this was essential for the pupil concerned.

Attendance Officer (External office/additional cost)

With the 6 pupils where additional support was directed specifically in connection with attendance, 5 made good improvements and all had 90% at the end of the year, and 2 pupils had 95%+ attendance.  One pupil improved their attendance overall and in comparison to last year but remained low at 66%. In reality, the impact of the Attendance officer was limited, when compared to our own day-to-day actions and communication with family, when reviewed for the one case where it was applicable.

What should Larwood School do to enhance better pupil progression, as a result of this self-evaluation, next year?

Description              Desired impact         Indicators for success      Any cost?

Review completed individual trackers in terms of benefits and actions	The information aids the process of supporting and reflecting upon process for such pupils and is worth the time devoted to creating them.	All staff will agree that it is worthwhile by July 2020-ST to lead	Time
Review elements of Level 3 and 4 support now that FSW-external contract has finished	Support is appropriate for pupils potentially in the form of psychotherapist	Those pupils that need this type of support can access it and via monitoring it aids them to regulate and access the curriculum. By Dec 2019-ST to lead	Initially no as staff member will be on placement.
Continue to promote knowledge and understanding of PP group, activities and progress	Greater awareness of this group, and their progress is shared and understood by all staff and governors	Staff access to info Q and A with staff/governors indicate they have access to such info by Feb 2020-ST to lead.	Time.

PUPIL PREMIUM:
USE AND ANALYSIS OF IMPACT AT LARWOOD SCHOOL - 2017-2018

CONTEXT

PLEASE NOTE-AS PART OF OUR APPROACH TO HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND PROGRESS, ALL STUDENTS AT LARWOOD ARE GIVEN A "FREE SCHOOL MEAL" WHETHER THEY QUALIFY FOR A FREE SCHOOL MEAL OR NOT!

Larwood School is a primary school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH) and all pupils have an Educational Health Care Plan. Pupils are referred to us as part of a panel system organised by Hertfordshire. We have capacity for 64 day pupils, but finished the academic year with 66 pupils on roll. The additional pupils were inducted due to the crisis that Hertfordshire has with too many pupils without suitable placement, and recognising that our school could cope with such demands. Please note that we had already agreed to move to 68 as our designated day school number for 2018 - 2019.

  As part of our provision, we are also a residential school and this operates from Monday through until Friday, with pupils returning home at the weekends. We are the only residential (primary) special school for SEMH pupils in the county. This aspect of our provision underwent full review and strategic discussion during the year and it culminated with a full consultation process. Please see the website/associated letters for more information in relation to this matter. Our pupils display the following characteristics:

• They have all experienced exclusion and at least 1 term away from education.
• The vast majority of pupils arrive at Larwood having been receiving part time education. One hour a day quite often being the norm.
• 2 pupils last year attended 5 schools.  1 pupil has been at 4 schools. 19 pupils had been at 3 schools and the rest of the cohort had been at 2 schools. Therefore, 36% of the cohort had been at, at least two schools before Larwood.
• Although all pupils have SEMH as their designated need, ASD ranged between 50% and 80% in different year groups, and those pupils with 2 or more identified needs within their statement ranged from 50%-83%.
• In year referrals meant that, the size and dynamics of every year group changed during the year. This varied from the lowest amount of change for Year 6 with 13%, Year 5 - 40%, Year 4 - 11%, Year 3 - 85% and Years 1 and 2 - 50% of pupils were new during the year.
• 26/66 pupils were new to the school at the start of the academic year, which equates to 40% of the school population.
• 1 pupil had been permanently excluded from both mainstream and specialist provision.

  It is appropriate to state that all of our pupils have experienced the challenges and issues that any officially designated pupil premium pupil may have.

  Please note there are specific characteristics of this cohort which include family related breakdown including pupils witnessing violent incidents, legal proceedings, medication issues, family upheaval/displacement, and drug and alcohol related issues.

WHAT IS THE PUPIL PREMIUM?

The government have funded research that has demonstrated that those pupils who are eligible for ‘free school meals’, those in care, and those that have parents in the armed forces, can be disadvantaged when at school comparing to those who do not experience such circumstances.  At Larwood School, we have pupils who are deemed to be from a disadvantaged background due to low income and hence pupils being able to claim free school meals as well as a small proportion who are in (or have been) in care.

Our targets for the pupils that qualify for this funding are:

• To ensure that whatever proportion of time spent at Larwood is enhancing their progress and well-being.
• To provide the best possible transition and therefore create the opportunity for learning for these pupils
• To provide ‘Wave 1’-Quality first teaching with particular focus on literacy and numeracy, and Wave 2-catch where appropriate
• To ensure that pupils get back to learning, behaving and making progress that did not take place in their previous settings.

The Sutton Trust has reviewed possible interventions and applied an evidence rating of 1* for very low or negative impact for very low or no cost, to 4* rating for high impact activities which are low cost. The rating may be referred to in the text below.

HOW THE PUPIL PREMIUM WAS USED DURING 2017 - 2018

PLEASE NOTE-AS PART OF OUR APPROACH TO HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND PROGRESS, ALL STUDENTS AT LARWOOD ARE GIVEN A "FREE SCHOOL MEAL" WHETHER THEY QUALIFY FOR A FREE SCHOOL MEAL OR NOT!

Additional support was provided for all of the students at Larwood via our enhanced staffing ratios. This means that for every class (usually 10 students or below), there is a teacher and a Learning Support Assistant. (3* rating by Sutton Trust report) This is essential, not only for Pupil Premium pupils but for all pupils. As our pupils arrive and they have already experienced school breakdown and quite often family breakdown, the extra support, time and guidance are all essential components in the process that allows our pupils to re-engage with the education system.

Targeted support for students was also provided due to the enhanced nature of our staffing. This in practical terms meant that each child received greater input and individual feedback relating to behaviour and progress from both class teacher and Learning Support Assistant. For example, one pupil within this group received targeted support dedicated to issues and perceptions in relation to attendance.

Although the Sutton Trust report on the use of Pupil Premium funding presents some questions regarding class sizes, we believe that small classes are vital for our student’s progress, behaviour and emotional well-being. All of our classes are usually 10 students or less and this enables the points above to become part of everyday practice.

HOW CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES WILL BE ADJUSTED OR USED IN THIS AREA

CLASSES’ SIZES WILL REMAIN SMALL (BETWEEN 8 - 10 PUPIL’S MAXIMUM AT ANY GIVEN TIME)

"One to one" interventions were used as part of our targeted support and feedback process and alongside this; we have adapted our curriculum to suit our learner’s needs. We will continue to do this. An example of curriculum adjustment includes our Thursday afternoon skills curriculum, 1-1 sessions to help close the gap between current and previous learning and where students take part in clubs that are selected by them. Other Examples of this include cookery sessions, support for literacy, support for transitions (internal and external as part of moving onto secondary school), LEGO therapy, speech and language support, Counselling, Brain Gym, POD and physical based intervention’s. (4* rating according to Sutton Trust report)

Cost associated with providing this level of support is in excess of the grant provided, but supplemented with other funding.

Another special feature of our curriculum is the provision for Year 6 pupils during 2017 - 2018 was our MAPS course (Music, Art and Performance Skills) for Year 6 pupils, alongside the MAD course (Music, Art and Drama course for pupils in year 5. (3* rating according to Sutton Trust) Additional support was put into place for literacy based needs supporting pupils in in Year 5 (moving to Year 6) but also supporting other pupils where the need was identified.

Please find below a copy of the link to the Sutton Trust Teaching and Learning toolkit. This ranks different approaches to teaching and learning, their relative cost and effectiveness. Please also see comparison of pupils receiving the premium compared to those that do not.

www.suttontrust.com/.../toolkit-of-strategies-to-improve-learning /

IMPACT OF THE PUPIL PREMIUM 2017 - 2018

Before seeing key progression, data related to this group, please note the following:

HOW DO WE JUDGE PROGRESSION?

Based on the information above relating to our assessment system, our grading’s are defined in the following way:

EXCEEDING TARGET OR OUTSTANDING PROGRESS

Better than the target rate of 1, 2 or 3 steps of progress set at the start of the year per subject

MEETING EXPECTED PROGRESS BASED ON CONTEXT OR TARGET

Making steps of progress towards the school based targets, considering limiting factors such as type of needs and time spent at Larwood. For some pupils, this may be equivalent to 1 or 2 steps of progress.

LESS THAN EXPECTED PROGRESS BASED ON CONTEXT BUT PUPIL HAS MADE PROGRESS NO PROGRESS

HOW DO WE MONITOR PROGRESSION?

• Half termly assessments using an Academic Mentoring system
• The use of Standard Attainments Tests (SATs) in Year 6
• Internal moderation of pupil work, alongside external moderation where possible
• Review by Hertfordshire Improvement Partner
• External review of assessment via moderation process conducted by Hertfordshire colleagues
• Academic Mentoring to track progress and engage with pupils-THIS IS NOT JUST FOR ACADEMIC SUBJECTS BUT ASLO COVERS PERSONAL PROGRESSION AND INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS
• Work scrutiny
• Meet the Teacher event, review of Education Health Care Plans and summative reporting

OVERVIEW OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE FOR THIS GROUP OF PUPILS 2017 - 2018

Key-R=Reading, W=Writing, M=Mathematics, S=Science. NB. All numbers expressed in percentages.

Cohort numbers are all very small and therefore all numbers are treated with reservation.

Year Group	Exceeding Target or Outstanding Progress	Meeting expected rate of progress based on context or Achieved Target	Less than expected progress based on context but pupil has made progress	Size of cohort making progress compared to target
Year 3- 1 pupils SEMH plus ASD	1 PUPIL-NA	1 PUPIL-NA	1 PUPIL-NA
Year 4 5 pupils SEMH plus 4 pupils ASD.	R-20 W-20 M-0 S-20	R-80 W-20 M-60, S-40	R-20 W-80 M-40 S-40	Read-100 No progress-0 Write-20 No progress-22 Maths-60 No progress-0 Sci-60 No progress-0
Year 5 7 pupils SEMH plus 6 pupils ASD NB-2 pupil not included due to needs/context	R-20 W-20 M-20 S-20	R-40 W40- M-60 S-20	R-40 W-40 M-20 S-60	Read-60 No progress-0 Write-60 No progress-0 Maths-80 No progress-0 Sci-40 No progress-20
Year 6 8 pupils SEMH plus 7 pupils with ASD for 2 pupils, and 3 pupils with ADHD NB-1 pupil not included due to context.	R-42 W-57 M-57 S-29	R-29 W-29 M-29 S-71	R-29 W-14 M-14 S-29	Read-71 No progress-0 Write-86 No progress-0 Maths-86 No progress-0 Sci-100 No progress-0

COMMENTARY ON THE DATA PROVIDED ABOVE

CAUTION:
DUE TO THE LOW NUMBERS INVOLVED WITHIN THE DATA SET, MANY ASPECTS OF THE DATA ARE UNRELIABLE.

Some broad and more detailed aspects of progression for these pupils can be identified:

• All pupil premium pupils made progress in reading. In three-year groups, some pupils made outstanding progress compared to their starting position (range between 20 and 42%)
• All year groups made progress in writing, except year 3 but this year group has one pupil as the data set.  In three-year groups, pupils made outstanding progress compared to their starting position (range between 20 and 57%).  Year 4 pupils did make as much progress in this area and 2 pupils made less than expected progress.
• All pupils made progress in Maths, with 2-year groups and pupils making outstanding progress (Range 20-57%). Year 4 pupils did not make as much progress in this area, compared to other year groups.
• All pupils made progress in Science, with some pupils in all year groups making outstanding progress (Range 20-29%-Cohort of 1 pupil excluded).
• Pupils benefitted from a range of supportive measures that were applied using academic data, but also ongoing and fluid situations in relation to external influences. Examples have already been mentioned.
• Year 6 pupils all received comprehensive support for transition to their new school and support for all subjects as they approached the SATS in May. All pupils completed the tests as pre-arranged.

IMPACT OF THE INTERVENTIONS USED IN 2017/18 AND WIDER IMPLICATIONS FOR PUPIL PROGRESS

ENHANCED STAFF RATIOS

A range of information is available that supports the fact that our staffing structure provides the vast majority of pupils, with the support and guidance that they need to engage. This includes the Progress and Achievement report, Behaviour and Attendance report and Teaching, learning and Assessment report.

EXAMPLES INCLUDE

Case study 1. Drastic improvement in behaviour compared to previous year (awarded black shirt), progress gained in all curriculum areas.

Case study 2 New pupil in 2017. Behaviour transformed very quickly compared to previous school. Pupil experienced two separate medical incidents, which meant time away from school. Academic progress excellent for time spent at Larwood (3 in Maths, 3 in Science, 3 in reading and 3 in writing).

Case study 3. Pupil with SEMH and ASD/medical needs. Behaviour excellent and became Black shirt status. Academic progress also good (Maths 3, Science 3, read 3, write 3).

TARGETED SUPPORT. SUCH AS 1-1 LITERACY INTERVENTIONS

This carried across the cohort and no clear pattern can be drawn from the information. There are examples of secure progress compared to very little progress previously, and slow progress. Discussion via SLT meetings last year, ensured a clear review every half term reflects on the progress being made based on data. 4 clear examples of where this has generated the required impact can be noted.

CURRICULUM ADJUSTMENT, SUCH AS MAPS

All pupils, except for one, in MAPs (judged as safe at the time) took part in a trip to London to see The Lion King and also performed in a Larwood School production of The Lion King to the rest of the school. Please also see the ‘Living off the Land’ program, ‘Hammer time’ and ‘Go-Kart’ projects review by TLR post holder.

ACTIONS FOR 2018 - 2019

• Review of pupil progress with focus on Year 4 cohort (Year 5 in 2018-19) to provide support where appropriate and in relation to performance data.
• Creation of extended review for newer support mechanisms such as Lego and Brain Gym
• Review of cohort progress each half term with associated actions as the year progresses.

  PLEASE NOTE THAT A FURTHER DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF INDIVIDUAL PUPIL PERFORMANCE IS AVAILABLE FORM THE HEADTEACHER ON REQUEST

NUMBER OF PUPILS AND PUPIL PREMIUM GRANT (PPG) RECIEVED

TOTAL NUMBER OF PUPILS ON ROLL	64
TOTAL NUMBERS OF PUPILS ELIGABLE FOR PPG	12
TOTAL AMOUNT OF PPG RECIEVED	£24,920.00

*
PLEASE NOTE-AS PART OF OUR APPROACH TO HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND PROGRESS, ALL STUDENTS AT LARWOOD ARE GIVEN A "FREE SCHOOL MEAL" WHETHER THEY QUALIFY FOR A FREE SCHOOL MEAL OR NOT!

Larwood School is a primary school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH) and all pupils have an Educational Health Care Plan. Pupils are referred to us as part of a panel system organised by Hertfordshire. We have capacity for 64 day pupils. As part of our provision, we are also a residential school and this operates from Monday through until Friday, with pupils returning home at the weekends. We are the only residential (primary) special school for SEMH pupils in the county. Our pupils display the following characteristics:

• They have all experienced exclusion and at least 1 term away from education.
• 2 pupils last year attended 5 schools.  1 pupil has been at 4 schools. 19 pupils had been at 3 schools and the rest of the cohort had been at 2 schools. Therefore, 36% of the cohort had been at, at least two schools before Larwood.
• Although all pupils have SEMH as their designated need, ASD ranged between 50% and 80% in different year groups, and those pupils with 2 or more identified needs within their statement ranged from 50%-83%. We continued to employ a Family and Community Engagement Worker (specialist work undertaken in the community), School Counsellor, and our own school based Family Support Worker.
• In year referrals meant that the size and dynamics of every year group changed during the year. This varied from the lowest amount of change for Year 6 with 22%, Year 5-29%, Year 4-45%, Year 3-43% and Years 1 and 2-100% of pupils were new during the year.

WHAT IS THE PUPIL PREMIUM

The government have funded research that has demonstrated that those pupils who are eligible for ‘free school meals’, those in care, and those that have parents in the armed forces, can be disadvantaged when at school comparing to those who do not experience such circumstances.  At Larwood School, we have pupils who are deemed to be from a disadvantaged background due to low income and hence pupils being able to claim for free school meals as well as a small proportion who are in (or have been) in care.

OUR TARGETS FOR THE PUPILS THAT QUALIFY FOR THIS FUNDING ARE:

• To ensure that whatever proportion of time spent at Larwood is enhancing their progress and well-being.
• To provide the best possible transition and therefore create the opportunity for learning for these pupils
• To provide ‘Wave 1’-Quality first teaching with particular focus on literacy and numeracy, and Wave 2-catch where appropriate
• To ensure that pupils get back to learning, behaving and making progress that didn’t take place in their previous settings.

The Sutton Trust has reviewed possible interventions and applied an evidence rating of 1* for very low or negative impact for very low or no cost, to 4* rating for high impact activities which are low cost. The rating may be referred to in the text below.

HOW THE PUPIL PREMIUM WAS USED DURING 2016-17:

PLEASE NOTE-AS PART OF OUR APPROACH TO HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND PROGRESS, ALL STUDENTS AT LARWOOD ARE GIVEN A "FREE SCHOOL MEAL" WHETHER THEY QUALIFY FOR A FREE SCHOOL MEAL OR NOT!

Additional support was provided for all of the students at Larwood via our enhanced staffing ratios. This means that for every class (usually 10 students or below), there is a teacher and a Learning Support Assistant. (3* rating by Sutton Trust report) This is essential, not only for Pupil Premium pupils but for all pupils. As our pupils arrive and they have already experienced school breakdown and quite often family breakdown, the extra support, time and guidance are all essential components in the process that allows our pupils to re-engage with the education system.

Targeted support for students was also provided due to the enhanced nature of our staffing. This in practical terms meant that each child received greater input and individual feedback relating to behaviour and progress from both class teacher and Learning Support Assistant. For example, one pupil within this group received targeted support dedicated to transitional times such as entry, exit and assemblies.

Although the Sutton Trust report on the use of Pupil Premium funding presents some questions regarding class sizes, we believe that small classes are vital for our student’s progress, behaviour and emotional well-being. All of our classes are usually 10 students or less and this enables the points above to become part of everyday practice.

HOW CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES WILL BE ADJUSTED OR USED IN THIS AREA:

Classes’ sizes will remain small (between 8-10 pupil’s maximum at any given time)

"One to one" interventions were used as part of our targeted support and feedback process and alongside this we have adapted our curriculum to suit our learner’s needs. We will continue to do this. An example of curriculum adjustment includes our Thursday afternoon skills curriculum, 1-1 sessions to help close the gap between current and previous learning and where students take part in clubs that are selected by them. Examples of this include cookery sessions, support for literacy, support for transitions (internal and external as part of moving onto secondary school) and music based interventions. (4* rating according to Sutton Trust report)

Another feature of our curriculum is the provision for Year 6 pupils for 2016-2017 was the newly introduced MAPS course (Music, Art and Performance Skills) for Year 6 pupils, alongside the ……….(Name here) course for pupils in year 5. (3* rating according to Sutton Trust) Following school based self-evaluation in 2015-16, we decided to move away from the Local Authority Arts Award course and design/implement our own. This culminated in two performances towards the end of the year, watched by the rest of the school and involving a multitude of roles.

Additional support was put into place for literacy based needs supporting pupils in in Year 5 (moving to Year 6) but also supporting other pupils where the need was identified.

Please find below a copy of the link to the Sutton Trust Teaching and Learning toolkit. This ranks different approaches to teaching and learning, their relative cost and effectiveness. Please also see comparison of pupils receiving the premium compared to those that do not.

www.suttontrust.com/.../toolkit-of-strategies-to-improve-learning/

IMPACT OF THE PUPIL PREMIUM 2016-17

Before seeing key progression, data related to this group, please note the following:

How do we judge progression?

Based on the information above relating to our assessment system, our gradings are defined in the following way:

OUTSTANDING PROGRESS
Better than the target rate of 1, 2 or 3 steps of progress set at the start of the year per subject

BETTER THAN EXPECTED PROGRESS
Meeting the target set by school. Although it is difficult to describe a ‘normal’ profile for our school, a typical child with SEMH and a normal range of cognitive ability would be set 3 sub levels of progress. This would be on par with that expected by a child in a mainstream school with no defined special educational needs.

EXPECTED PROGRESS
Making steps of progress towards the school based targets, considering limiting factors such as type of needs and time spent at Larwood. For some pupils, this may be equivalent to 1 or 2 steps of progress.

LESS THAN EXPECTED PROGRESS
Not any of the above!

HOW DO WE MONITOR PROGRESSION?

• Half termly assessments using an Academic Mentoring system
• The use of Standard Attainments Tests (SATs) in Year 6
• Internal moderation of pupil work, alongside external moderation where possible
• Review by Hertfordshire Improvement Partner
• Academic Mentoring to track progress and engage with pupils-THIS IS NOT JUST FOR ACADEMIC SUBJECTS BUT ASLO COVERS PERSONAL PROGRESSION AND INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS
• Work scrutiny
• Meet the Teacher event, review of Education Health Care Plans and summative reporting

Key-R=Reading, W=Writing, M=Mathematics

Year Group	Outstanding Progress	Better than expected progress based on context	Meeting expected rate of progress based on context	Less than expected progress based on context	Size of cohort meeting expectations compared to target
Year 3- 2 pupils SEMH plus ASD	R-0 W-50% M-50%	R-50% W-O m-50%	R-50% W-0 M-0	R-0 W-0 M-0	Read-100% Write-100% Maths-100%
Year 4 2 pupils SEMH plus ASD. 1 pupil less than 1 year at Larwood	R-50% W-0 M-0	R-50% W-50% M-100%	R-0 W-50% M-0	R-0 W-0 M-0	Read-100% Write-100% Maths-100%
Year 5 3 pupils SEMH plus ASD	R-33% W-33% M-0	R-0% W-33% M-33%	R-0% W-0 M-33%	R-0 W-66% M-33%	Read-100% Write-33% Maths-33%
Year 6 5 pupils SEMH plus ASD for 2 pupils, SEMH plus ADHD for 3 pupils	R-40% W-40% M-60%	R-20% W-20% M-0	R-20% W-20% M-20%	R-20% W-20% M-20%	Read-80% Write-80% Maths-80%

COMMENTARY ON THE DATA PROVIDED ABOVE:

CAUTION: Due to the low numbers involved within the data set, many aspects of the data are unreliable. For example, the Year 3 and 4 data set is based around 2 pupils in each group and therefore, any one pupil equates to 50%!

Some broad and more detailed aspects of progression for these pupils can be identified:

1. All pupil premium pupils made at least expected progress in reading. This was compared to a whole school position of 89%
2. All Year 3,4, and 6 pupils made at least expected progress in writing. This was compared to a whole school position of 80%. Year 5 pupils did make as much progress in this area and 2 pupils made less than expected progress.
3. The same statement can be applied for all pupils in relation to Mathematics as in Number 2.
4. Pupils in Year 3 benefited from specific work in relation to behaviour support around transition for one pupil and more generic well-being for the other pupil.
5. Pupils in Year 4 benefitted from the school structure and a specific program around transition for one of the pupils. Additional LASA support enabled this pupil to modify their behaviour and access the curriculum more consistently.
6. Pupils in Year 5. One had additional literacy support in class and as a 1-1 measure connected to suspected Dyslexia however this has limited impact. All three pupils also have placements within our residential unit and one pupil needed additional support in terms of behaviour management during the latter part of the year. This clearly had an impact upon learning.
7. Year 6 pupils all received comprehensive support for transition to their new school and support for all subjects as they approached the SATS in May. All pupils completed these, with one pupil scoring above age related expectations in all areas. One pupil transitioned back to mainstream school.

ACTIONS FOR 2017-18:

• Any pupil who fell into the ‘less than expected progress’ group will receive targeted support to aid their progress.  Therefore, this will equate to one pupil in year 6 for writing and one pupil in year 6 for maths
• Analysis of cohort and individual needs to take place during Autumn 1 with associated actions in Autumn 2. Note-we have an additional 23 pupils arriving between September and November who may also fall into this group.
• Explore additional support for PP pupils of a more personalised nature to support and enhance their personal, social, emotional and behavioural progress as the year develops.