Research School Network: How to write your 2024/25 Pupil Premium strategy with engagement in mind Help with your Pupil Premium Strategy

Nikki Arkinstall and Stacey Jordan from Staffordshire Research School reflect on a collaborative approach to Pupil Premium strategy planning.

Quote from EEF School’s Guide to Implementation, 2024

Despite everyone’s best efforts, the academic performance of our disadvantaged students continues to trail behind their peers. According to a recent report from the Education Policy Institute, the disadvantage gap is widening. In 2023, disadvantaged students at the end of primary school were 10.3 months behind their peers, which is a whole month increase since 2019. This gap further widens as students progress through school, reaching 19.2 months at the end of secondary school in 2023, an increase of over a month since 2019.

To close the gaps in education, schools must work towards adopting evidence-based policies, practices, and interventions. Pupil Premium funding can facilitate this change if strategies are implemented effectively. The Staffordshire Research School collaborated closely with Local Authorities and MATs throughout 2023/24, reviewing over 150 Pupil Premium strategies. From these reviews, we found that in around 60% of schools, the strategy had not been shared with teaching staff and teaching assistants. It is crucial for everyone to be aware of and feel involved in the strategy for it to make a difference.

In some schools, the Pupil Premium strategy is written by one person and uploaded to the website to meet compliance requirements. In other schools, the strategy is developed collaboratively, aligning activities with the school improvement plan. Colleagues work together to identify evidence-based strategies that address student needs and can be feasibly implemented. The strategy is shared with all staff, who receive professional development, clear success criteria, and support to implement the identified strategies. This collaborative approach leads to sustained behaviour change and has a real impact on student progress. Which scenario aligns with the processes in your school?

Schools with engaged staff who understand their role in implementation activities have the greatest impact. To support school leaders, we have condensed our reflections into a list of ideas to engage colleagues in a school’s Pupil Premium plan. Leaders can:

Engage people in collaborative processese people so they have the potential to influence change

When the school community feels included in decisions that affect them, and that their perspectives are valued, then implementation outcomes are likely to improve. Leaders should, therefore, provide meaningful opportunities for staff to discuss their perspectives, ideas, and concerns. Active engagement extends to students, families, and other stakeholders who, while not implementing an intervention, arguably have the greatest stake in it.

Engage people in collaborative processes

When people work collaboratively during implementation, they can share knowledge and expertise, bounce ideas off each other, and solve problems together. For example, schools can use implementation teams that include a range of stakeholders to plan, manage, and review implementation of an intervention. Leaders should help people understand how their individual roles contribute to the collective endeavour.

Engage people through clear communication and active guidance

While implementation requires these participatory ways of engaging, and being genuinely open to ideas, it also needs actively guiding and steering. This involves leaders communicating the Pupil Premium plan, the direction of travel, explaining decisions, motivating staff, corralling efforts, and preventing implementation being dragged off track. These actions provide focus to implementation and mean energy is channelled in the right direction.

Reflection Questions

‑How do you involve teachers, TAs, parents, governors and students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current situation for disadvantaged pupils and identify barriers to change?

-How do you provide opportunities for staff members to share their perspectives, ideas, and concerns, making them feel valued and included in decision-making processes?

- How do you communicate the direction of travel, explain decisions, motivate staff and corral efforts?

Ultimately, successful change requires a deep understanding of the motivations, behaviours, and challenges that impact your school community. By adopting a people-focused approach that engages colleagues and using evidence-based strategies, you can overcome obstacles, build momentum, and create a culture of continuous improvement that benefits everyone and secures fantastic outcomes for your disadvantaged pupils.

3 key next steps:

1. Read EEF’s School’s Guide to Implementation.
2. Read our updated PP Guide.
3. See what support your local Research School is offering.

Additional resources and sources of advice:

Marc Rowland, Unity Research School – helpful advice and a Disadvantage Strategy RAG rating tool of themes to reflect on – https://researchschool.org.uk/unity/news/reviewing-and-refining-your-pupil-premium-strategy-seven-steps-and-helpful-evidence-informed-resources

National Governance Association’s Disadvantage in Education resources, including toolkits for Poverty, Ethnicity, SEND, Vulnerability and Mental Health & Wellbeing – https://www.nga.org.uk/knowledge-centre/disadvantage-in-education

Educational Policy Institute Annual Report – EPI’s 2024 Annual Report, looking at the state of education in England, with a focus on the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers – Annual Report 2024: Disadvantage – Education Policy Institute (epi.org.uk)