Effective School Support for Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Pupils

This Estyn report identifies effective school practices to support disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils. This may include work funded by the Pupil Development Grant (PDG).

The best practice case studies in the report show how successful providers support these pupils and make a difference to their wellbeing and achievement.

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      string(404) "... primary and secondary schools in England, andexploring – in particular – the ways that some primary andsecondary schools have used PSHE education to address theneeds of more vulnerable pupils in disadvantaged areas.PSHE education – the bigger pictureIn the recent Schools White Paper (November 2010)1 TheImportance of Teaching, the Coalition Government statedthat ..."
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      string(5676) "81Vol 3.6School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comEveryChildMattersPSHEPersonal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education dealswith the social and economic realities that affect children andyoung people in their everyday lives – now, and in the future.PSHE education’s importance is in helping a young personbecome life-ready and work-ready, and therefore sits alongside other coreacademic skills pupils acquire through school. The real-life relevance ofPSHE education is particularly marked in more disadvantaged areas wherethe greater challenges at home and in the community mean that meetingthe social, economic, health and wellbeing needs of young people is evenmore pronounced.This article outlines some of the findings from independent researchconducted by Sheffield Hallam University on behalf of DCSF (now DfE)Is wellbeingthe rootof alllearning?In thecountry’s mostcomprehensiveresearch on theeffectiveness ofPSHE, BarbaraStiell investigatesjust how successfulthe programmehas proved to be inmeeting the needsof young people.Strand ElementPersonal wellbeingDiet/nutrition and healthy lifestylesDrugs, alcohol and tobacco (DAT) educationEmotional health and wellbeingSafety educationSex and relationships education (SRE)Economic wellbeingand financial capabilityEnterprise educationPersonal finance/financial capabilityCareers education (secondary schools only, statutory)Work-related learning (secondary schools only, statutory)82Vol 3.6School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comEveryChildMattersPSHE in 2010, mapping the delivery and effectiveness of PSHEeducation in primary and secondary schools in England, andexploring – in particular – the ways that some primary andsecondary schools have used PSHE education to address theneeds of more vulnerable pupils in disadvantaged areas.PSHE education – the bigger pictureIn the recent Schools White Paper (November 2010)1 TheImportance of Teaching, the Coalition Government statedthat:‘Children can benefit enormously from high-qualityPersonal Social Health and Economic (PSHE) education. GoodPSHE supports individual young people to make safe andinformed choices. It can help tackle public health issues suchas substance misuse and support young people with thefinancial decisions they must make.’But given its marginal status in relation to the NationalCurriculum, PSHE education is not generally judged to beof ‘high quality’ in most schools, suffering from patchycoverage, delivery and engagement2, and of course there areconcerns that this may have a particular impact on schools in more deprived areas.But what is PSHE education? Table 1 below outlines the elements in the (non-statutory) PSHE education curriculum. As can be seen, it covers a wide range of areasrelating to both ‘personal’ and ‘economic’ wellbeing – all of which are to some degreeor other important to the lives of all children – including those in more deprivedcircumstances.Table 1: PSHE education curriculum elementsThe studyThe Sheffield Hallam University study – conducted in spring and summer 2010 –included surveys of over 900 primary schools and 600 secondary schools in England,and was followed up with in-depth case studies with 14 schools in five local authorities,which involved interviews and focus groups with 260 individual teachers, schoolgovernors, school improvement partners, local authority (LA) advisors and consultants,pupils and parents. Most of the discussion in this article focuses on the findings fromthese case study schools.Three of the nine primary case study schools and two of the five secondary casestudy schools were in areas of deprivation where a significant proportion of pupilsexperienced social disadvantage. These commonly included schools with a highmobility of pupils and mid-year admissions, sometimes associated with increasingnumbers of asylum seekers and refugees; poorer attendance and attainment; higherlevels of pupils with learning difficulties and on free school meals (FSM); and highnumbers of pupils with poor emotional and behavioural development. The schools’wider local contexts were often characterised by those we spoke to (although thisIt can help tackle publichealth issues suchas substance misuseand support youngpeople with the financialdecisions they mustmake.“”83Vol 3.6School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comEveryChildMattersPSHEwas not always possible to verify) as having high levels of unemployment, domesticviolence and family breakdown, teenage pregnancy, underage drinking, anti-socialbehaviour/low-level disruption, widespread drug use, and gun, knife and gangcultures. 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Leadership

Is wellbeing the root of all learning?

15 Mar 2012

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      string(5684) "Vol 2.4 n www.teachingtimes.comPolicy/ResearchEvery Child Journal40The aim of PSHE was to reduce the deficitthat disadvantaged children face. But has itbeen successful? Bernadette Stiell looksat the findings of the most comprehensiveresearch ever carried out into the subject inEnglandCreating theclimate forlearningPersonal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE)education deals with the social and economicrealities that affect children and young people intheir everyday lives – now, and in the future. PSHEeducation’s importance is in helping a young person becomelife-ready and work-ready, and therefore sits alongside othercore academic skills pupils acquire through school. 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Table 1 below outlines theelements in the (non-statutory) PSHE education curriculum.As can be seen, it covers a wide range of areas relating towww.teachingtimes.com n Vol 2.4Policy/Research Every Child Journal41both ‘personal’ and ‘economic’ wellbeing – all of which areto some degree or other important to the lives of all children– including those in more deprived circumstances.Table 1: PSHE education curriculum elementsThe studyThe Sheffield Hallam University study – conducted in springand summer 2010 – included surveys of over 900 primaryschools and 600 secondary schools in England, and wasfollowed up with in-depth case studies with 14 schools infive local authorities, which involved interviews and focusgroups with 260 individual teachers, school governors, schoolimprovement partners, local authority (LA) advisors andconsultants, pupils and parents. 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The findings from this school also seemed to berelevant, and so they are also discussed here.Meeting pupils’ needs?To some degree, all schools had adapted their PSHE educationcurriculum to meet the needs of their pupils, and"
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Special Needs

ecj 2.4 Creating the climate for learning

14 Oct 2011

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      string(393) "... be treated as a long-term endeavour rather than a ‘quick fix’. In future episodes of partial lockdown, ‘blended learning’ must ensure equity for all pupils. Effective remote learning needs to be coupled with high-quality in-school teaching for vulnerable pupils, children of keyworkers, disadvantaged pupils and pupils with ..."
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      string(5816) "This NFER research investigates the impact of Covid-19 on mainstream primary and secondary schools in England and focuses on the challenges schools will face from September when they open to all pupils.It considers the extent to which pupils are behind in their curriculum learning in relation to teachers’ normal expectations for the end of the school year; the impact of Covid-19 on the ‘disadvantage gap’; the need for catch-up support from September; and the logistical issues and resource implications of opening schools fully while taking measures to reduce the risk of infection. It also considers schools’ experiences of offering remote learning from March, and blended learning (remotely and in-school) from June, in order to inform decisions about the support and resources that schools will need in the event of future lockdowns.Jointly funded by Nuffield Foundation and NFER, the study is based on a weighted sample of almost 3,000 school leaders and teachers across over 2,200 mainstream primary and secondary schools in England. Main Findings:Nearly all teachers estimate that their pupils are behind in their curriculum learning, with the average estimate being three months behind. Over half of teachers estimate that the learning gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has widened. Teachers in the most deprived schools are over three times more likely to report that their pupils are four months or more behind in their curriculum learning than teachers in the least deprived schools. Reasons related to the provision of remote learning include: diminishing levels of pupil and parent engagement over time; and a continuing lack of interactive remote teaching approaches. Reasons related to in-school provision for some pupils from June include: a skew of teaching resource to in-school provision to meet the demands of social distancing. This took teaching resources away from pupils based at home; a reduced quality of in-school teaching due to the restrictions of social distancing (almost three quarters of teachers did not feel able to teach to their usual standard); and low levels of pupil attendance, especially among Pupil Premium and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) pupils. The main reasons for low attendance were parental safety concerns. Although many schools were supplying IT equipment to their staff, over a third of teachers were providing their own laptop or computer, and three-fifths either supplied their own camera/video equipment or had no access to this at all. Over one quarter (28 per cent) of pupils had limited access to IT at home. This is a particular issue for schools serving the most deprived pupil populations. Teachers estimate that 44 per cent of their pupils are in need of intensive catch-up support. These estimates are much higher in the most deprived schools and in schools serving the highest proportion of pupils from BAME backgrounds. Senior leaders’ top priorities for September are to provide support for pupils’ emotional and mental health and well-being (81 per cent); to re-engage pupils with learning (64 per cent); and to settle them into school (63 per cent). Academic catch-up activities are most likely to take the form of small-group or one-to-one sessions. While most senior leaders predict they will find it at least ‘somewhat manageable’ to open to all pupils in September while taking measures to minimise the risk of infection, many identify a need for additional staffing and resources for cleaning, protective equipment and IT. The percentage of teachers and senior leaders intending to leave the profession has reduced by more than half compared to previous estimates. However, schools plan to reduce their initial teacher training (ITT) placements in 2020/21. This is of concern, given the large increase in the number of applications for ITT in 2020.Implications for government, schools and those that support them:Parents need reassurance that schools are safe. The Government’s national advertising campaign will need to be convincing and may need to continue through the autumn in order to assuage current levels of parental concern. Schools may need help from local authorities (LAs) and trusts with the management of non-attending pupils. The Government’s additional funding for catch-up support is welcome, but schools need extra resources for cleaning regimes and for staffing, to ensure social distancing is managed appropriately. The Government needs to work with school leaders and ITT providers to tackle the challenge of an increase in ITT applications, coupled with a reduction in training places in schools. When inspections resume, Ofsted may need to modify expectations of schools providing a broad and balanced curriculum while social distancing is in force. With the exception of pupils working towards examination specifications, catch up needs to be treated as a long-term endeavour rather than a ‘quick fix’. In future episodes of partial lockdown, ‘blended learning’ must ensure equity for all pupils. Effective remote learning needs to be coupled with high-quality in-school teaching for vulnerable pupils, children of keyworkers, disadvantaged pupils and pupils with unsuitable home learning environments (rather than specific year groups). Schools need government support to prepare for remote learning in a local lockdown. In particular, they need a clear steer on safeguarding. In the absence of this, many schools will avoid teaching and learning methods involving interaction with pupils. Schools need to take an evidence-informed approach to"
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Leadership

The Challenges Facing Schools and Pupils in September 2020

8 Sep 2020

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      string(5670) "Between 2015/16 and 2016/17, the number of permanent exclusions dramatically increased across state-funded primary, secondary, and special schools by c.15% to 7,720 – around 40 permanent exclusions per day.Two years on, in 2018/19 the number of permanent exclusions remains just as high, with the number of fixed term exclusions increasing even further from 410,800 to 438,300 – an increase of 27,500.The most common reason for exclusions tends to be persistent disruptive behaviour, with speculation factors like improving league table performance or schools being ill equipped to deal with the most difficult students also playing a part. The impact of any form of exclusion, managed move or off rolling on a child’s education is profound, lowering attainment at 11 and 16, limiting life choices and chances (Education Data Lab, 2019)While the reasons for this jump in numbers are far from clear, COVID-19 has made tackling this issue critical as schools plan to return in September. This is especially true given reports (NFER, 2020) indicate that only one third of disadvantaged students have meaningfully participated in learning during partial school closures.We should not despair though. An Achievement for All (AfA) partner school, Lyng Hall School in Coventry, shows what can be done with the right support. 100 % of the 700+ children attending the 11-18 school have remained fully engaged during COVID-19. All the more remarkable given that the school population includes 47 first languages, withover 50% of pupils being eligible for Free School Meals. The staff, parents, and pupils are an inspiration.Too often, taking advantage of external support and expertise is too often the exception, rather than the rule, when it comes to our education system.Four pillars of the projectThe school’s response is based on the four pillars – improved family engagement; levelling up opportunity by closing the disadvantage attainment gap; building emotional strength and resilience in children; and improving digital literacy so online learning is more accessible and meaningful.These pillars not only acknowledge an anxious or angry mind simply will not learn, but they also recognise that a school cannot be an island. Engaging parents and bringing in external help from AfA’s expert coaches has been at the heart of navigating the toughest period in education for a generation. Indeed, improving digital skills elements has become especially important to allow as many pupils as possible to take advantage of the DfE-backed Oak National Academy.In practical terms, the AfA model is a partnership with schools, early years, and post-16 settings that brings together expert coaches, school leaders and teachers, parents and carers, children and young people, and other agencies when needed, to improve literacy, numeracy, attendance and behaviour for vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils. In this partnership, AfA brings an external perspective and decades of experience to make sure staff and school leaders feel both supported but also challenged to improve their school. Importantly, AfA ensures parents and carers feel valued and part of the process, with our expertise ensuring pupils feel that they belong, they can learn, and they can achieve their potential. The evidence for the impact is inspiring as it is profound.A proven modelThe AfA model doesn’t just work as a reaction to the pandemic, however. In 2018, the number children who had been the subject of a fixed-term exclusion decreased by 70% in just one year in the schools that were supported by AfA. We also do all we can to keep the cost per pupil for the programme as low as physically possible. On average, this is just £50 per student per term, while the savings of at least £15,000 per year per pupil putting this into stark contrast.If rolled out across England, this translates as a potential saving of at least £116 million pounds per year at the current rate of permanent exclusions. This of course doesn’t consider the immense social and educational benefits of fewer exclusions, especially in left behind areas across the country.Our belief therefore is that every child, irrespective of their background, challenge or need, deserves the right not to be anxious, to achieve their potential, and lead a fulfilling and happy life. The challenge remains, schools need more external support than ever, and parents and carers need to be better included in their child’s education.There are solutions, of which AfA is just one, but if these solutions are to reach as many pupils as possible, the government must include charities in plans for getting schools open in September.Case StudyI am Ashmal, I have never been excluded from Lyng Hall SchoolHi, I am Ashmal, I am 14 years old, attending Lyng Hall Academy in Coventry. My headteacher tells me that the school is a truly comprehensive academy. Teachers have also said that my friends and I are a delight to teach! I know that I am very grateful to all of them.I joined the school in Year 7. During my first year the schoolteachers supported me, but I struggled with my attitude and behaviour. By the end of the year I had 389 negative codes (behaviour technique that begins with a positive). I was really bad, but my teachers decided to keep me in the school with an action plan, that has worked!What happened during the next four years has been amazing. My teachers, headteacher and, my family have saved me from fixed term or permanent exclusion. I was difficult, hard to understand. I wanted to do well but was angry and didn’t know"
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Blogs

Rescuing A Generation At Risk From Covid and Exclusions

11 Aug 2020