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Inconsistency in classroom experience, teaching quality and behaviour for learning

Student and parent voice identified variability in teaching quality, behaviour management and access to teacher support as barriers to learning. Outcome data also shows variation in disadvantaged pupil attainment and progress across subjects. Improving the consistency of high-quality teaching and ensuring disruption-free classrooms is therefore a key priority for improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

Evidence: Student and parent voice highlighted inconsistent teaching and classroom disruption. Disadvantaged pupil outcomes vary significantly between subjects and departments. High-quality teaching is identified by the EEF as the most effective lever for improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

Attendance and persistent absence

Attendance data shows that disadvantaged pupils are more likely to experience persistent absence than their peers, reducing access to learning and wider school opportunities. This pattern is reflected in attendance reviews, student voice and safeguarding data, which indicate that absence is a significant barrier to achievement for a number of disadvantaged pupils. Improving attendance, particularly for persistently absent pupils, is therefore a key priority for improving outcomes.

Evidence: Disadvantaged pupils have lower attendance rates and higher levels of persistent absence than their peers. Attendance concerns feature prominently within safeguarding and pastoral records. The DfE identifies attendance as a key factor influencing disadvantaged pupils’ educational outcomes.

Independent learning, study habits and metacognition

Student voice identified weaknesses in revision skills, organisation, time management and understanding how to learn effectively. Many disadvantaged pupils reported difficulties studying independently and accessing effective learning environments outside school. Developing pupils’ metacognitive skills and independent learning habits is therefore a key priority for improving academic outcomes.

Evidence: Students identified revision, organisation and study skills as significant barriers to success. Homework and independent study emerge as recurring concerns in behaviour and progress reviews. The EEF identifies metacognition and self-regulation as highly effective approaches for improving pupil outcomes.

Targeted academic support

While overall outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are strong, attainment and progress data identifies a small number of pupils and subject areas where performance is below that of their peers. Providing timely, diagnostic-led academic support is therefore a key priority to address emerging gaps and ensure disadvantaged pupils achieve in line with their potential.

Evidence: GCSE outcomes show an 8 percentage point gap in grades achieved on or above target between disadvantaged pupils and the whole school cohort. Subject-level analysis identifies weaker outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in areas including History, Drama and Computer Science. The EEF and DfE recommend targeted academic support, including small-group tuition and diagnostic assessment, to address specific learning gaps.

Participation, belonging and access to opportunities

Parent and student voice identified financial, social and wellbeing barriers that can limit disadvantaged pupils’ participation in wider school life. These include the cost of trips, equipment and transport, together with barriers to accessing enrichment opportunities and suitable study environments. Reducing these barriers and increasing participation will help improve engagement, belonging and overall outcomes.

Evidence: Parents identified the cost of trips, transport, uniform and equipment as barriers to participation. Student voice highlighted difficulties accessing suitable study spaces and conditions for learning outside school. School data identified disadvantaged pupils who are not regularly engaging in extracurricular activities and wider enrichment opportunities. The DfE recognises enrichment, family support and wider strategies as important factors in helping disadvantaged pupils attend, belong and succeed.

Quality assurance processes, including lesson observations and review meetings, show that the King’s Principles of Teaching and Learning are embedded in lessons.

Student voice shows that the King’s Principles of Teaching and Learning are consistently applied.

New behaviour monitoring systems are implemented that highlight behaviour incidents for vulnerable students.

Internal and external assessment data shows the gap between Pupil Premium students and their peers closing from the current 0.3 gap in attainment and 0.37 gap in progress.

Teaching and learning at King’s is graded as at least “expected standard” during Ofsted inspection.

Attendance for Pupil Premium students remains above the national average for Pupil Premium students, which stood at 89.13% in 2025/26.

The overall gap in attendance between Pupil Premium and non-Pupil Premium students reduces from the current 9.3%.

Unauthorised absence within the Pupil Premium cohort reduces from 1.9% towards the whole school rate of 0.7%.

The proportion of Pupil Premium students recorded as persistently absent falls from 35.7% towards the whole school rate of 8.8%.

Underperforming disadvantaged students are identified through internal quality assurance, and data tracking and monitoring lead to swift intervention and improved grades.

There is a shared expectation that all students achieve, regardless of background.

The percentage of Pupil Premium pupils at Key Stage 3 making expected progress is in line with their non-Pupil Premium peers.

Key Stage 4 performance measures in 2026/27 demonstrate a reduced gap in attainment between Pupil Premium (PP) and Service Premium (SP) pupils and non-PP pupils across the curriculum, in both EBacc and Open basket subjects.

Key Stage 4 progress measures show that value added and SPI values for Pupil Premium students are in line with the whole school value.

Destinations data shows that all Pupil Premium students at King’s have a sustained post-16 destination, and careers conversations and student surveys show high aspirations.

Ofsted inspection outcomes grade the achievement of disadvantaged students as at least “expected standard”.

Participation rates of disadvantaged pupils in extracurricular activities, educational visits and enrichment opportunities increase year on year and are in line with non-Pupil Premium students within our school.

Student voice demonstrates that disadvantaged pupils report a strong sense of belonging and feel included in school life.

Parent voice indicates that families feel well supported in accessing enrichment opportunities and wider school provision.

Representation of disadvantaged pupils in leadership, student ambassador, mentoring and wider participation programmes is captured and reviewed.

All pupils feel supported, and qualitative data from student wellbeing surveys reflects this.

MyConcern records show that where wellbeing concerns are identified, positive and swift intervention follows.

The EEF identifies high-quality teaching as the most effective lever for improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. The EEF’s Guide to the Pupil Premium states that: “High-quality teaching should be a top priority for Pupil Premium spending. Making sure an effective teacher is in front of every class, and that every teacher is supported to keep improving, is key.” (EEF, Use reliable research evidence to support your strategy; EEF, Guide to Inclusive Teaching)

The EEF’s Menu of Approaches goes further, stating: “Evidence indicates that high-quality teaching is the most powerful way for schools to improve pupil attainment, particularly for socio-economically disadvantaged students.” (EEF, High-quality teaching)

Effective professional development improves teaching quality. The EEF’s Effective Professional Development guidance states: “High-quality teaching improves pupil outcomes, and effective professional development offers a crucial tool to develop teaching quality and enhance children’s outcomes in the classroom.” (EEF, Effective Professional Development)

High-quality teaching has a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged pupils. Both the EEF and DfE note that improving classroom teaching benefits all pupils but has the greatest impact on disadvantaged learners. The DfE guidance specifically highlights: “Approaches that support high-quality teaching can be particularly effective at accelerating the progress of disadvantaged pupils.” (DfE, Using pupil premium: guidance for school leaders)

High-quality teaching is the most effective way to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. The EEF states that “high quality teaching is the most powerful way for schools to improve pupil attainment, particularly for socio-economically disadvantaged students.” The DfE similarly identifies high-quality teaching as the first and most important strand of the Pupil Premium menu of approaches. (EEF, Pupil Premium evidence brief; EEF, Guide to Inclusive Teaching)

Effective professional development and coaching improve teaching quality. The EEF’s Effective Professional Development guidance highlights that sustained professional development, including feedback, coaching and deliberate practice, is crucial in improving teacher effectiveness and, ultimately, pupil outcomes. Effective professional development should build knowledge, develop teaching techniques and embed practice over time. (EEF, Effective Professional Development)

Consistent implementation is essential for disadvantaged pupils. The EEF Guide to the Pupil Premium emphasises that schools must not only choose evidence-informed approaches but also ensure successful implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The DfE guidance similarly stresses effective identification of need, implementation and monitoring alongside the chosen approaches. (EEF, Use reliable research evidence to support your strategy)

The EEF identifies high-quality teaching as the most powerful lever schools have for improving pupil attainment, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Investment in professional development helps improve teacher effectiveness and therefore has the potential to improve outcomes across every classroom. (EEF, Pupil Premium evidence brief)

The EEF’s Effective Professional Development guidance highlights that sustained professional development should build knowledge, develop teaching techniques and embed practice over time. NPQs are designed around evidence-informed practice and sustained professional learning rather than one-off training events. (EEF, Effective Professional Development)

The DfE Pupil Premium guidance includes professional development, mentoring, coaching and supporting staff to undertake NPQs within its menu of approaches under high-quality teaching, recognising that investing in teacher development can improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. (DfE, Using pupil premium: guidance for school leaders)

The EEF’s Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning guidance highlights the importance of explicitly teaching pupils how to plan, monitor and evaluate their learning. Evidence suggests that pupils who are able to regulate their learning effectively are more successful academically, with particularly strong benefits for disadvantaged pupils. Our student voice identified revision skills, organisation, time management and independent study as barriers for some disadvantaged learners. (EEF, Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning)

Research by Dunlosky et al. (2013) demonstrates that evidence-informed learning strategies, including retrieval practice and spaced revision, have a greater impact on long-term learning than many commonly used revision techniques. Explicitly teaching these approaches through Elevate Education will help disadvantaged pupils develop more effective study habits and improve their independent learning skills. (Dunlosky et al. (2013), Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques)

The EEF states that an effective Pupil Premium strategy begins with a robust diagnosis of pupils’ needs. Schools should use reliable assessment information to identify specific barriers to learning and target support accordingly, and school leaders need high-quality evidence about pupils’ strengths and weaknesses before selecting interventions. (EEF, Use reliable research evidence to support your strategy)

The SEND Code of Practice places strong emphasis on the early identification of special educational needs and disabilities. Identifying needs promptly allows schools to adopt a graduated approach of assess, plan, do and review, ensuring pupils receive appropriate provision as early as possible. (DfE, SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years)

The EEF highlights that effective transition support can improve pupils’ academic, social and emotional outcomes. The school’s Transition Index enables early identification of need, ensuring targeted support is in place to help disadvantaged pupils make a successful start to secondary education. (EEF, Supporting transitions between educational phases)

Targeted tuition will be used to address specific knowledge gaps and support pupils who are at risk of underachievement. Evidence from the EEF suggests that both one-to-one and small group tuition can have a positive impact on attainment when carefully targeted and closely aligned with classroom teaching. Interventions will be informed by assessment data, linked to curriculum learning and regularly monitored to evaluate their impact on pupil progress. (EEF, Making a Difference with Effective Tutoring)

The EEF recommends a whole-school approach to literacy, with all teachers supporting the development of reading, vocabulary, writing and spoken language within their subject areas. The guidance also highlights the importance of early identification and targeted support for pupils with weaker reading skills so that they can access the full curriculum and achieve academic success. (EEF, Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools)

Reading comprehension, vocabulary and other literacy skills are strongly linked with attainment in mathematics and English. The EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit shows high impact for low cost (+6 months) for reading comprehension strategies. (Oxford University Press, Word Gap report)

The Sutton Trust report Closing the regional attainment gap (February 2024) found that the poorest students are 11 months behind when they start secondary school. We therefore target support from the point pupils join the school, as well as in response to internal data and end of key stage findings. (Sutton Trust, Closing the attainment gap)

Targeted tuition will be used to address specific knowledge gaps and support pupils who are at risk of underachievement. Evidence from the EEF suggests that both one-to-one and small group tuition can have a positive impact on attainment when carefully targeted and closely aligned with classroom teaching. Interventions will be informed by assessment data, linked to curriculum learning and regularly monitored to evaluate their impact on pupil progress. (EEF, Making a Difference with Effective Tutoring)

The EEF recommends that schools diagnose the specific barriers faced by disadvantaged pupils and use wider strategies where appropriate to help pupils access education successfully. Parent voice identified the cost of uniform, PE kit, equipment, transport and wider school participation as barriers for some families.

The DfE highlights the importance of helping disadvantaged pupils “attend, belong and succeed”. Research consistently shows that pupils who feel included and are able to participate fully in school life are more likely to engage with learning, attend regularly and achieve positive outcomes. Providing the same uniform, equipment and opportunities as their peers supports inclusion and reduces stigma. (DfE, Using pupil premium: guidance for school leaders)

The DfE’s Enrichment Framework for Schools and Colleges states that all pupils should have access to a broad and well-rounded enrichment offer, and that schools should ensure enrichment opportunities are accessible and engaging for all pupils. The framework specifically highlights the need to remove barriers that prevent participation and to monitor access across different groups of pupils. (DfE, Enrichment benchmarks)

The DfE identifies enrichment, extracurricular activities and wider strategies as important approaches that help disadvantaged pupils “attend, belong and succeed”, and encourages schools to use Pupil Premium funding to address barriers that limit participation in these opportunities. (DfE, Using pupil premium: guidance for school leaders)

The Sutton Trust has repeatedly found that participation in extracurricular activities, educational visits and enrichment opportunities is associated with improved educational outcomes, increased aspiration and stronger progression to higher education and employment. Disadvantaged pupils are less likely to access these opportunities outside school and therefore may benefit disproportionately from school-funded provision. (Sutton Trust, Extra-curricular Inequalities)

The EEF’s Supporting School Attendance guidance emphasises that schools should identify and address the underlying causes of absence through strong relationships with pupils and families, early intervention and coordinated support. Access to mental health provision and a dedicated Family Liaison Officer enables the school to remove barriers to attendance, strengthen family engagement and provide timely support for disadvantaged pupils, helping them to attend regularly and engage successfully with learning. (EEF, Supporting school attendance)

The EEF highlights the important relationship between mental health, wellbeing and educational engagement. Early identification of need, timely intervention and effective partnership working with families can reduce barriers to learning and improve pupils’ ability to access education successfully. (EEF, Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing)

The EEF’s Working with Parents to Support Children’s Learning guidance highlights the importance of developing strong partnerships with parents and carers to support pupil success. Meaningful parental engagement can improve attendance, attitudes to learning and academic outcomes, while regular consultation helps schools understand and address barriers experienced by families. A Pupil Premium Parent and Carer Forum will strengthen home-school relationships, ensure parent voice informs decision-making and support the effective identification and removal of barriers to learning. (EEF, Working with Parents to Support Children’s Learning)

High-quality tutoring is recognised by the Education Endowment Foundation as an effective intervention for disadvantaged pupils, supporting improved attainment, confidence and academic progress. (EEF, Making a Difference with Effective Tutoring)

Disadvantaged pupils are often less likely to access selective education because of the cost of private tuition. Atom Learning helps remove this barrier by providing high-quality 11+ preparation and support for Pupil Premium pupils, improving access to selective education. (Grammar School Heads’ Association, Pupil Premium Support Programme)

Based on our experience and that of similar schools, we have identified a need to set a small amount of funding aside to respond quickly to needs that have not yet been identified.