Overview of Outwood Academy City
Number of pupils and pupil premium grant (PPG) received:
Total number of pupils on roll: 1141
Total number of pupils eligible for PPG: 481
Total amount of PPG received: £388,079
Outwood Academy City has been allocated £388,079 for the academic year 2020/21.
Pupil Premium is an additional grant given to students who:
The aim at Outwood Academy City is to develop many robust intervention strategies, all of which are designed to support each individual student to achieve their full potential. Our aim is to ‘narrow the gap’ between different groups of students and fulfil one of our core aims “to raise standards for all students by sustaining and enhancing performance and to develop the whole child”.
Below is a list of strategies that we use to support students and the total cost of some of these strategies. The intervention strategies exceed by far the total amount we receive for the Pupil Premium. The Pupil Premium is used to support all of these strategies:
Curriculum Support
Uniform and Trips
Uniform has been provided for all students who are awarded a place at Outwood Academy City, so that all students have an equal starting point. This will continue in the future.
Outwood Academy City offers financial assistance for families and students wishing to attend school trips and excursions, this ensures that all students benefit from a variety of experiences designed to enhance life chances and removes what could be a financial barrier.
Careers advice and guidance for Years 8 to 11
Careers advisors (Careers Inc.) have been employed to work with students from Years 8 to 11. Presently, all Year 11 students receive an individual ‘interview’ to support them with their Post 16 applications, but are also offered the opportunity for independent advice and guidance with the Careers Inc service. Additional consultations have been made available to any student who wishes to receive further support with their Post-16 transition routes. Work is taking place with Years 8 to 11 students, in particular with those students who are at risk of becoming NEETs (Not in Education or Training). Students who are identified by the above criteria are all given time with the advisor with a particular focus on their future and choices.
Attendance
A greater focus will be adopted to support all students in meeting the minimum requirement of 95%. An Attendance Manager is employed to drive attendance and work closely to support the most vulnerable groups of students and families. There is also an allocation for hardship fund to assist pupils who may struggle to attend school due to transport or uniform issues.
Reading Programmes
Lexia Reading is used by school systems throughout the world to encourage students to improve their reading and literacy. Lexia Reading’s interactive, educational software will help identified students learn to read, and increase school performance. The package will initially be used with Key Stage 3 to support lifelong literacy. Additional reading interventions (MISKIN/Corrective Reader) will also be put in place for students identified from LUCID and targeted if reading age is below 9.
Dyslexia Interventions
Students will receive specialised dyslexia support from qualified staff, with strategies shared with all staff and parents. Staff and students will have greater understanding of personal need and parent’s confidence in school actions will increase.
Bridge
The Bridge is the Academy’s Social Inclusion Centre, co-ordinated by the Bridge Manager. Within the Bridge support is given to students with more complex social, emotional, behavioural and medical issues. It provides a safe and supportive environment for the Academy’s most vulnerable students. The Bridge facility is used to provide one to one support for students and is also open on a morning for social time and a breakfast club.
PLC
The Personalised Learning Centre is co-ordinated by the Personalised Learning and Assessment Manager and provides students with personalised learning packages designed to meet individual need, provide focussed intervention to support and raise attainment and deliver alternative GCSE equivalent qualifications.
Other interventions put into place:
Peer Mentoring Programme:
Peer mentors are positive role models working closely with Year 7 and 8 students, supporting them with a variety of issues. They are trained to listen, provide non-judgmental advice and support wherever possible. The peer mentor team (mentors in Year 11) will receive training to help them provide one to one support for vulnerable students.
Pastoral Care/Interventions:
Our Inclusion Coordinator is a specialist in the area of safeguarding; she works tirelessly to support our most vulnerable students maintaining strong links with external agency support services. Both are an extremely valuable resource and greatly appreciated by the students.
Additional schemes to run throughout the year: