It’s the ‘million-dollar question’ that you hear across schools today: ‘What is the best way to evidence the impact of Pupil Premium Funding?’ I’ve been talking to a lot of educational professionals recently, and the same concerns arise: not only are people struggling to close the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers, they are also worried about how they can successfully evidence this to Ofsted. The quote from Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, neatly sums up just how critical this challenge is: "Our data shows it doesn't matter if you go to a school in Britain, Finland or Japan, students from a privileged background tend to do well everywhere. What really distinguishes education systems is their capacity to deploy resources where they can make the most difference.” Is it any wonder people are feeling the pressure? At Optimus, we have put together 5 TOP TIPS to help you:
Next week, a raft of school leaders and other educational professionals from across the country will meet in London to discuss this critical subject at our conference: ‘Pupil Premium: Evidence Impact and Drive Progress’.
Recognisable figures will include Sir John Dunford and Sean Bullen who will be sharing their top strategies. We’ll also be hearing from National Pupil Premium Award winning schools as they share the steps they took to achieve success. Don’t forget, there is also the chance to win £250,000 at this year’s Pupil Premium awards! So there may be an answer, or answers, to that million-dollar question after all. By Alex Masters