Walk into almost any school and you’ll hear the same phrase:”The data looks good.”And often, it does.Assessment scores are improving. Predicted grades are rising. Progress measures look positive. Intervention trackers are full of green boxes. On paper, everything appears to be moving in the right direction.But sometimes the books tell a different story.As a HeadContinueContinue reading “The Data Says They’re Fine. The Books Say Otherwise.”
Category Archives: Pupil Premium
Eight Messages Every School Leader Should Take Away from the National Pupil Premium Conference
There is something reassuring about hearing experienced school leaders, researchers and organisations arrive at similar conclusions despite approaching educational disadvantage from very different starting points. That was one of my strongest reflections after speaking at the National Pupil Premium Conference. Throughout the day, presentations explored literacy, attendance, implementation, curriculum, family engagement, belonging, leadership and evidence-informedContinueContinue reading “Eight Messages Every School Leader Should Take Away from the National Pupil Premium Conference”
We’ve Become Very Good at Measuring the Gap. Why Haven’t We Closed It?
Few concepts have become as embedded in educational discourse as the disadvantage gap.School improvement plans reference it. Inspection conversations reference it. Policy announcements reference it. Schools analyse it relentlessly. We can tell you the size of the gap. We can identify which groups are most affected. We can track it nationally, regionally, and locally. WeContinueContinue reading “We’ve Become Very Good at Measuring the Gap. Why Haven’t We Closed It?”
Can We Measure Achievement Without Measuring Disadvantage?
Few people would argue that schools serving disadvantaged communities should be held to lower expectations. Nor should they. Every child deserves access to a high-quality education regardless of their background, postcode, or circumstances.The challenge is that while we can choose not to lower expectations, we cannot choose to ignore the realities that shape educational outcomes.ThisContinueContinue reading “Can We Measure Achievement Without Measuring Disadvantage?
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The Attendance Crisis Isn’t Just About Attendance
For several years now, school attendance has dominated educational debate.Attendance has featured in inspection conversations, school improvement plans, government policy, and countless discussions in staffrooms across the country.Schools have introduced attendance teams, attendance officers, rewards programmes, parental meetings, home visits, mentoring programmes, and a range of interventions designed to improve pupil attendance.Yet despite these efforts,ContinueContinue reading “The Attendance Crisis Isn’t Just About Attendance”
What I learned from my first conference
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of presenting at my first national education conference. The National Pupil Premium Conference, organised by Government Events, brought together school leaders, researchers, practitioners and educational organisations from across the country to discuss one of the most important challenges facing education today: improving outcomes for disadvantaged students. LikeContinueContinue reading “What I learned from my first conference”
The gap begins before most schools realise
By the end of Reception, disadvantaged pupils are already 4.6 months behind their peers. By the end of primary school, that has grown to 10.1 months. By GCSE, it reaches 17.9 months. For pupils who are persistently disadvantaged, the gap exceeds 21 months. This is perhaps the most important message from the recent EPI andContinueContinue reading “The gap begins before most schools realise”
Why Consistency Matters More Than Intervention
The problem with fragmented improvement One of the biggest mistakes I think schools can make when trying to improve outcomes for disadvantaged students is assuming the solution lies in adding more intervention.More revision.More support sessions.More strategies.More initiatives.More programmes.And all of these things can have value.But increasingly, I think many schools suffer less from a lackContinueContinue reading “Why Consistency Matters More Than Intervention”
The Illusion of Progress in Disadvantaged Students: When engagement hides the real problem
One of the biggest mistakes I think schools can make is confusing participation with progress.A student answers questions.Contributes verbally.Appears engaged.Completes tasks.Behaves well.And as teachers, it is very easy to leave the lesson feeling: “They understood that.” But increasingly, I think many disadvantaged students become trapped within what I would describe as the illusion of progress.BecauseContinueContinue reading “The Illusion of Progress in Disadvantaged Students: When engagement hides the real problem”
Educational Disadvantage Is Not a Competition
The publication of the Independent Inquiry into White Working Class Educational Outcomes should prompt serious reflection across education. Not because the issue is new.It is not.For years, the data has shown that disadvantaged white British pupils are among the lowest-attaining groups in the English education system. What this report does, however, is bring together theContinueContinue reading “Educational Disadvantage Is Not a Competition”