Detail

Data

School name

Windy Nook Primary

Number of pupils in school

299

Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils

30% (not including nursery)

Academic year/years that our current pupil premium strategy plan covers (3 year plans are recommended)

2025-2026

2026-2027

2027-2028

Date this statement was published

October 2025

Date on which it will be reviewed

September 2026

Statement authorised by

Mrs. Lucie Forrest

Pupil premium lead

Mrs. Jemma Traynor

Governor / Trustee lead

Mrs. Lynne Coulson

Detail

Amount

Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year

£173,940

Recovery premium funding allocation this academic year

£0

Pupil premium funding carried forward from previous years (enter £0 if not applicable)

£0

Total budget for this academic year

If your school is an academy in a trust that pools this funding, state the amount available to your school this academic year

£173,940

Overcoming barriers to learning is at the heart of our Pupil Premium Grant use. We understand that needs and costs will differ depending on the barriers to learning being addressed. As such, we do not automatically allocate personal budgets per student in receipt of the Pupil Premium Grant. Instead, we identify the barrier to be addressed, and the interventions required, whether in small groups, large groups, the whole school or as individuals, and allocate a budget accordingly.

Our aim is to accelerate progress, moving pupils to at least age related expectations. We aim to provide all pupils with the opportunity to achieve their potential, including those who are already high attainers. Non disadvantaged pupils’ attainment will be sustained and improved alongside progress for their disadvantaged peers.

Alongside academic support, we will ensure that those pupils who have social, emotional and mental health needs will access high quality provision from appropriately trained adults.

Our Priorities for 2025-26

·       Attendance – reducing gap between PP and non-PP. Reducing PA rates of PP pupils

·       Phonics – closing the gap between PP and non-PP for phonics and reading in KS1

·       Maths – closing the gap between PP and non-PP for maths in KS1

·       Supporting well-being of PP pupils and support for parents in accessing relevant support services

·       EAL support – language acquisition

Challenge number

Detail of challenge

1

Assessments, observations, and discussions with pupils indicate

underdeveloped oral language skills and vocabulary gaps among many disadvantaged pupils on entry into the EYFS.

Disadvantaged pupils often face significant barriers in developing spoken language skills, which are foundational to academic success and lifelong learning. Evidence shows that oracy is a powerful lever for equity, particularly for Pupil Premium students who may have limited opportunities to develop these skills outside of school.

2

Our attendance data over the past 3 years indicates that attendance among disadvantaged pupils has been between 2 – 4% lower than for non-disadvantaged pupils.

Our PA data for the past 3 years indicates that rates of PA have increased for our PP pupils. Our assessments and observations indicate that absenteeism is negatively impacting our disadvantaged pupils’ progress.

3

Our observations indicate that the majority of disadvantaged pupils continue to have limited enrichment opportunities which in turn affects attainment.

4

Gaps in Key Stage 1 can be linked to limited parental support, especially among Pupil Premium pupils. This can result in poor homework completion, minimal reading at home, and weak early literacy skills. Without consistent reinforcement outside school, these children struggle to build the foundations needed for successful learning, widening the attainment gap from an early age.

5

Through observations and discussions with pupils, many PP pupils, have difficulty retaining and remembering taught knowledge and skills away from the point of teaching.

Intended outcome

Success criteria

Children across school to catch up with their peers in relation to attainment in Communication and Language.

By the end of the EYFS, more PP children will reach age-appropriate levels in Communication and Language.

Children across school will have improved oracy skills.

Improved spoken language skills, confidence, and classroom engagement for Pupil Premium pupils.

Accelerated progress in reading and maths.

Enhanced teacher capacity to deliver inclusive, high-quality oracy instruction

The gap in attendance between PP pupils and non-PP pupils will have reduced.

Less PP pupils will be on the persistent absenteeism list

More PP pupils will reach the national expected level for attendance

All children will have the same opportunity to experience a wide range of extra-curricular activities

Pupils will be provided with experiences outside of their normal range which will promote understanding of the wider world, build aspirations, promote confidence and self- esteem.

PP children will attend after school and before school activities

Cultural capital is enhanced by experiences and visits, both virtually and in school, which build on skills and knowledge from curriculum subjects taught in class. The offer is monitored across school

All children will receive high quality teaching and learning through quality first teach and targeted interventions

Lessen the GAP in attainment between PP and non-PP pupils across maths and English in KS1.

The aim over time, is that children will leave KS1 and LKS2 with fluency in calculation and a confidence and flexibility with number. The aim over time, is that children will leave KS1 and LKS2 with fluency in reading. Attention will be given to key knowledge and understanding needed to support success in the future.  

An improved knowledge of cognitive science will enable teachers to support the learning. This will include retrieval practice, questioning skills, metacognition, critical thinking, and self-regulation

Observations will show pupils’ cognitive load will be managed and strategies are in use to strengthen memory of key concepts in all subjects including retrieval practice. PP pupils will be involved in subject lead pupil voice meetings.

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

All staff to be trained in the principles of Rosenshine’s theory and implement them in their practice

Headteacher and Assistant Headteacher on training for Belong Project – Trauma Informed theory.  Staff to be trained.

Rosenshine’s principle emphasizes the importance of giving students sufficient time to practise retrieval, ask questions, and get the desired help.

Cognitive Psychology Research reveals that the instructors who utilised the most effective teaching strategies had more students with higher educational success rates

Cognitive science principles of learning

can have a real impact on rates of learning in the classroom. There is value in teachers having working knowledge of cognitive science principles. (Aug 2021 EEF)

EEF guidance highlights that building a culture of belonging—where pupils feel seen, understood, and safe—is essential for improving attendance and engagement, particularly among disadvantaged learners

3, 4, 5

RWInc ongoing support for all staff to update knowledge and understanding of phonics

Read Write Inc (RWInc) is a DfE validated Systematic Synthetic Phonics programme

Phonics approaches have a strong evidence base that indicates a positive impact on the accuracy of word reading (though not necessarily comprehension), particularly for disadvantaged pupils:

Phonics | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF

EEF trials have shown how, when properly

trained and supported, teaching assistants

working in structured ways with small groups

can boost pupils’ progress.

4

Writing training from LA for teachers. share good practice through peer mentoring

Staff training on Voice 21 (Oracy training)

.

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

Mentoring and coaching can be an important source of support, particularly for early career teachers. EEF

Voice 21 provides a structured, evidence-informed approach to embedding oracy across the curriculum. It aligns with the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) guidance on oral language interventions, which demonstrate an average of +5 months’ progress for disadvantaged pupils at low cost.

4, 5

1

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

EYFS staff deliver Talk Boost 

Staff in KS1 and KS2 will focus on vocabulary development across all subjects

Staff in KS1 and KS2 will focus on speaking and listening skills and vocabulary development for EAL pupils

There is a strong evidence base that suggests oral language interventions, including dialogic activities such as high-quality classroom discussion, are inexpensive to implement with high impacts on reading:

Oral language interventions | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF

EEF Toolkit – Small group tuition has an average impact of four months’ additional progress over the course of a year.

EEF trials have shown how, when properly

trained and supported, teaching assistants

working in structured ways with small groups

can boost pupils’ progress.

1

Reading and phonics interventions across school targeted at PP pupils

EEF Toolkit – On average, oral language approaches have a high impact on pupil outcomes of 6 months’ additional progress. These have a positive impact on reading progress.

EEF Toolkit – Small group tuition has an average impact of four months’ additional progress over the course of a year.

EEF Toolkit – Reading comprehension strategies are high impact on average (+6 months). Alongside phonics it is a crucial component of early reading instruction.

Read Write Inc (RWInc) is a DfE validated Systematic Synthetic Phonics programme

Phonics approaches have a strong evidence base that indicates a positive impact on the accuracy of word reading (though not necessarily comprehension), particularly for disadvantaged pupils:

Phonics | Toolkit Strand | Education Endowment Foundation | EEF

4, 5

Maths interventions delivered across school

Mastering number embedded in EYFS and KS1.

Mastering Number introduced in Key Stage Two.

Staff across school are involved in Maths Lead Programme working with the Great North Maths Hub. A member of the SLT has the Maths Specialist Role.

This is a DfE funded programme that aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children. In EY/KS1/KS2, the focus is additive reasoning.

EEF Toolkit – Small group tuition has an average impact of four months’ additional progress over the course of a year. Small group tuition is most likely to be effective if it is targeted at pupils’ specific needs. Diagnostic assessment can be used to assess the best way to target support.

Evidence from NCETM and Maths Hubs shows that Mastering Number improves fluency, confidence, and reasoning, especially for disadvantaged pupils.

EEF research supports early numeracy interventions as high-impact strategies for closing the attainment gap.

4, 5

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Attendance – Sharing a part-time home school liaison officer with a local school to support families with attendance and acute needs via TAF and CAF  

DfE report on attendance (Working together to improve School attendance May 2022) and attainment showed strong link between attendance and attainment. Pupils with 100% attendance 4.7 times more likely to achieve than those with 85%.

2

Support accessing trips, after school activities etc to ensure all pupils receive equal access

Ofsted 2013 report – The full range of educational experiences – support is given to ensure that all pupils have full access to broad educational experiences, such as residential courses, competing in sporting events, subsidised music lessons, subsidised uniform,

Due to financial pressures, some of our pupils have had limited experiences outside the home. Evidence shows that these are vital areas of expenditure for children as it raises aspirations, improves cultural capital, improves children’s knowledge of the wider world and has a significant impact on pupils’ academic understanding. 

3

Contingency fund for acute issues.

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

All

 Analysis of assessment data for the end of the academic year 2024-2025, shows that by the end of EYFS, 85.4% of PP pupils achieved ARE in Communication and Language and 75% in PSED, 40% of PP pupils passed the Y1 Phonics screen which is significantly less than the previous year but results are cohort specific, 29% of PP pupils achieved ARE in reading, 29% in writing and 28% in maths at the end of KS1. 60% of PP pupils achieved ARE in reading, 65% in Spag and, 55% maths at the end of KS2 and 65 % in writing. In Key Stage 2 more PP pupils achieved ARE in writing than the previous year showing the positive impact of our interventions and the structure and quality first teaching of our writing units, which will continue this next academic year.  Although gaps remain between the attainment of PP pupils and other pupils, due to the targeted interventions and quality first teaching these gaps are beginning to reduce in certain cohorts. We will continue with many aspects of our strategy this academic year.  

Our overall school attendance (94.8%) in 2024-25 which is in line with national.  Absence among disadvantaged pupils was higher than non-disadvantaged pupils and is higher than national for pupil premium children.  These gaps have reduced slightly from last year and the previous year however attendance continues to be a focus of our current plan.    Although our persistent absentee rate is higher for disadvantage than non-disadvantage pupils we are in the top 30-40% of schools nationally.

The gap between PP and non-PP pupils in maths is closing in many year groups especially in KS2.  With the introduction of mastering number KS2 for 25-26 we will be able to target and support the children from KS1 moving up to KS2.  Interventions will continue to support those children in Year 1 and 2 where less than 50% of PP were at ARE.  Extra support had been put in place for our Key Stage One children including buddy systems and playtime support mainly for those children that came from other schools at the start of the academic year.  Extra support was given in Maths and English as there were significant gaps which impacted on the overall results for those cohorts.  The gaps were too wide to narrow within the time frame so strategies and support will continue to be an area to develop in the next academic year.  

The continued employment of the family support worker has proven to be a valuable aspect of our pupil premium strategy and will remain in place for the next academic year. Their work has been instrumental in supporting families, particularly those facing financial and social challenges. Citizens Advice has been invited into school to offer tailored guidance, and regular food boxes have been distributed to families in need. The school has also strengthened its partnership with Feeding Families, ensuring consistent access to essential supplies. Our SENDCO has enhanced parental engagement by using the school website to signpost families to relevant charities and support services. Additionally, targeted assistance was provided to help families access holiday clubs over the summer, promoting enrichment opportunities for pupils. Overall, the family support worker has played a key role in building trust with parents and improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. 

The pupil premium strategy for EAL children has delivered strong outcomes, especially in Year 6, with all three pupils achieving success in their Key Stage 2 SATs. This progress is largely due to the consistent and targeted support provided by school staff. Class teachers and teaching assistants delivered regular 1:1 intervention focused on language development, reading comprehension, and writing skills, tailored to each child’s needs. Staff also worked closely with EMTAS and families to build strong home-school links, ensuring pupils felt supported both academically and emotionally. Given the impact of this approach, the strategy will continue into the next academic year, with a focus on early identification, personalised support, and ongoing staff development to meet the evolving needs of EAL learners. 

Programme

Provider

Reading Plus

Reading Solutions

Spelling and Literacy Shed

Ed Shed

Conquer Maths

Conquer Maths

Times Table Rockstars

Maths Circle

Classroom Secrets

Classroom secrets