Literacy in action Burnt Ash Primary School Bromley

Literacy in action Burnt Ash Primary School, Bromley Involving our pupils in a community project has helped to develop their writing ability and their enthusiasm for learning. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Primary Community 423 45% £ 248, 160 Our school challenges • Our Challenge the Gap Target Cohort had low ability in writing, speaking and listening skills. • The Cohort also demonstrated low levels of confidence and self-esteem. • Some children had limited life experiences that might provide inspiration for creative writing. How we did it • We involved our pupils in transforming a junk space into a community garden. The children spent an hour and half each week working on the garden, and then spent an hour completing a writing task related to their community work. • Due to the project’s success last year, we have continued with an experience-based, writing improvement scheme. Alongside work on the community garden, we do a different activity or experience for two hours each week with our pupils. • A few days later, we conduct a writing session linked to the activity or experience. This gives pupils inspiration and life experience to write more, and more easily. Our impact What we learnt • Burnt Ash was shortlisted for the 2015 Pupil Premium Awards. • Pupil surveys have provided clear feedback that they have enjoyed activities and feel more confident in the classroom. • Attitudes to learning and work have greatly improved. The initiative has led pupils in the Target Cohort to be more confident and enthusiastic in their learning. • Learning from the project is now having an impact across the school as teachers at Burnt Ash are creating immersive environments for their pupils. • For us, the major shift in mindset to thinking about all pupils in ‘the Challenge the Gap way’ - that is a 360 -degree approach, where we understand what each pupil’s individual learning needs are. • It’s not about trying lots of new interventions. Small tweaks to teaching and learning all add up to make a difference. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Burnt Ash are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Kelty Battenti and Sue Mott. Kelty is a class teachers at Burnt Ash, while Sue is a member of the pastoral team. Both have been involved in the school’s Challenge the Gap programme.

Building relationships and resilience Darrick Wood Junior School, Bromley We have implemented strategies that are building two essential learning skills for our most vulnerable pupils: strong relationships between pupils, parents and staff, and a resilient outlook to learning. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Primary Community 384 13% £ 66, 000 Our school challenges • Low self-esteem, confidence and resilience among pupils from a disadvantaged background chosen for our Challenge the Gap Target Cohort. • Weak relationships between school staff, our Target Cohort pupils and their parents. How we did it 1. Building strong relationships • • At the start of Challenge the Gap, we held a breakfast launch for Target Cohort pupils being targeted by the programme, and their parents, to explain that they would be given more opportunities to fulfil their potential, and how parents could help. We carried out regular ‘phone homes’, to update parents on their child’s progress and parents were asked to meet their children in school at the end of the day, rather than at the school gates. Parents were informed of news and upcoming events by regular bulletins. We also organised a number of non-academic activities for the Target Cohort to do together to build stronger relationships among pupils. 2. Building a resilient outlook • • • We began to implement resilience training by asking our Target Cohort to keep resilience books where they could record challenges they have faced in school, and how they have overcome these challenges. Target Cohort pupils had weekly meetings with teaching support staff to share their successes and challenges in their learning. These pupils were also given the opportunity to work towards becoming a Resilience Ambassador, with responsibility for exemplifying resilience to other pupils in school. Our impact What we learnt • • In 2015, disadvantaged pupils outperformed their non-disadvantaged peers in school and nationally, with 86% of disadvantaged pupils achieving Level 4 at KS 2. Attitudes to learning have improved across our Challenge the Gap Target Cohort, with pupils more confident speaking in class, less concerned about making mistakes, and noticeably taking more pride in the presentation of their work. Relationships among pupils and between pupils, staff and parents have significantly improved. • Challenge the Gap has made us more aware of the difficulties faced by disadvantaged pupils, and the role of building ‘softer skills’ confidence, self-esteem, social skills and the ability to reflect on their learning to improve - in academic success. Strengthening the relationship between school and parents means parents can better support their child’s education, as they are more aware of school activities and of the school environment their child takes part in. Want to find out more? • • Find out what else the team at Darrick Wood Juniors are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Suzanne Swan and Jackie Dover. Suzanne is Lead Teacher and Year 4 Group Leader at Darrick Wood Juniors, as well as the school’s Challenge the Gap leader. Jackie is the school’s maths coordinator and is taking part in her first year of Challenge the Gap.

Coordinated pupil tracking Feltham Community College, Hounslow Designating a member of staff to closely monitor disadvantaged pupils’ progress and attainment has helped our school to better support all our pupils. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium 11 -19 Academy 915 46% £ 329, 120 Our school challenges • Our pupils’ attainment on entry, is significantly below the national average. Just under half of our pupils are eligible for pupil premium funding and the remaining students often present as similarly disadvantaged in their approach to learning. • We wanted to embed a whole-school awareness & approach to supporting disadvantaged pupils; in order to maximise both their progress and their attitude to school and their own learning. How we did it • • • We established a Challenge the Gap Target Cohort of around 12 pupils in every year group. An Achievement Coordinator (ACO) takes a lead on monitoring and tracking progress of these pupils. She/ he works in collaboration with the Pastoral Mentor for that cohort to collate ‘intelligence’ on each child. Three times a week our Target Cohort pupils work in a discrete PREP group after school with the Achievement Coordinator. All of their teachers have been made aware that these pupils are part of the group so that, across the school, there is a much greater awareness among teachers of disadvantaged pupils in their classes. Teachers use this extra knowledge about their pupils to inform their practice and their annual action research projects. One way we have done this is through our ‘Sparrow report’, a short survey carried out by disadvantaged pupils that explains things like their family size, likes and dislikes at school etc. , and is published in the staff bulletin once a month for 7 or so pupils. Our impact What we learnt • • • Teaching and support staff know the characteristics and needs of disadvantaged pupils. There is excellent familiarity across the school with what works well for these pupils, like effective feedback and marking. Introducing a 360 -degree approach, where we bring together all our knowledge and understanding about an individual pupil, means that support and interventions, where appropriate, are targeted. • That closing the gap is a long and complex process. The gap does not close suddenly and what works for one child or one cohort may not be as successful for another. That the data behind the gaps needs careful unpicking to understand the story. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Feltham are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Mariella Wilson. Mariella is the Principal of Feltham Community College and is a former Programme Lead for Challenge the Gap in a Cluster run by the college. Jess O’Regan is the Achievement Co-ordinator (ACO) for Year 8 and has successfully embedded strategies covered here into both her teaching and her role as an ACO.

An ethos of resilience Hayes School, Bromley We focused on developing sustainable positive learning attitudes by reinforcing the importance of resilience in pupils’ learning. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Secondary Academy 1, 202 10% £ 109, 395. 00 Our school challenges • Disadvantaged pupils had negative attitudes to learning; they had very little resilience and frequently gave up in lessons. How we did it • • • We worked with Target Cohort pupils to explore what resilience is, and how often they demonstrate resilience in their learning. As learning detectives, our Target Cohort visited a range of classrooms and highlighted evidence of resilience demonstrated by other pupils. Using the knowledge they gained from being learning detectives, Target Cohort pupils helped to create posters and planner pages that help pupils across the school identify different ways they can be more resilient in their learning. They also created a resilience plenary for teachers to use in their lessons so they can offer more opportunities for pupils to demonstrate resilience. Target Cohort pupils also made passports that are used to record instances where they have been resilient in class. Now, all pupils are given resilience grades on their school reports, reinforcing its importance in their learning. Our impact What we learnt • • There has been a significant improvement in attendance and attitudes for our Challenge the Gap Target Cohort. Concepts of resilience and growth mindsets now permeate our school environment. The more passive pupils in our Target Cohort have demonstrated an increased sense of belonging and self-worth. We have observed outstanding outcomes in creating positive learning behaviours. Staff now know how best to support each individual pupil. • • Collaboration is essential for effectively tackling such a complex issue, both within our own school and with our local schools. Working closely with colleagues from a range of departments has been extremely beneficial, allowing us to develop coordinate strategies across the school, which enables us to better support our disadvantaged pupils. We have learnt the importance of using class time to build on pupils’ learning skills as well as their knowledge, rather than extra-curricular interventions. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Hayes are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Sarah Moss and Beth Tanner. Sarah is an Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Director of the Impact Teaching School Alliance and Programme Lead for Challenge the Gap at Hayes. Beth is a KS 5 maths coordinator and Lead Teacher for Pupil Premium Strategies, as well as a Challenge the Gap and ‘Outstanding Teacher Programme’ Facilitator.

Sustainable peer mentoring Kingsbridge Community College, Devon Introducing a peer mentor system has improved the engagement and achievement of target pupils, as well as upskilled our sixth form pupils. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Secondary Academy 1, 051 15% £ 143, 990 Our school challenges • Our Year 8 Challenge the Gap Target Cohort needed support with maths and English beyond the classroom, both academically and in terms of learning skills. • Focusing on these pupils helped us to realise that they did not have a clear understanding of how best to learn and often demonstrated a lack of resilience when responding to failure in these subjects. How we did it • • • Sixth formers were trained in coaching skills, promoting metacognitive thinking and developing a growth mindset to better cope with challenges and setbacks. Our ‘Core Coaching’ trainer ran three certified workshops for 25 Year 12/13 pupils. Mentors were fully briefed on the project and the challenges we were trying to address. Mentors were matched to Year 8 pupils according to their personal and academic profiles. We started the programme with a launch night where parents were invited along to meet mentors, which was very successful. Since then, weekly breakfast meetings take place at the school where our Target Cohort receive support from their peer mentors using the Challenge the Gap Learner Logs and Pupil Surveys to guide conversations and encourage reflective learning. Our impact • • Pupils’ Learner Logs cite the work they are doing with mentors as having a positive impact on their learning. On average, each pupil in the Target Cohort has made better than expected progress compared with other disadvantaged pupils in the year group. 74% of the Target Cohort have gone up by one or more effort grades according to our latest internal data harvest. 86% of the families invited to meet their child’s mentor at our Challenge the Gap project launch attended. Feedback from those parents has been extremely positive. What we learnt • • • It was challenging to share the barriers to learning for each individual mentee with their mentors, but the Year 12 s handled this information maturely. Because this scheme has worked so well, we will train new groups of Year 12 pupils to become peer mentors each year. It is important that we don’t waste our hard work. That is why our current mentors will become Learning Mentors for disadvantaged pupils elsewhere in the school, or for the Year 9 pupils starting their GCSEs. Want to find out more? • • Find out else what the team at Kingsbridge are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Lorwyn Randall and Jon Eaton. Lorwyn is Assistant Principal for Teaching & Learning, and has been both Facilitator and Programme Lead for the Kingsbridge Cluster’s Challenge the Gap Programme. Jon is an English teacher and facilitates Challenge the Gap in the Kingsbridge Cluster. Jon is also a licensed trainer for Kagan Cooperative Learning.

Self-reflective teaching Lampton Academy, Hounslow We are trialling sports-based performance management theories to evaluate and improve classroom teaching and learning. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Secondary Academy 1, 130 33% £ 352, 495 Our school challenges • Pupils from low-income backgrounds were consistently passive, compliant and underachieving. • These pupils also lacked self-confidence and had low engagement in the classroom. How we did it • We trialled sports-based principles for improvement to develop our teaching practice, because great teachers lead to great learning. • Lessons were recorded and we worked through video footage with a mentor on a weekly basis, using the recordings to help us reflect on our practice and how it could be even better. • In our lessons, we trialled learning from Challenge the Gap workshops that would provide longterm gains for pupils. • We also provided some coaching sessions to pupils in our Challenge the Gap Target Cohort to unpick what their teachers could do to help them learn more effectively in lessons. Answers were enlightening, including the need to give pupils more opportunity to talk and find the answers for themselves. • Our project and its developments were shared with pupils’ parents throughout the year. Our impact What we learnt • Pupil communication, engagement and behaviour has improved within lessons, as well as greater self-awareness of learning needs. • A target group of teachers have greater awareness about the way they teach, and how to adapt this for different audiences (e. g. disadvantaged pupils). • It works - classroom based improvements for disadvantaged pupils have greatest impact. • To have greater impact, we will begin our cascade by engaging one lead teacher from each department, piloting from September. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Lampton are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Alan Keane and Mark Bennett. Alan is the school’s Challenge the Gap leader. He is a PE teacher, member of SLT and finalist of sports teacher of the year 2013. Mark Bennett MBE has experience in soldier training for the British Commandos and is now involved in training, mentoring and coaching for individual and team performance.

Developing the Prime Areas of Learning Pickhurst Infant Academy, Bromley We developed the Prime Areas of Learning by setting higher expectations for pupils, and by working with parents to support children’s learning. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Infant Academy 360 9% £ 40, 920. 00 Our school challenges • Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) on entry data analysis identified significant gaps in communication & language, poor fine motor skills and underdeveloped characteristics of learning. • Low parental engagement was also a contributing factor amongst these pupils. How we did it • The focus for our Challenge the Gap Target Cohort in our first term on the programme was developing their spoken language, fine motor skills and resilience through Quality First Teaching. • We set high expectations of spoken language for all pupils: pupils respond in full sentences to all questions. • We used rich texts to encourage reading for pleasure and to create shared language experiences that provide stimulus for activities in class. • We introduced Forest School for all pupils - pupils can learn to lead activities, fail at tasks and push through challenge in a safe environment and that the learning is drawn upon back in the classroom. • Over the year, the EYFS Team engaged Target parents in their child's learning, leading to increased parental engagement and knowledge of how to support their children with learning. Our impact What we learnt • From on entry to end of Reception this group progressed from 0% age related to 80% age related in speaking. There were similar gains for self-confidence and self-awareness. • In the Spring Term of 2015, all targeted parents attended pupil achievement meetings and celebrations of learnings without individual prompts. • Key principles and strategies developed through the programme are seen as a core part of Quality First Teaching, rather than optional, add-on initiatives and are built into the School Improvement Plan. • It takes time, dedication and involvement from all staff to understand the needs of these pupils and respond accordingly but it is necessary, and worth it. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Pickhurst Infants are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Liz Laws and Esin Aziz. Liz is the Head of School at Pickhurst, whilst Esin is the Deputy Head and leads on Challenge the Gap across the school.

A Boost in writing confidence Pickhurst Junior Academy, Bromley We have introduced reading and writing interventions that build our pupils’ confidence in their literacy skills. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Primary Academy 529 14% £ 100, 320. 00 Our school challenges • Before we joined Challenge the Gap, our provision targeted at accelerating progress in reading and writing for disadvantaged pupils was limited. • Pupils selected for our Challenge the Gap Target Cohort (the ‘Boost’ goup) were typically passive, compliant children, who did not contribute in class and had low self-confidence. How we did it • • We created Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPAG) games, inspired by Pie Corbett and our Head of English, to help pupils learn in an enjoyable way. Resources for these games are available at home as well school. Our Challenge the Gap Team ran sessions for parents to help them understand how they could better support their child with reading and writing at home. We introduced a reading mentor scheme across the school - each pupil from a disadvantaged background is paired with a member of staff in the school to read aloud to on a regular basis. For pupils in the Boost group, at risk of underachieving, we organised a Teddy Bear’s Picnic and a trip to Hever Castle, with accompanying writing tasks before and after the events. We got this idea after seeing evidence from schools in another Challenge the Gap Cluster that using cultural experiences was improving the writing skills of their Target Cohort pupils. Our impact What we learnt • • The attendance among Boost pupils increased, by as much as 5% for some. We observed an increase in confidence and school participation among the Boost group: • One pupil said that having the opportunity to work through SPAG activities before class gave her the confidence to get involved in the lesson. • One pupil made 18 terms’ progress in one year thanks to her reading mentor. Parents of our Boost group are noticeably more engaged in their child’s learning. • It is difficult to strike a balance between content -rich and enjoyable SPAG activities, but it is essential to find that balance to engage pupils. Get everyone in your school involved in your activities for these pupils to maximise your impact. We have run an INSET for all staff, and we now have a Boost group across three year groups. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Pickhurst Juniors are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Sarah Larkin and Kathleen Bracey. Sarah and Kathleen are teaching assistants at Pickhurst Junior Academy, and have been ‘paraprofessionals’ on the school’s Challenge the Gap Team since the Pickhurst Juniors joined the programme in 2012.

The Turnaround Club St Fidelis Primary School, Bexleyheath We help our most vulnerable pupils reflect on their learning regularly so they can tell us what they need to succeed. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Primary Voluntary Aided 427 17% £ 95, 040 Our school challenges • In 2012, 58% of disadvantaged pupils were achieving Level 4 at KS 2, compared to 68% of disadvantaged pupils nationally. • Disadvantaged pupils were making slow progress in class, had poor motivation and low self-esteem. • Teachers weren’t confident about how they could improve outcomes for these pupils. How we did it • • We developed a “Turnaround” intervention, building on what we learnt from Challenge the Gap workshops, which targets our most vulnerable pupils. Target pupils have a structured conversation with an adult about their successes and challenges during the week, and to discuss targets for the week ahead. Pupils set their own targets, which are shared with their parents and teachers across the school. Intervention teachers and support staff meet every half term to monitor the impact of targeted interventions, setting out the best ways to move forward. Phase leaders and class teachers meet together once every half term for assessment analysis meetings, which aim to review the children’s progress and attainment and agree on the next steps. Our impact • • Disadvantaged pupils made progress that is significantly above national rates across all subjects in 2015. This has been a consistent pattern over the last three years. In 2015, the percentage of disadvantaged pupils attaining Level 4 at KS 2 has increased to 92%, compared to 70% of disadvantaged pupils nationally. Pupils who were previously unmotivated in class have become focused and engaged, leading on whole school activities such as cultivating an environmental garden. Challenge the Gap has strengthened our approach to Teaching and Learning for disadvantaged pupils by giving this group the profile they need in school. What we learnt • Invest regular time in reviewing the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and the provision that is made. • Create systems that help to embed the culture to ensure that change is secure. • Ensure that enough thought is given to sustaining change for these pupils in the long term, not just during this year or their time at St Fidelis. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at St Fidelis are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Mark Hannon and Conor Hanna. Mark has been the Headteacher for eight years at the school and Conor joined the school two years ago and is beginning his new role as Pupil Premium Coordinator.

Creating a Language for Learning St. James’ Catholic High School, High Barnet Creating a common language about how to learn more effectively improved the readiness and ability to learn of all pupils across our school. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Secondary Voluntary Aided 895 27% £ 227, 205 Our school challenges • Attainment gap of 18% between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. • Poor learning behaviour of disadvantaged pupils: they were unable to reflect on their learning; lacked resilience; and had little confidence to work with others successfully. How we did it • We introduced the ‘Learning to Learn’ approach within their classrooms after analysing conditions for effective learning and metacognitive strategies. • Pupils were set a learning objective, and a Learning to Learn objective, which were both reviewed at the end of class, eg. “I can manage distractions in this lesson” and “I can learn from others in this lesson”. • Developed a set of icons to symbolise the learning strategies we used throughout the school. • A Teaching and Learning Coordinator ensured that the Learning to Learn approach was implemented consistently across the school. • We introduced the approach as a key part of the St. James’ Lesson Strategy, and it is now considered a non-negotiable aspect of school teaching practice. Our impact What we learnt • Over one year (2013 - 2014), the attainment gap at St. James’ between disadvantaged pupils achieving 5 A*-C at GCSE and their peers reduced from 18% to 4%. • In 2015, the school celebrated a positive Value Added score of 1043 for disadvantaged pupils, outstripping the 1039 Value Added score of their peers. • It is important to keep practice as high profile as possible to engage all parents and staff. • New practice should be sustainable and applicable in every classroom. Our common language and visual icons were invaluable for helping all staff to understand the new approach. Want to find out more? • • Find out what else the team at St. James’ are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Lisa Johnston and Chris Babidge. Lisa is Head of KS 3 Geography at St James’, and leads the Challenge the Gap programme for the school. She has also led two local schools through their first year of the programme. Chris is one of the school’s former Trio leads for Challenge the Gap. His behaviour and oracy work with Challenge the Gap has been complemented by his role as Head of Student Learning and Key Stage 4 Coordinator in English.

The 6 Rs of effective learning Stanley Grove Primary Academy, Manchester Our pupils are ready to learn, resilient, reflective, resourceful, responsible and show reasoning when learning. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Primary Academy 571 59% £ 446, 160 Our school challenges • Our school has a large proportion of pupils eligible for Free School Meals, including pupils who are eligible but whose parents have not claimed. • We also have a large proportion of EAL learners, who need to be able to maintain focus throughout each lesson - if they lose concentration for even a short time, they may miss the key learning points. How we did it • Looking at research in Challenge the Gap workshops, like the Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit, highlighted how cost-effective teaching independent learning strategies can be. • Taking inspiration from Guy Claxton’s 4 Rs for effective learning, we made an adapted version of these for the Stanley Grove context - the 6 Rs. • We worked with our Challenge the Gap Target Cohort to create a character for each of our 6 identified learning characteristics (Ready Rabbit, Resourceful Squirrel, etc. ) • We helped our pupils to make posters and puppets, which supported their presentations in assemblies and classrooms about each characteristic. Their presentations explained why it is important to demonstrate the 6 Rs, and how pupils could do this. Our impact What we learnt • We have closed the progress gap: 68% of disadvantaged pupils achieved Level 4 at KS 4 in 2015, just 2% lower than disadvantaged pupils nationally. • Rated ‘Good’ from ‘Requires Improvement’ in 2014 - inspectors commented on pupils’ exemplary behaviour, willingness to learn and full attention in class. • Give children ownership of their learning - it allows their creativity and confidence to grow. • Make learning enjoyable! Our roll out of the 6 Rs for effective learning wouldn’t have been as successful if we hadn’t created our easy-to-identify characters. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Stanley Grove are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Jemma Scott and Karen Richardson. Jemma and Karen are teachers at Stanley Grove Primary Academy, and have both led the school’s Challenge the Gap programme.

The Reading Fairies Stanley Grove Primary Academy, Manchester We have fostered a love of reading among pupils, and a culture of reading across the school, by making reading an accessible and enjoyable experience for all pupils. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Primary Academy 571 59% £ 446, 160 Our school challenges • Pupils often have no access to books outside school and no encouragement from families to read at home. Our pupils didn’t read for pleasure, and some couldn’t name their favourite book. How we did it • • • Our Challenge the Gap Team organised for a book from the Horrid Henry series to be posted to every pupil in Year 3. A mysterious note from ‘the Reading Fairy’ suggested that pupils bring their book to school to show their friends and teachers. We ran a book club for target pupils that needed extra encouragement to engage with reading, with an emphasis on enjoying reading, rather than vocabulary. Time for every child to read was introduced into Year 3 classrooms for 30 minutes each day. Class teachers began to share the books they love, displaying the title of their favourite childhood book next to their name on their classroom door. We engaged parents and the local community in our initiative by organising a carnival in summer 2014, the Big Book Bash, to celebrate reading and books. This outreach had a huge turnout, and has had the desired effect. This year, our school has linked with non-profit, the Books Trust, which enables them to provide a books package to every pupil in the school. Our impact What we learnt • • After just one year of Reading Fairies, target pupils’ had made an average of five points progress in reading. This trend continued for pupils in the second year of the scheme. Pupils can now talk about what books they like and who their favourite authors are. In a recent book fayre, the Book People sold over £ 1, 000 of books to pupils and their families. • • To encourage a love of reading, choose books children will enjoy reading. Horrid Henry isn’t ‘highbrow’ but it changed our pupils’ attitude to reading for pleasure. Picking a series aimed at a variety of age groups enabled us to discreetly provide a book of the right level to each pupil in the year group. Working with subject specialists from the local secondary school through Challenge the Gap proved excellent professional development for our teachers. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Stanley Grove are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Jemma Scott and Karen Richardson. Jemma and Karen are teachers at Stanley Grove Primary Academy, and have both led the school’s Challenge the Gap programme.

Positive Masculinity Tiverton High School, Devon Building strong, positive relationships between boys at Tiverton has helped them to form a new identity for themselves, where they expect themselves and their friends to achieve. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Foundation School 1240 23% £ 272, 085. 00 Our school challenges • A -24. 2 gap in the Value Added (VA) score between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. • Boys from disadvantaged backgrounds made the least amount of progress. From our knowledge of our local community, we believed that this was due to a culture of low expectations. How we did it • • • We selected 15 boys, all underachieving, as our Challenge the Gap Target Cohort. During 20 -minute weekly sessions, we delivered a curriculum of topics focused on increasing the aspirations and expectations of these boys, with the aim of increasing their desire to achieve in and beyond the classroom. This curriculum included some sessions on positive masculinity. Our positive masculinity sessions each had specific aims that we wanted our pupils to achieve, e. g. to understand what masculinity means for them, to challenge their perceptions of what it means to be a man and to identify positive male role models. We helped our pupils think about what they wanted to achieve at school and in life, and discussed what steps they would need to take in order to achieve their ambitions. We focussed on building positive relationships between the boys in the group. Our impact What we learnt • • After one year, 85% of the Challenge the Gap Target Cohort were making a minimum of three levels progress. 78% of the Cohort had improved their attendance and 95% of the Cohort said that their self-confidence had improved. One boy told us, “the most important influence that being part of the Challenge the Gap group had on me was the positive relationships I was able to build. Our group had a really good impact on each other. ” The gap in the VA score between disadvantaged pupils and their non-disadvantaged peers shrunk to 3. 6 in 2015. • In order to close gaps, it has been essential to make our pupils want to achieve. Pupils need to be aware of their learning and their behaviour for learning, and also be aware of the positive consequences that can come from a change in attitude. It is essential to tailor interventions to the needs of the specific community our school serves. Working with other schools locally, with access to international research and a national network through Challenge the Gap, has been instrumental for us. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Tiverton are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Tom Williams. Tom is Assistant Headteacher at Tiverton High School, where he has whole school responsibility for aaspirations including pupil premium achievement and attainment. Tom is part of the Future Leaders programme, and the lead for the school’s Challenge the Gap programme.

Creating a reflective classroom Victoria Junior School, Hounslow We train our pupils to be independent learners, using a variety of classroombased strategies. Our school School type Number of pupils % Disadvantaged pupils £ Pupil premium Primary Community 335 37% £ 162, 360 Our school challenges • Our pupils were overly-reliant on teacher input and support in lessons, particularly those from a low socio-economic background. • Pupils had poor behaviour for learning. How we did it • In class, we have introduced a limited number of question cards each lesson - each pupil can only ask their teacher for help three times. Otherwise, they must use their resourcefulness and their peers to find their own solutions to their problems. • We have set up Help Desks (where pupils can find both general and subject-specific resources to help them get an answer) and Answer Stations (where quicker learners can mark their own work and find extension tasks). • We created ‘Meta-menus’. All pupils understand what metacognition means, and these menus are used in at least one lesson a day to structure their thinking about their learning (Starter questions ask what skills pupils will need to complete a task; Mains support reflection on how to tackle the main activity; Desserts help pupils to consider what they’ve learnt in the lesson). • Pupils that we want to make accelerated progress have been selected as Expert Learners - they support their peers with their learning in class. Their confidence and engagement in particular have increased dramatically. Our impact • Pupils own their learning. Their independence has been commented on as a real strength by external visitors to Victoria Juniors. • We have narrowed, and almost closed, our attainment gap: 79% disadvantaged pupils achieved Level 4 at KS 2 in 2015, compared to 80% of all pupils nationally. What we learnt • Classroom strategies to develop independent learning alongside lesson content take some time to set up, but they are the most effective way to improve outcomes for all pupils in a consistent way. Want to find out more? • Find out what else the team at Victoria Juniors are doing to improve outcomes for all their pupils: contact ctg@challengepartners. org. • This case study was presented at the 2016 Challenge Partners National Conference by Stef Florczyk. Stef has been the teacher and the leader of her school’s Challenge the Gap Team since the school joined in 2013. This year, she is also co-facilitating the Lampton Cluster’s Challenge the Gap workshops. In school, Stef is Pupil Premium and Maths Coordinator.