Detail

Data

 Academy name

Co-op Academy Smithies Moor

Number of pupils in academy

146

Proportion (%) of pupil premium eligible pupils

51%

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

2024-2027

Date this statement was published

2024

Date on which it will be reviewed

termly

Statement authorised by

Pupil premium lead

Rob Dawson

Governor / Trustee lead

Linda Walton

Detail

Amount

Pupil premium funding allocation this academic year

£134,680.

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

£134,680

Statement of intent

Co-op Academy Smithies Moor has an increasing percentage of pupils in receipt of pupil premium funding. From 2021 to September 2024 the percentage has increased from 39% to 45% indicating that more of our pupils are facing disadvantage year on year. We continue to be determined that we will empower our pupils so that they have the opportunity to make a positive contribution to society. With the aim of improving pupils’ life chances we are passionate about giving our pupils opportunities outside of their usual experiences and environment. To this end, we spend 50% of the Pupil Premium grant on improving the quality of educational offer pupils receive through curriculum development and quality assurance. Professional development for our teaching staff is a fundamental part of this.

For most of our pupils, developing a rich vocabulary is a high priority in order to develop confidence in sharing their own thoughts and opinions with others. We expect children to engage actively in lessons and to develop a strong work ethic. Learning about careers and employability is a key focus running throughout the curriculum. Our children will have ambition and high aspirations for their futures. Each child’s capacity to see possibilities in the world will be developed—their horizons broadened. Children will know that their aspirations will be reached through hard work and determination. Our intention is that, when children leave Smithies Moor, they do so with the knowledge, understanding and emotional regulation to be able to play an active role in today’s society. We want our children to have high aspirations, a belief in themselves and realise that anything is possible if they put their mind to it. These are the principles which underpin our curriculum development and, hence, our Pupil Premium spending.

As a Co-op school we strive to ensure our children develop a strong sense of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.

Self-help – so that children learn how to empower themselves and by doing this have an insight into how they can contribute positively to society.

Self-responsibility – so that they know the importance of taking responsibility for and answering to their own actions.

Democracy and equality – so they begin to understand the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance.

Equity and solidarity – so that they know how important it is to hear every individual’s voice.

Our pupil premium strategy plan works towards achieving these objectives by providing all pupils who access the pupil premium grant with high quality teaching and learning alongside a well sequenced and ambitious curriculum offer. This has a key focus on early reading and key knowledge so that pupils know and understand more over time.

We acknowledge that some pupils need extra opportunities to practise, rehearse and revisit core knowledge including language, vocabulary, reading and number work. As well as offering high quality teaching and learning, our pupil premium strategy plan includes details of targeted academic support, including for those pupils who are in the lowest attaining 20% and are not yet achieving ARE. The targeted academic support focuses on raising pupils’ attainment through small groups and one: one intervention. Therefore, we allocate a quarter of our Pupil Premium funding to enable small group interventions and tuition to take place.

Through our curriculum, we prioritise pupils’ moral development. We are passionate about our children having the courage to make the right moral choices, regardless of who is watching.

At the heart of our curriculum, our children will have opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding in order to show tolerance of others’ beliefs, religions and life choices. Our children will be kind. They will show empathy and compassion and above all they will have the integrity to make a positive contribution to the world around them. Our children will have healthy minds, showing they are emotionally happy and resilient learners, and they will stay true to themselves, valuing their own identity. They will learn how to build positive, respectful relationships with other people. We are acutely aware that, if pupils do not have good attendance rates, they will not benefit from our educational offer and their chances of future success will be limited. Therefore, a quarter of our Pupil Premium funding is allocated to supporting pupils and their families to attend well, and to pupils’ social and emotional well-being.

Challenge number

Detail of challenge

1

Attendance and Persistent Absence 

Our attendance to October 2025 was 92.3% (compared to 94.7% in similar schools), with a persistent absence rate of 26.7% (similar schools: 17.6%).
This demonstrates that attendance remains a significant barrier for many of our pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged. Low attendance directly and negatively impacts pupils’ ability to engage with the curriculum, retain new learning and make expected progress.

To address this, the strategy prioritises:

• Embedding a strong culture of attendance across the school
• Strengthening early identification of pupils at risk of PA
• Increasing family engagement and support
• Ensuring excellent daily classroom provision so that pupils feel successful and motivated to attend

Improving our whole-school attendance and reducing PA remains essential to enabling all pupils—especially disadvantaged pupils—to benefit fully from their education.

2

Low Starting Points and Early Language Delay

A significant number of pupils enter EYFS with skills and abilities below age-related expectations, particularly in communication and language. Many disadvantaged pupils have had limited early literacy experiences, reduced access to language-rich interactions, and fewer opportunities that promote vocabulary development.

As a result:

• Speech and language delays are common on entry
• Pupils often begin school with underdeveloped decoding skills
• Gaps in communication and early literacy persist into KS1 and KS2 without targeted intervention

Closing these gaps quickly is central to improving long-term outcomes.

3

Risk of Low Attainment Across EYFS, KS1 and KS2

There is an ongoing risk that some pupils—particularly those eligible for Pupil Premium—may not achieve age-related expectations in reading, writing and maths across all key stages.

Key contributing factors include:

• Early language delay leading to slower acquisition of phonics, comprehension skills and written composition
• Weak foundational knowledge in number, place value and arithmetic, limiting future mathematical fluency
• Reduced access to high-quality reading materials and learning experiences beyond school, widening the attainment gap as pupils progress
• Inconsistent learning behaviours or disrupted learning, often linked to attendance, wellbeing, or home circumstances
• Lower levels of prior attainment which require sustained, high-quality teaching and targeted intervention over time

As a result, disadvantaged pupils are at heightened risk of:

• Not meeting end-of-year expectations
• Slower progress compared to peers
• Struggling to access the wider curriculum as content becomes more demanding

This strategy therefore prioritises:

• High-quality teaching and curriculum sequencing
• Evidence-informed interventions
• Frequent assessment to identify and close gaps rapidly
• Strong reading provision, including phonics, fluency and comprehension
• Targeted support in writing and mathematics

4

Limited Cultural Capital and Reduced Access to Wider Experiences

Some pupils have limited exposure to enrichment opportunities that support wider learning and personal development. This can affect:

• background knowledge needed to access the curriculum
• aspiration and motivation
• awareness of possible future education, careers and life pathways
• access to extracurricular clubs, trips and cultural experiences

Enhancing cultural capital through planned experiences, enrichment, and community engagement is therefore a core element of our approach.

5

Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) and Wellbeing Needs

Many disadvantaged pupils experience adverse circumstances, including barriers linked to social, emotional, mental health and physical wellbeing. Limited access to early health services and support networks further compounds these difficulties.

Following the pandemic, the number of pupils requiring:

• support with self-regulation,
• help to manage emotions,
• nurture or wellbeing interventions, and
• small-group pastoral support

has increased.

These factors can hinder learning, concentration, relationships and attendance. The strategy prioritises targeted SEMH provision, high-quality pastoral support and early identification.

Intended outcome

Success criteria

1. Improved attendance and reduced persistent absence, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.

• Whole-school attendance improves to at least in line with or above similar schools.
• Persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils reduces year-on-year.
• Clear, consistent systems for early identification and intervention are embedded.
• Families engage positively with school attendance support.
• Improved punctuality and increased time in school leads to improved learning behaviours and progress.

2. Rapid improvement in early language, communication and literacy skills, especially in EYFS.

• A greater proportion of pupils enter KS1 with age-appropriate communication and language skills.
• Fewer pupils require SALT intervention over time due to strengthened universal provision.
• Accelerated progress in early phonics, vocabulary acquisition and early reading.
• EYFS GLD outcomes for disadvantaged pupils improve and gaps begin to narrow.

3. Increased attainment and progress in reading, writing and maths across EYFS, KS1 and KS2.

• Year-on-year increase in pupils meeting age-related expectations across all core subjects.
• Disadvantaged pupils make sustained and accelerated progress, reducing the attainment gap.
• High-quality teaching and curriculum sequencing is evident in lesson visits, books and assessments.
• Timely, evidence-based interventions show measurable impact and are monitored for effectiveness.
• Improved reading fluency and comprehension enables broader curriculum access.

4. Enhanced cultural capital and wider experiences for disadvantaged pupils.

• All disadvantaged pupils access a broad range of enrichment, visits, clubs and cultural experiences.
• Improved background knowledge supports better engagement in subjects such as history, geography, art and English.
• Increased participation in extracurricular activities and community events.
• Pupils articulate higher aspirations and have greater awareness of future pathways.

5. Improved social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) outcomes, leading to better learning behaviours and readiness to learn.

• Pupils receiving SEMH support show improved self-regulation, resilience and emotional literacy.
• Reduction in behaviour incidents, internal interventions and time out of class.
• Strong pastoral systems ensure early identification and timely intervention.
• Improved attendance and engagement for pupils with SEMH needs.
• Positive pupil voice indicates increased wellbeing, safety, and belonging.

Budgeted cost

£ 70,000

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Ensure all relevant staff (including new staff) have received paid-for training to deliver the phonics scheme effectively RWInc consultant

DfE guidance on reading

EEF research on Phonics

1, 4

Joint monitoring and support with RWI Consultants

Phonics monitoring and evaluation by subject leader

EEF  research on Phonics

DfE guidance on reading

1, 4

Ensure all relevant staff (including new staff) have the knowledge they need to deliver the reading curriculum effectively

EEF Research on reading comprehension

1, 4

All staff have the knowledge they need to deliver a high quality curriculum ensuring teaching and learning is at least good

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/hmci-commentary-curriculum-and-the-new-education-inspection-framework

1, 2,3,4,5

Monitoring of reading offer by subject leaders and Directors

Research on reading comprehension

1,4

Recruitment of an additional teacher - Executive KS2 teacher to support the development of good quality first teaching.

EEF Research

1,2,3,4

Embedding of curriculum to promote careers and aspirations (see CRL development plan)

https://www.thecdi.net/New-Career-Development-Framework

1,2,3,4,5

Ensure teaching identifies and addresses pupils’ gaps in learning

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/eef-blog-the-impact-of-covid-19-and-catching-up

1,2,3,4,5

Purchase quality maths resources and online CPD linked to Whiterose maths

https://www.mathematicsmastery.org/EEF-independent-impact-study

1,2,3,4

Subscriptions to online app and programs

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/five-evidence-based-strategies-pupils-with-special-educational-needs-send

https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/Rosenshine.pdf

1,2,3,4

Budgeted cost

£ 32 340

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Tutor Trust Private Tuition Maths for 24 Year 6 (students 1: 3 and 15 hours).

EEF research on small group tuition

1,2,3,4,5

 PETXi three day intensive Maths course for Year 6 students

https://www.pet-xi.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Goffs-School.pdf

1,2,3,4,5

Small group interventions for reading, writing and maths for disadvantaged pupils falling behind age-related expectations

EEF  research on Phonics

DfE guidance on reading

EEF research on TA interventions

1,2,4

Small group interventions for reading, writing and maths for disadvantaged pupils falling behind age-related expectations including SHINE interventions

EEF research on TA interventions

EEF  research on Phonics

DfE guidance on reading

1,2,4

Speech and language therapy and interventions- WELLCOMM and BUZZ therapist

https://www.rand.org/randeurope/research/projects/neli-evaluation-nuffield-early-language-intervention.html

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/62000-reception-pupils-to-take-part-in-early-language-programme

1,4

Delivery of quality RWI and Fresh Start interventions and Fast Track tutoring

EEF  research on Phonics

DfE guidance on reading

1,2,3,4.5

Budgeted cost

£ 32 340

Activity

Evidence that supports this approach

Challenge number(s) addressed

Residential visits as part of the curriculum offer for UKS2 (Y5 and Y6)

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/outdoor-adventure-learning

1,2,3,4,5

Visits or visitors are part of the curriculum offer including: museums, galleries, libraries, parks, gardens, higher education institutes and workplaces

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-inspection-framework/education-inspection-framework

1,2,3,4,5

Monitoring and analysis of pupils’ engagement in and commitment to extracurricular offer and educational enhancements inc educational visits.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-inspection-framework/education-inspection-framework

1,2,3,4,5

Pastoral support is in place to ensure the wellbeing, safety and behaviour for learning of pupils allowing them to be ready to learn

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/send-review

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/support-for-schools/school-improvement-planning/3-wider-strategies

1,2,3,4,5

Reduce persistent absenteeism/ link to Senior Learning Mentor/  attendance officer, home visits and data analysis.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-attendance/framework-for-securing-full-attendance-actions-for-schools-and-local-authorities

1,2,

Free daily breakfast club for PP children with poor attendance/ PA (inc free breakfast grant application with Kelloggs and National breakfast programme)

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/magic-breakfast

1,2,3

Talk and Toast for all PP children to have enrichment social time over daily breakfast time.

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/magic-breakfast

1,2,3

Increase the parental engagement with the academy through welcome meetings, workshops, information evenings, parents’ evening and the availability of a safe space

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/review-of-evidence-on-parental-engagement

1,2,3,4,5

Total budgeted cost

£134, 680

Pupil premium strategy outcomes

Disadvantaged pupils’ attainment and progress improved significantly in 2023-24 at KS2. The progress of disadvantaged pupils at the end of KS2 was significant and is an indicator that the continued focus on high quality teaching in the first instance is having a positive impact on our pupils the longer they are with us. The improvement in outcomes is indicative of the drive Co-op Academy Smithies Moor has to continue to improve the life chances for all pupils - but particularly those with the additional challenge of disadvantage. There is still work to do in KS1 to further close the gap between pupil premium and non.

GLD

Pupils achieving GLD at the end of reception class in Summer 2024.

All pupils : 67%

Non Disadvantaged: 66%  (18 pupils)

Disadvantaged: 50% ( 2 pupils)

Year 1 phonics

Summer Phonics data shows that 90% (18/20) passed the Phonics Screening Checks in June 2024. This increased from the previous year from 81%. For those pupils that are regular attenders, the ‘Fast Track’ phonics intervention programme has had a positive impact.  

Year 2 phonics

Summer phonics data shows that 92% cumulatively passed the phonics screening which is an increase from the previous year. The percentage of disadvantaged pupils who cumulatively passed the Phonics Screening Checks 2024 was 89%

End of KS1 outcomes

End of KS2 outcomes

Attendance data - All pupils 2023-24 attendance - 91.97%

                              Pupil premium children attendance - 91.25%

Pupil premium children have access to extracurricular clubs and activities. These have been led by staff internally or by external services such as Legacy Sports and Multi-skills. Educational visits, including the Year 6 residential, were funded so that no child was unable to attend due to their disadvantaged circumstances. Further activities and visits will continue throughout the next academic year, ensuring every child has equal opportunities.