Agenda item

1.    Mrs Game welcomed the Headteacher of Maidstone Grammar School for Girls; Deborah Stanley and the Select Committee Members to the Select Committee meeting to discuss Pupil Premium funding. She invited all those present to introduce themselves.

 

2.    Deborah Stanley explained that she had been Headteacher at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls for almost 3 years and has the responsibility of day to day running of the school, of which 1,200 students are predominately girls. Deborah Stanley commented about her representation to Maidstone Grammar School for Girls, Maidstone Grammar School for Boys and Oakwood Park Grammar and went on to explain her role as part of Mid Kent teachers appeal for the 11+, where primary teachers put forward to a Panel pupils work and explained that Pupil Premium students were the area focus. 

 

3.    Deborah Stanley went on to explain that as of December 2017, 75 of those pupils are Pupil Premium in years 7-11 and another 18 in sixth form that are going off to University. Deborah Stanley commented that the number of Pupil Premium students was at an average and stated that in East Kent there were more Pupil Premium students as opposed to West Kent that had less.

 

4.    Q- It was asked for Mrs Stanley to clarify the schools bursary in sixth form.

 

5.    Deborah Stanley commented that Pupil Premium students up to year 11 were allocated in a different way to sixth form students. EMA enable students to stay in education but the challenges of Pupil Premium were managed strategically under the same bracket as the bursary. 

 

6.    A member of the Panel asked about the Head Teachers appeal panel and what happened if a child missed a mark and what the range would be.

 

7.    Deborah Stanley responded that it would be different to where you were located in Kent as there are more pressures on school places and a higher threshold in particular areas.

 

8.    A member of the Panel continued the question previously by asking what the case would be if a child missed out on 5 or 10 marks.

 

9.    Deborah Stanley explained that they would be looking at the individuals pass mark or what occurred on the day of the test; such as a family bereavement that may have affected their result. The consideration of Pupil Premium students would be taken in account but not automatically put through.

 

10.Deborah Stanley explained that their greatest challenge was the quality of evidence provided by the head Teacher at the primary school. 

 

11.The Chair commented on how the school spend and track Pupil Premium funding.

 

12.Deborah Stanley explained that most of their Pupil Premium students were within Ever 6 and free school meals and were tracked as individuals. Each student would be given a number and this is logged onto a system to assess their money and what students spent and evaluate why. The DFE will contact parents if they are entitled to Pupil Premium upon checking data systems but this can be once the student has started at the school.  Deborah Stanley raised concern that parents don’t know that they are entitled to Pupil Premium and wanted to encourage the awareness. Pupil Premium funding covers the costs of books and additional resources that are recommended to all students; on free school meals or not within the Pupil Premium bracket will be given extra curriculum provision. Deborah Stanley researched that food technology and music were both subjects with hidden costs and students would need to fund themselves in order to get top grades but through their funding, the success on Pupil Premium students taking part in food technology had risen because they were provided with supermarket vouchers to purchase ingredients. Deborah Stanley added that Pupil Premium students starting GCSE and A level’s are provided with vouchers to Waterstones along with the ability to print homework in school, as this may be limited at home due to costs.

 

13.Q – A member of the Panel asked if the school didn’t have the funding, what would the experiences to the students be and the difference it would make?

 

14.Deborah Stanley responded that before Pupil Premium there wasn’t the money to fund revision resources or uniform but some support was used towards school trips.

 

15.Q- Do students know they are Pupil Premium if they are provided with vouchers? 

 

16.Deborah Stanley commented that the vouchers go to the parent and not the child because it may be spent on other things despite what it’s meant to be for.

 

17.Q – In response to Deborah Stanley, a member commented on whether has happened?

 

18.Deborah Stanley explained that it wasn’t in the nature of the students and there has never been a problem. It was commented that they had to be careful as some parents do not want their children knowing they are Pupil Premium.

 

19.Q- A lot of what is provided are material goods rather than extra lessons, which is much more obvious to establish who has Pupil premium as there must be a dividing line. Students turning up in new uniform may become resented to those who may have uniform second hand, do girls turn up every year in a new uniform or do they blend in? 

 

20.Deborah Stanley responded that they blend in due to the nature of the uniform; a blouse and skirt.

 

21.Q - Thinking about other people on that dividing line, is there any issues?

 

22.Deborah Stanley explained that occasionally there may be but it’s spoken through with families to see if they may qualify. It was commented that parents may go years without knowing they are entitled to Pupil Premium and others that aren’t as common are parents who lose their job and it that case, becomes an emergency.

 

23.Q –Do you try and work with primary schools about issues and what resources that you may require to establish Pupil Premium pupils? It’s in your best interest that a primary school should do a good job on this.

 

24.Deborah Stanley commented the work isn’t being done early enough at primary schools to encourage parents to register for the 11+. According to Data, the percentage of Pupil Premium pupils who drop out of the 11+ is higher but the cohort of Pupil Premium pupils percentage is outran at head teacher appeals. Deborah Stanley explained that they hold activities within primary schools during the academic year to identify Pupil Premium students and their potential to take the 11+.

 

25.Q-Do you go to evening meetings at primary schools?

 

26.Deborah Stanley responded that they will always go if they are invited along.

 

27.Q- How do you track progress of Pupil Premium pupils in school?

 

28.Deborah Stanley explained that they track Pupil Premium pupils and that all staff members are aware who they are via registers and planners, so that they can gather extra recourses and revision material those students may require. Pupil Premium students along with other students have 1:1 sessions as appropriate that fit around the students time table to encourage extra curriculum. Students are monitored by senior staff if they think they’re under achieving but in 2016 out of 7 Pupil Premium pupils, 4 went off to university and 3 went to employment. In 2017, out of 11 Pupil Premium pupils 7 went off to university, 1 did an apprenticeship, 1 went to college, 1 took a gap year and the other was unknown.

 

29.Q- In your school you get more parents who are engaged in their children’s education. Those who are entitled to Pupil Premium but don’t want to be labelled, do you have a lot of motivation from those students?

 

30.Deborah Stanley explained that they have a spread of pupils whose home life is destructive and their circumstances may be prohibited by a financial background. External agencies that are working with families may cause pupils to under achieve, or if there are problems outside the environment that prohibits a child from achieving.

 

31.Q- Does this happen with Pupil Premium pupils or across the board?

 

32.Deborah Stanley commented it was a general statement, across the board.

 

33.Q- Is attendance an issue?

 

34.Deborah Stanley responded that it followed in the same situation where finances, traumas, difficulties and multiple agencies involved can cause low attendance but this was irrelevant with Pupil Premium pupils.

 

35.Q- How do you get Pupil Premium pupils engaged?

 

36.Deborah Stanley explained that they promote at opening evenings and will support families through the process, such as providing uniform and helping with travel arrangements. Dependant on primary schools, getting the message out can depend on the nature of the school, whether the Head Teacher is proactive and the Governors promote the 11+.

 

37.Q-Do you think that there are Head Teachers that believe children lack of experiences and prevents them from achieving?

 

38.Deborah Stanley commented that the Head Teacher or Governing body at primary schools may not be as encouraging as others.

 

39.Q –Do you think that the way Pupil Premium funding at your school has been effective in narrowing the attainment gap?

 

40.Deborah Stanley explained that there is a gap but it has got has smaller due to a number of factors: getting staff to know who the students are, providing support and tracking students 3 times a year.  Tracking the number of sub groups such as Pupil Premium and those who have English as an additional language, as the school will look at these students and address concerns, such as providing students with revision books, printing homework and enabling them to go on enrichment trips.

 

41.Q- In Grammar schools, you will have Pupil Premium students who are bright and gifted but come to secondary and fail. Is this a big issue?

 

42.Deborah Stanley explained that as a group, they are performing below the cohort but the attainment gap has got smaller.  If a student who was in difficult circumstances and did not attend school, then this would create a larger attainment gap. Deborah Stanley commented that all their students are bright and cope in the environment, which is evident in school and will achieve well as they head off to university.

 

43.Q – Do you know how common it is for transport to become an issue? And do you think this is a good idea?

 

44.Deborah Stanley commented that it would be good to encourage selective schools to offer transport as parents will look at the school next door because it’s their local school; selective schools may go over that barrier.

 

45.Q- Do you think free school meals are the right criteria to use?

 

46.Deborah Stanley refereed to the Ever 6 and discussed her concern that parents aren’t aware of their entitlements on free school meals in secondary school because during primary school, children have their meals provided. Parents are told to apply but will want their children to have packed lunch. The Literature of free school meals is appropriate.

 

47.Q- What is the set pass mark each year for the selection criteria?

 

A-   106 in each paper (3 overall) and a total of 320 aggregate scoring.

 

48.Q- What is the 106 out of?

A-   140 and it will be the top end of the distribution curve.

 

49.Q- If you have a primary school student is doing well but they aren’t familiarised with the test. At what point can they come to a selective school?

A-   Through the Head Teachers appeal.

 

50.If the pupil doesn’t do well in the 11+, can they be taken to Head Teachers appeal?

 

51.Deborah Stanley explained that if a pupil’s score is under 100 then a head teacher isn’t meant to put in for appeal unless it’s a particular case and external evidence is provided. The challenge would be the quality of work such as CATS test and books being the key things that are looked at. Children are asked to prepare a written creative task as this measures their ability to write sentences and use their imagination. Head Teacher panels are independent and have no connection with that child being assessed.

 

52.Q- Primary schools cannot coach or train but parents can still do this independently?

 

53.Deborah Stanley agreed.

 

54.Q - Students with good CATS scores going into year 7, can they apply to you?

 

55.Deborah Stanley commented that through casual admissions but parents do not know the result of the CATS test.

 

56.Q – Are Pupil Premium children likely to do better in CATS?

 

57.Deborah Stanley responded that in general Pupil Premium students have had the same preparation as other families.

 

58.The pass rate for the 11+ is 106, it has previously been higher. Has it made it better for Pupil Premium pupils?

 

59.Deborah Stanley commented that she couldn’t comment as at the time of previous pass marks, they weren’t tracking those children.

 

60.Q- Does the status of the school make a difference to the 11+ number? Particularly if this is something those schools should be encouraging.

 

61.Deborah Stanley explained that Academy or not, it didn’t make a difference. There is no training or direction on how work should be prepared for the appeal panel. Visiting the year 7s in primary school will encourage the school to send through head teacher appeals and getting the message across to focus on those disadvantaged students can be tricky.

 

62.Q- Apart from that issue, can the Local Authority help you?

 

63.Deborah Stanley explained that there is a familiarisation issue and there are opportunities to visit selective schools, regardless of their potential outcome.

 

64.Q – If familiarisation doesn’t happen, are primary schools able to mention the Kent test to parents?

 

65.Deborah Stanley responded that there was no consistency as it varied from school to school and parents have to register.

 

66.Q - Can schools make that decision?

 

67.  Deborah Stanley commented that there is competition in primary schools to sell themselves, to get a percentage through to a selective school but parents make that decision to take the Kent test.

 

68.Q- Are Head Teachers likely to appeal some families and not others?

 

69.Deborah Stanley commented that if the Head Teacher feels a child is capable they can make a representation.