Teach-Primary-Issue-19.8

Teaching, not trinkets Another voice chimes in: “What about a new reading programme? Or more technology?” Tempting, but research is clear that the biggest lever for improving outcomes is the quality of teaching. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the Department for Education both emphasise that the best use of Pupil Premium is often to invest in staff development. When teachers improve their practice, disadvantaged pupils gain the most. Whether it’s training staff in phonics, improving feedback, or developing strategies for metacognition, professional development has a multiplier effect. The shiny extras can wait – what really counts is giving staff the tools to teach even better. Beware the scattergun Reports from both the National Audit Office and Ofsted have warned that schools sometimes spread their Pupil Premium funding so thinly that no single initiative makes a real difference. In some cases, money is spent indiscriminately on general staffing or small schemes with no evidence of impact. The outcome? Leaders can’t show what difference the spending makes, and disadvantaged pupils see little benefit. The lesson is straightforward: focus matters. Choosing fewer priorities, based on evidence of what works, is far more effective than trying to please everyone with a long shopping list of projects. Strategy over short-term The schools that really move the dial on disadvantaged pupils are the ones with a clear strategy. Ofsted found that successful schools planned their spending carefully, with goals agreed by leaders and governors, It is not a statutory requirement to have a Pupil Premium link governor. However, the board as a whole is accountable for ensuring funding is being used effectively, and most Trusts and boards will designate the role of a Pupil Premium governor to one of its number. The latest Ofsted framework is also clear that they will be scrutinising how governors and trustees hold leaders to account for the school’s support and provision for disadvantaged pupils. There are cycles within strategy and accountability, and it might depend on where you are within the year, when a new link governor is given the role. They may be coming on board when there is an evaluation and new strategy being formed, or they might appear when the school is simply embedding some work. First of all, it is important for your link governor to have insight into the cycle. The evaluation and re-forming of a strategy is a very interesting time, but it simply might not be the current focus. If you are bringing a new governor or trustee up to speed, then providing them with documentation – both legacy documents and the current strategy – will help them understand the journey that the school has been on. It might be that three years ago the school was working in a different way, and by seeing the timeline of changes, they will be able to discern the current rationale. Don’t wait until a meeting to provide these documents; send them in advance. Of course, you can invite questions if going through the current strategy, but these documents can do some of the explaining and context-setting for you. Consider, too, how your governor can help you and your leaders with the work that you have to do. Monitoring takes time, and therefore it’s worth building in some practical actions that they can undertake to assist you, e.g. pupil voice groups, and discussions with classroom teachers and support staff. When these are planned well, they can provide you with rich data to inform how your strategy is working. Ensure that dates are agreed well in advance, that the governor understands the work that is being undertaken – what a certain strategy will look like in a classroom – and provide a template. This can include things to look out for, or example questions to ask, such as If you don’t do very well on a test, how do your teachers help you improve next time? Finally, always have teaching and learning as the key focus of any strategy and any discussion. There is ample evidence that shows that this will always be the most effective means of lifting pupils away from under-achieving. When your governor understands this, they will be a force for good. Be united in your commitment to this goal and it will ensure that visits, questions, and monitoring will always focus on this absolute essential. Rebecca Leek has been a primary and secondary classroom teacher, head of department, SENCo, headteacher and MAT CEO. She is currently the executive director of the Suffolk Primary Headteachers’ Association and works as a freelance speaker, trainer and writer. @rebeccaleek rebeccaleek.com 38 | www.teachwire.net Do you need a link governor? “The lesson is straightforward: focus matters”