Closing the Gap
Policy and Action
Plan
2014-15
BAM September 2014
Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
Key Terms
Closing the Gap: “narrowing the attainment gap between groups and individuals to ensure all pupils
attain well and make the expected levels of progress.’’
Intervention: “the strategies and methods used to narrow the gap between identified target group
and individuals to ensure all pupils attain well and make the expected levels of progress.’’
Key for Sub-groups:
SEND
Ethnicity
Other
Non
Pupils with no identified educational need
SA
School Action pupils
SAP
School Action Plus pupils
St
Pupils with a statement of educational need
WBR White British
PKN
Pakistani
BAN
Bangladeshi
FSM
Free School Meals
G+T
Gifted & Talented
EAL
English as an Additional Language
CLA
Child Looked After
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Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
1.
INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE
This policy and action plan sets out Handsworth Grange Community Sports College’s approach to
Closing the Gap and pupil intervention. It also outlines how the school plans to utilise the Pupil
Premium (PP) funding to effectively raise standards of attainment and achievement for all pupils.
At Handsworth Grange Community Sports College (HGCSC) we recognise the importance of
ensuring all pupils, whatever their background or circumstance, are provided with a quality and
relevant education. This will ensure that all pupils are equipped with the knowledge and skills they will
need to succeed in life beyond School.
At HGCSC Closing the Gap should be an integral part of every lesson and all areas of the school.
Within the classroom there should be a clear focus on narrowing the achievement gap between
groups and individuals through well planned and differentiated lessons that challenge and stretch all
pupils. All staff are entitled to a programme of training that allows them to continually expand and
experiment with a full range of teaching strategies and techniques to ensure the achievement gap is
closed rapidly through the use of timely and appropriate interventions.
2. AIMS & OBJECTIVES
Key Aims:
1.
2.
3.
4.
To develop a clear direction and focus for Closing the Gap across all areas of the school;
especially PP pupils.
To embed ‘Closing the Gap’ across the whole school curriculum, using a range of resources and
strategies.
To raise levels of attainment and achievement and narrow the gap between target groups and
individuals; specifically for PP pupils.
To improve knowledge and understanding of Closing the Gap strategies and interventions of staff
and to share good practice.
Success Criteria:
1.
The attainment and achievement gap for all identified target groups and in all year groups is
closed further to less than 10% in all subjects across all year groups.
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Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
3.
RATIONALE & CONTEXT
 Significant gaps in attainment exist for certain pupil groups and individuals.
Gap analysis of school data shows that there are still gaps in attainment and progress in English and
Maths across all year groups. Appropriate and effective intervention and teaching and learning
strategies need to be put in place to ensure these gaps close rapidly to ensure that all pupils make at
least the expected levels of progress by the end of key stage 4.
Gaps in attainment and achievement of PP pupils have been closed successfully and rapidly in
English and maths at key stage 4. Further work needs to be done to replicate this across all subjects
and to close any gaps before the end of key stage 3.
 The nature of the cohort on entry is changing.
The ability of the intake on entry in Year 7 is declining and is significantly below national average. The
ability of the cohorts (based on KS2 APS) shows a decreasing trend and an increasingly negative
differential between the school’s KS2 APS and the national figures. This difference is significant for all
year groups in school. This is particularly marked with the Year 7 cohort who is estimated to be on
average a whole sublevel lower than national figures on entry. The proportion of students who speak
English as an additional language has significantly increased and is now higher than the national average
at 28.5%. The proportion of FSM6 pupils, for whom Pupil Premium funding supports, is also rising and is
now above the national average at 38%.
 A significant percentage of our pupils have poor literacy skills when joining the school.
The percentage of pupils with a reading age below their chronological reading age has risen
dramatically over the last 3 years as a result of a change in the feeder primary schools and an
increase in the proportion of EAL pupils. A lack of literacy skills is impacting on pupils’ progress and
achievement. These gaps need to be closed rapidly to ensure all pupils make at least the expected
levels of progress by the end of Key Stage 4. A comprehensive literacy strategy is in place to address
these issues.
 Pupil Premium and Catch-up Premium funding need to be used effectively to help close
the achievement gaps.
The school needs to continue to effectively utilise and target the additional Pupil Premium funding
made available to schools in order to help further close the achievement gaps. The table below
outlines PP expenditure during the 2013-14 financial year.
2013/14 ACTUAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE
356,250
DIFFERENCE
356,250
STAFFING
£
Primary teachers (1.4 FTE)
Maths Mentor (1.0)
English Overstaffing (1.0)
Maths Overstaffing (1.0)
64,389
29,378
42,215
30,493
Science Overstaffing (0.5)
Closing the Gap TA (1.0)
EWO (0.8)
TESOL Tutor
EAL Coordinator TLR
Connexions Support
21,215
21,080
20,688
18,984
3,120
10,134
RESOURCES
Rennaisance Reading
PP Resources Budget
Literacy
Numeracy
Y11 Intervention (School Focussed
Collaboration)
Revision Camps
Arts Award
Trip Contributions
Uniform and Equipment for Pupils
Specialism
3
£
4,000
5,500
1,000
250
7,538
3,616
1000
61
1117
15000
Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
Teacher Coaches Overstaffing (0.2
MPR 5)
Lead Teacher Bursaries
Total
7,236 Curriculum Development Fund
11070 Alternative Offsite Curriculum Provision
Hola Project
Attendance Minibus
ECDL
Rewards
Post 16 Development
English & Maths Revision CDs
Additional CPD
AfL Packs and Literacy Mats
280,002
2000
4000
784
2500
5000
3000
1000
3082
15000
800
Total
76,248
 Teaching and learning needs to ensure effective and appropriate strategies and activities
are in place on a daily basis to help close the achievement gap and meet the needs of all
pupils.
The quality of teaching and learning has improved over the last three years with the number of pupils
making good progress in lessons increasing. There needs to be a clear focus on Closing the Gap
pupils in the planning and delivery of all lessons to ensure that learning meets the needs and
accelerates the progress of all pupils. Timely and appropriate interventions also need to be put in
place, within and beyond the classroom, to ensure the achievement gap is narrowed rapidly.
The table below indicates attainment gaps for 2014 performance measures. Gaps have closed
significantly in English and maths and have closed for the 5A*-CEM measure.
School
2014
School
2013
Trend
Closing the Gap
% 5A*-CEM
10%
26%
16%
2013
Gap to
National
21%
% PP v Non PP English 3LP
11%
15%
4%
6%
% PP v Non PP English A*-C
12%
24%
12%
-
% PP v Non PP Maths 3LP
9%
11%
2%
14%
% PP v Non PP Maths A*-C
12%
17%
5%
-
The table below indicates current gaps in Y10 for PP v Non PP pupils at DC4. This was accurate at
the time of writing. The tables indicate that gaps are on track to either maintain or close further for the
YOL 2015 cohort.
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Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
Y10 at DC4 July 2014 (based on estimates)
Closing the Gap
2015
Estimates
% Pupil Premium v Non Pupil Premium English 3LP
4
% Pupil Premium v Non Pupil Premium English A*-C
11
% Pupil Premium v Non Pupil Premium Maths 3LP
16
% Pupil Premium v Non Pupil Premium Maths A*-C
17
Pupil Premium v Non Pupil Premium English APS
2.4
Pupil Premium v Non Pupil Premium Maths APS
2.9
 Further improvements in attendance and behaviour need to be made and
sustained for Pupil Premium pupils.
The table below highlights attendance gap analysis for all year groups which are accurate at the time
of writing. PP attendance has improved over time but the gap still needs to be closed further.
% Attend
% Attend for
Cohort
Gap Analysis
100%
95%+
Below 93%
Below 85%
Year 7
Whole school
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
PP
Non PP
PP
Non PP
PP
Non PP
PP
Non PP
PP
Non PP
PP
Non PP
91%
95.7%
93.5%
96.7%
92%
94.8%
90.4%
96.2%
90%
95.5%
88.9%
95.3%
4.6%
11.3
43
39
17.6
29.5
72
21
5.5
3.2%
2.8%
% of pupils in cohort at each attendance category.
12
9
5
45
26
37
39
29
103
76
23
24
40
20
49
6
11
18
4
9
5
5.8%
39
93
29
4
5.5%
7
37
32
14
37
90
30
8
6.4%
6
23
17
12
48
112
35
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Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The Leadership Team will:
 Accept overall responsibility for the delivery of the school's Closing the Gap Policy and Action
Plan.
 Provide opportunities for staff training about Closing the Gap to take place on INSET days or
during other times.
 Support departments they line manage to close the achievement gap and identify pupils for
timely and appropriate interventions.
 Be role models in using strategies in their own teaching to close the achievement gap.
 Ensure strategic deployment and utilisation of Pupil Premium and Catch Up Premium funding
to enable identified achievement gaps to be closed rapidly.
 Produce a Closing the Gap summary document after DC1, making explicit to staff
achievement, behaviour and attendance gaps for all pupil groups and individuals across all
year groups.
 Ensure all staff are made aware of the key pupils, groups of pupils, and target groups
identified within the Closing the Gap document who are not achieving, attending and
behaving.
 Ensure timely and appropriate wave 1, 2 and 3 interventions are put in place and collated on
the whole school intervention tracker.
 Track and monitor pupils who are below target for behaviour and attendance and ensure
timely and appropriate intervention is put in place.
Governors will:
 Accept responsibility for challenging Leadership Team on the delivery of the school's Closing
the Gap Policy and Action.
 Undertake appropriate Closing the Gap training opportunities provided by the school and
external providers.
 Hold school leaders to account for effective spending of Pupil Premium funding and the
monitoring of its impact upon Pupil Premium pupils’ progress.
 Appoint a Pupil Premium Link Governor and ensure Closing the Gap is a standing agenda
item on an appropriate Governor sub-committee.
 Keep up to date with the Ofsted framework requirements for Closing the Gap and Pupil
Premium funding.
The Inclusion Team will:
 Utilise the Closing the Gap booklet to ensure timely and appropriate pastoral interventions are
put in place, which support the academic achievement of target pupils and groups.
 Ensure literacy is promoted in tutor time activities.
 Assess and support pupils on Education, Health and Care Plans, Statements and SEN
Support with appropriate interventions to improve reading ages following CATS test analysis.
 Identify and support pupils with specific needs, such as dyslexia, and provide appropriate
intervention.
 Support pupils with Statements with in class Teaching Assistants.
 Provide intervention strategies using Lexia, catch-up reading, bespoke reading groups and
programmes to support pupils in their literacy across the curriculum.
 To provide opportunities so that the Lexia programme is used as part of Year 6 to 7 Primary
Transition and Year 7 Catch Up programme to develop pupils’ literacy skills.
 Provide in-class support where necessary and one-to-one out of class support for pupils
identified in the Closing the Gap booklet.
 Communicate with all staff the SEN needs of pupils who have difficulties and provide with
strategies and guidance for supporting pupils in the classroom.
 Identify pupils in need of additional support during transition and ensure appropriate
interventions are put in place before the start of Year 7 i.e. Summer School.
 Ensure all interventions are recorded on the school’s Intervention Tracker.
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Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
 Track and monitor pupils who are below target for behaviour and attendance and
ensure timely and appropriate intervention is put in place.
The Literacy & Numeracy Coordinators will:
 Lead on delivery of the school's and Literacy and Numeracy strategies to improve literacy and
numeracy of targeted Closing the Gap pupils.
 Provide opportunities for staff training about literacy and numeracy issues to take place on
INSET days or during other times.
 Advise other staff in school on literacy and numeracy issues
 Co-ordinate tutorial and whole school literacy and numeracy initiatives.
 Organise the Renaissance Reading programme for literacy testing, liaising with the librarian.
 Monitor the impact of the Literacy and Numeracy strategies on pupils’ progress and
attainment.
 Identify pupils in need of literacy and numeracy intervention from the Closing the Gap
document.
 Coordinate wave 2 and 3 literacy and numeracy interventions and ensure all interventions are
recorded on the whole school intervention tracker.
 Develop links with feeder primary schools to identify and support key pupils as part of the
transition programme.
 Ensure all interventions are recorded on the school’s Intervention Tracker.
Subject Leaders will:
 Effectively utilise attainment and achievement data, as well as Closing the Gap data, to track
progress and attainment of pupils.
 Utilise the Closing the Gap booklet to ensure timely and appropriate wave 2 and 3
interventions are put in place which support the academic achievement and pastoral support
of target pupils and groups.

Track and monitor pupils who are below target and ensure timely and appropriate
intervention is put in place.
Teaching Staff will:
 Effectively utilise attainment and achievement data, as well as Closing the Gap data, to plan
effective lessons which enable all pupils, to make good progress.
 Ensure teaching is good on a daily basis and lessons are differentiated to meet the needs of
all pupils; as identified in Wave 1 intervention below.
 Ensure opportunities are provided in all lessons for all pupils to make good progress.
 Utilise the Closing the Gap booklet to ensure timely and appropriate wave 2 and 3
interventions are put in place which support the academic achievement of target pupils and
groups identified.
 Ensure literacy and numeracy is promoted in all lessons.

Track and monitor pupils who are below target and ensure timely and appropriate
intervention is put in place.
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Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
INTERVENTION
What is intervention?
Intervention is defined as ‘the strategies and methods used to narrow the gap between identified
target group and individuals to ensure all pupils attain well and make the expected levels of progress’.
This should be both within and beyond the classroom and should be timely and appropriate to the
specific skills gaps and needs of individual pupils. There are three distinct waves of intervention that
staff should follow.
Wave 1 - The effective inclusion of all children in high quality teaching & learning.
To include:
 A nurturing environment with relevant, tailored and differentiated opportunities for learning.
 Opportunities for small group experiences in a safe and secure space.
 Extra time for responses to questions or contributions to group discussion.
 Extra time for activities where needed.
 Scaffolding of activities and modelling of exemplar work and responses.
 Using practical activities and experiential learning.
 Opportunities for children/young people to transfer/generalise their learning in different contexts
and between different subjects.
 A clear focus on literacy and numeracy.
 Opportunities for revision and over learning.
 Access to groups where pupils are working with peers of similar levels.
 Access to grouping that enables pupils to work with peers who will provide good role models for
language and communication skills and for co-operative and independent application to task.
 Teaching and learning which is multi-sensory and well structured.
 Changing direction and re-shaping tasks to enhance pupil progress and understanding.
Wave 2 - Additional time-limited provision in the form of small-group intervention outside of
the normal classroom.
When considering pupils for Wave 2 additional support, teachers should first consider whether the
elements of Wave 1 provision are in place. It may well be the considered judgement that despite
some of these elements not being in place, a pupil is sufficiently behind their peers to merit additional
support. Nevertheless, the thorough implementation of quality first teaching should be a priority.
Wave 2 interventions should be used for pupils who can be expected to ‘catch up’ with their peers as
a result of the intervention.
To include:Small-group intervention for example after school booster classes; holiday revision camps,
withdrawal classes during the school day.
Wave 3 - Specific targeted interventions for identified pupils outside of the classroom.



Additional time-limited intervention and provision to enhance the progress of identified children
where Waves 1 and 2 are not, on their own, having the desired effect.
This will involve intensely focused teaching activities that tackle fundamental gaps in skills,
knowledge and understanding which is preventing progress
These would usually be conducted on a 1 to 1 basis where the teacher does not expect pupils
to make the expected progress in a group situation.
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Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
4. ACTION PLAN
Key Actions (How)
Time (When by)
LT Lead Person (Who)
Cost (£)
October 2014
BAM
£500
September 2014
BAM
-
Produce Closing the Gap Summary booklet after
DC1
Distribute Closing Gap booklet to staff when
complete and make explicit target pupils and groups
Deliver Closing the Gap training to new staff
December 2014
BAM, SAR, PAB
-
January 2015
BAM, SAR, PAB
£500 photocopying
December 2014
BAM, SAR
-
Identify new Y7 cohort for literacy intervention and
reading support
Set up literacy and reading interventions set up and
commenced
Identify pupils for 1to1 reading intervention at KS3
with Closing the Gap TA
Review mentoring system and implement modified
system for target Y11s in English & Maths.
Recruit more Y11 mentors to expand number of
pupils who can be mentored
Deliver literacy & numeracy Summer School for Y6s
September 2014
BAM
-
September 2014
BAM
£70k staffing costs
September 2014
BAM
£21k staffing costs
September 2014
BAM
£100 copying
September 2014
BAM
-
July 2015
BAM
£20k
Coordinate the programme of KS4 interventions
October 2014
BAM
-
Provide free English, maths, Science revision guides
and past papers for Y10 and 11
Put in place additional qualifications and
personalised provision for underachieving Y10 and
11s
Ensure internal data tracker tracks performance
table PP measures to track gaps across all subjects
in all year groups
PP & Closing the Gap pupils identified in SIMs and
on teacher’s marksheets
Produce PP teaching strategies guidance document
and deliver staff training
Overstaff English, maths and science to facilitate
streaming of groups and targeted intervention
sessions.
Review AOTP CPD programme and facilitate setting
up of PLCs to share good practice
Appoint a team of Lead Teachers to deliver the
AOTP programme to enhance the quality of teaching
and learning across the school
October 2014
BAM
£5k
November 2014
BAM
October 2014
AJD
ECDL £5k
L&T £10k
Ed Lounge £4k
-
September 2014 &
February 2015
March 2015
AJD
-
BAM. NSP
£300 copying
September 2014
BAM
£85k
September 2014
NSP
-
September 2014
NSP
£10k TLRs
Produce and distribute Pupil Premium Watch booklet
to identify all PP pupils to staff
Set up Closing the Gap Working Group
9
Progress Made
Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
Embed the use of EdLounge alternative curriculum
package and establish protocol for usage and
implementation plan.
Identify & review case load for EWO
Deliver Rewards afternoons to reward the best and
most improved pupils per year group
Identify 15 KS4 PP pupils for Prince’s Trust pilot
programme
Identify a PP Lead Governor
Deliver PP Governor training
Ensure website information meets statutory
requirements
Redesign KS3 curriculum in light of new national
curriculum following a skills based and concepts
approach
Deliver Closing the Gap focussed CPD sessions as
part of the school’s AIMS Middle Leader
Development Programme
Provide part and fully funded places on cultural trips
and visits for target PP pupils
Provide free uniform, equipment and resources to
targeted PP pupils
Provide an Options interview for all PP pupils with
relevant member of the senior team
Ensure all PP pupils have a careers interview and
are guided on to an appropriate Post 16 pathway
Review KS4 curriculum to meet new accountability
measures and needs of the most vulnerable pupils
Further expand on-site Post 16 provision, specifically
targeting progression routes for PP and other
vulnerable pupils
Ensure the provision of alternative, and offsite,
provision for vulnerable pupils
Take part in the Citywide cross phase Pupil Premium
Action Research Pilot
Organise Aim Higher Visits for targeted pupils and
register target Y9s on Future Scholars programme
Set up regular meetings of a Closing the Gap team
with PP, Literacy, Numeracy, SEND and EAL key
staff.
Provision map and deliver intervention for all target
pupils across all year groups; especially Most Able
PP pupils.
Revise the use of the intervention tracker and
establish systems to monitor impact of interventions
on pupils’ progress.
Deliver targeted provision for LAC PP pupils and
monitor the impact on pupils’ progress.
December 2014
KRG
£3k
September 2014
SAR
£21k staffing costs
December, March,
July
December 2014
SAR
£3k
DVW
£1k
December 2014
BAM
-
March 2015
BAM
-
September 2014
BAM
-
October 2014
BAM
-
November and May
BAM, PAB
-
Ongoing
BAM
£2k
Ongoing
BAM
£1k
January 2015
BAM
-
December 2014
BAM
£10k Connexions
December 2014
BAM
-
July 2015
BAM
£3k
Ongoing
BAM, SAR
£20k
Ongoing
BAM
£3k external funding
Ongoing
BAM
£1k
September 2014
BAM
-
September 2014
BAM
-
October 2014
BAM
-
December 2014
BAM
£10k
10
Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
Assign all PP pupils a Y11 mentor.
Visit other Outstanding schools that have rapidly
closed the achievement gap.
Review and develop the programme of targeted
interventions run by the SEND team.
Refine provision map and track SEND interventions
and the impact on pupils’ progress.
Develop an action plan detailing the implementation
of the SEN code of practice in school.
Deliver staff training & share information on the
revised SEN code of practice and planned
developments in school.
Quality assure SEN provision across school
Review & develop the effective use of adults in the
classroom to support learning
Deliver staff CPD on meeting the needs of SEND
pupils.
Deliver a literacy and numeracy focussed PLC to
share good practice.
Roll out the use of the Communication & Print
software across school.
Complete an audit of Curric 2014 SoW to ensure
literacy and numeracy is explicit
Develop a team of numeracy and literacy teacher
coaches and identify areas of good practice from
lesson obs data.
Utilise lesson obs data to deploy literacy and
numeracy teacher coaches to support target staff.
Develop a robust EAL strategy and action plan.
Provide training for new EAL Coordinator in Sheffield
Achievement Survey assessment.
Audit whole staff training needs.
Deliver targeted CPD to staff on how to support our
EAL learners.
Define and communicate the roles of EAL staff.
Identify target EAL pupils for intervention and
evaluate impact on pupils’ progress.
Effectively deploy ESOL tutor to support target pupils
and classes.
Coordinate interventions for EAL pupils to ensure
appropriate provision is in place and all needs are
being met.
Provide a range of opportunities to develop the
social and cultural experiences of EAL pupils;
specifically for PP pupils.
Target pupils for GCSE Home Languages in Y10
September 2014
BAM
-
June 2015
BAM
-
January 2015
SAR
£5k
January 2015
SAR
-
October 2014
SAR
-
December 2014
SAR
-
March 2015
SAR / NSP
-
December 2014
SAR
-
May 2015
SAR
£2k
March 2015
BAM
-
December 2014
BAM
£2k
November 2014
BAM
-
March 2015
BAM
-
March 2015
BAM
-
September 2014
BAM
-
October 2014
BAM
-
November 2014
BAM
-
March 2015
BAM
-
September 2014
BAM
-
September 2014
BAM
£5k
September 2014
BAM
-
September 2014
BAM
-
On-going
BAM
-
October 2014
BAM
£2k
11
Closing the Gap Policy & Action Plan 2014-15
and 11.
Provide resources to support high quality provision
for EAL across all classrooms; speaking wheels,
communication & print programme, MFL resources.
Work harder to engage EAL parents through
welcome videos, translation of communications and
coffee mornings.
Create effective links with partner primary schools to
start transition work early.
Create effective links with other schools to share
good practice
On-going
BAM
£2k
June 2015
BAM
£2k
June 2015
BAM
-
June 2015
BAM
-
12