Disadvantage support
Sources of support successful schools lean on to improve outcomes.
Getting the best for your disadvantaged students is a moral imperative. But you might not have the resources, capacity or expertise in house to provide them with everything they need to succeed. There’s lots of support out there. But where do you start?
To help, the We Are In Beta team read 90+ pupil premium spending plans (published by schools who get impressive outcomes for their disadvantaged students), extracted all the information about the organisations they invest their PPM funding in to create a searchable, sortable and filterable database to help you find the support you need and ensure your disadvantaged students thrive.
Whether you’re a MAT / school leader looking for scalable systems, a teacher looking for resources in your subject or a pastoral support colleague looking for guidance to help your most vulnerable students, the directory and analysis below has you covered.
We - schools - Are In Beta - always learning (when we source the right support for our disadvantaged students).
This week
🏪 What support do other schools source for their disadvantaged students?
💼 Jobs with members of the We Are In Beta Community.
🏪 What external support do other schools source to help their disadvantaged students thrive?
Last week I shared a directory of 187 organisations who were cited by successful schools in their pupil premium spending plans.
I also promised you an analysis of the organisations inside it.
True to my word, here are the questions I tackled to help you find the support you might need:
Which tier of the DfE menu of approaches do organisations support schools with?
What support do organisations provide in your subject?
What support do organisations provide around cross curricular (non subject specific) academic needs?
What support do organisations provide around wider (pastoral / non academic) needs?
How do organisations help you get the best outcomes for your disadvantaged students?
What technological solutions do organisations provide to help you get the best outcomes for your disadvantaged students?
What resources do they provide for students?
What resources do they provide for staff?
Numbers below represent the number of organisations who fall into each category. They don’t represent the frequency schools use their support.
1. Which tier of the DfE menu of approaches do organisations support schools with?
The 189 providers schools cited in their pupil premium plans fell into the three tiers of the DfE’s menu of approaches.
If you oversee disadvantage in your school or MAT, this section is for you.
What are the tiers? How many in each tier? (NB:some providers span more than one tier)
High quality teaching: 50 organistions (26%)
Targeted Academic Intervention: 102 (54%)
Wider strategies: 85 (46%)
Most popular within each tier?
High quality teaching:
Subjects (24 providers who support teaching with a subject specific focus)
Multiple subjects - 13/24
Maths - 8/24
English - 2/24
Science - 2/24
Languages 0/23
Cross curricular (25 providers who support teaching with a cross curricular academic focus)
Assessment - 8/25
Literacy - 7/25
Reading - 6/25
SEND - 4/25
Targeted academic support:
Subjects (60 providers who support academic support with a subject specific focus)
Multiple subjects - 37/60
Maths - 16/60
English - 3/60
Science - 3/60
Languages - 3/60
Cross curricular (25 providers who support academic support with a cross curricular academic focus)
Literacy - 30/51
Reading - 25/51
Assessment - 8/51
Phonics - 8/51
Wider (pastoral) strategies
Covered in more detail below.
Observations:
Organisations who offer support in the high quality teaching tier of the DfE menu were the lowest in number. This is likely because schools deliver a lot of CPD in house.
Organisations who offer support in the targeted academic support tier were the highest in number. This might be because schools deliver a lot of interventions over and above normal lesson time. So EdTech solutions, curriculum resources and external tutors can providers extra capacity.
Organisations who offer support in the wider strategic tier of the DfE menu were the high number (approaching 50%) (relative to high quality teaching). This might be a reflection of the increase in volume and complexity of needs of vulnerable students, especially post covid.
2. What support do organisations provide in your subject?
If are responsible of the outcomes of disadvantaged students in your subject - either in your classroom or across your department or schools, this section is for you:
How many organisations in the directory have a subject specific academic focus?
74/189
How many offer single subject solutions?
35/74
Which subjects are the most frequent? How many in each subject? (regardless of DfE tier)
Multiple subject solutions - 41/74
Maths - 21/74
Art, Language, Science and English - all 3/74
Music - 2/74
Others - 1/74
How many have multiple subject solutions?
41/74
What type of product/service do multi subject solutions offer?
Software as a Service (Technology) -17/41
Student resources / books - 16/41
Staff resources - 14/41
Tuition - 13/41
Staff training - 7/41
Student programmes - 6/41
Student workshops 5/41
Observations:
There are lots of organisations who can offer you support across all subjects. This is useful if you do have the funding to invest in multi subject subject specific solutions. The may also offer you a fruit avenue for consolidating platforms/products that only offer one subject.
If you are going to invest in a subject specific solution, Maths offers you the most choice.
Ed Tech, student resources and staff/teaching resources are main stays in offering scalable and hopefully impactful ways to support your students.
Tuition is also an area that not only offers an impactful intervention but also has a decent amount of supply to make procurement and delivery competitive.
3. What support do organisations provide around cross curricular (non subject specific) academic needs?
How many organisations in the directory have a cross curricular academic focus?
56
How many cross curricular academic foci are there across these organistions?
20
What are the most frequent cross curricula academic foci? How many in each cross curricula academic focus?
Literacy - 30/56
Reading - 25/56
Phonics - 8/56
Assessment / testing - 8/56
SEND 7/56
Comprehension / Formative assessment - 4 each
What type of provider are multi subject offerings?
Student resources / books - 30/56 (26 focused on literacy)
Software as a Service - 30 (20 focused on literacy)
Staff / teaching resources - 29 (21 forced on reading)
Staff / teacher training - 20 (14 focused on literacy)
Observations:
There is a significant number of organistions who offer support with literacy and reading. This matches trends in highest needed cited in PPM plans; literacy and reading age were cited as main barrier by 42 and 41 school (out of 90) respectively.
The number of organisations supporting SEND was interestingly low. You would think this would be higher given huge need. But perhaps not given limited funding available.
As with subject specific solutions, technology and resources are the most frequently delivered support
Curious about questions 4-9?
What support do organisations provide around wider (pastoral / non academic) needs?
How do organisations help you get the best outcomes for your disadvantaged students?
What technological solutions do organisations provide to help you get the best outcomes for your disadvantaged students?
What resources do they provide for students?
What resources do they provide for staff?
Now what?
Consider your current provision in your subject, year group and schools.
Evaluate what you could add, remove, improve.
Let us know how you get on.
📅 Share and learn how schools improve outcomes through partnerships
Six of the 24 sessions at the National Pupil Premium conference will be delivered jointly by external organisations and the schools who’ve leveraged them to improve outcomes for disadvantaged students.
Not registered for the ticket sale yet? Register here to be notified when they go on sale.
Run an organisation who improves disadvantaged outcomes? Apply for a slot here.
Rate an organisation you work with? Nominate them to get a slot here.
💼 Jobs with members of the We Are In Beta Community.
Premium members can post unlimited vacancies in our newsletters.
Last year, they got seen 175,000 times.
If you want to get your vacancies seen by the 23k school leaders and teachers who receive We Are In Beta newsletters across curriculum, pastoral and more, let us know here and we’ll send more info.
System & MAT Leadership
Regional Education Director - Lift Schools (Lift Schools, East of England) Apply here.
Regional Education Director - Lift Schools (Lift Schools, London & South) Apply here.
Chief Finance Officer - Cleeve School (Cleeve School, Gloucestershire) Apply here.
Chair of the Board of Trustees - TKAT (TKAT, Kent) Apply here.
Senior Leadership
Associate Assistant Principal of Mathematics - Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (Aldridge Education, Brighton and Hove) Apply here.
Assistant Headteacher (SENDCo) - Harris Church of England Academy (Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust, Warwickshire) Apply here.
Assistant Headteacher: Curriculum and Assessment - Trinity Academy Bristol (Cathedral Schools Trust (CST), Bristol) Apply here.
Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead - Brakenhale School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Bracknell Forest) Apply here.
Middle Leadership
Head of Science - Orchard Park High School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Croydon) Apply here.
Assistant Curriculum Leader of Maths or Teacher of Maths - Uxbridge High School (Uxbridge High School Academy Trust, Hillingdon) Apply here.
Lead Practitioner/Teacher of Maths or French - Darwen Vale High School (Aldridge Education, Blackburn with Darwen) Apply here.
Lead Practitioner of English - Darwen Vale High School (Aldridge Education, Blackburn with Darwen) Apply here.
Head of Year - St Gregory’s Catholic School (Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership, Kent) Apply here.
Director of Key Stage 3 - Associate Senior Leader - The WREN School (Excalibur Academies Trust, Reading) Apply here.
Head of Specialist Resource Provision – Vision Impairment - Woking High School (Woking High School Academy Trust , Surrey) Apply here.
Teaching
Teacher of Mathematics - Possible Leadership Opportunities - Yate Academy (Greenshaw Learning Trust, South Gloucestershire) Apply here.
Teacher of Maths - Barnwood Park School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Gloucestershire) Apply here.
Teacher of Mathematics - Cleeve School (Cleeve School, Gloucestershire) Apply here.
Teacher of Maths - Fullwood Academy (Dunestone Education Trust, Lancashire) Apply here.
Teacher of Maths - King’s Academy Brune Park (King’s Group Academies, Hampshire) Apply here.
Teacher of Maths - Les Quennevais School (States of Jersey, Jersey) Apply here.
Teacher of Maths - Oxted School (Howard Partnership Trust, Surrey) Apply here.
English Teacher (Part Time) - Coombe Wood School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Croydon) Apply here.
English Teacher (Mat Cover) - Coombe Wood School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Croydon) Apply here.
Teacher of English - Fullwood Academy (Dunestone Education Trust, Lancashire) Apply here.
Teacher of Science - Churchdown School (Foundation school, Gloucestershire) Apply here.
Science - Darwen Aldridge Community Academy (Aldridge Education, Blackburn with Darwen) Apply here.
Teacher of Science - Fullwood Academy (Dunestone Education Trust, Lancashire) Apply here.
Teacher of Science - Woking High School (Woking High School Academy Trust , Surrey) Apply here.
Teacher of Geography - Fulston Manor School (Fulston Manor Academies Trust, Kent) Apply here.
Teacher of Geography - King’s Academy Bay House (King’s Group Academies, Hampshire) Apply here.
Teacher of Geography (Maternity Cover) - Orchard Park High School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Croydon) Apply here.
Teacher of PE - Cleeve School (Cleeve School, Gloucestershire) Apply here.
Teacher of Physical Education - Greenshaw High School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Sutton) Apply here.
Teacher of PE (Female) - St Gregory’s Catholic School (Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership, Kent) Apply here.
Teacher of Design & Technology - Challney High School for Girls (Chiltern Learning Trust, Bedfordshire) Apply here.
D&T - Darwen Aldridge Community Academy (Aldridge Education, Blackburn with Darwen) Apply here.
D&T and IT - Darwen Aldridge Community Academy (Aldridge Education, Blackburn with Darwen) Apply here.
Design Technology Teacher - Part time or Full time - Five Acres High School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Gloucestershire) Apply here.
Teacher of Design Technology - Maternity - Towers School and Sixth Form Centre (Towers School Academy Trust, Kent) Apply here.
Teacher of Food/Design & Technology - Uxbridge High School (Uxbridge High School Academy Trust, Hillingdon) Apply here.
Teacher of Sociology - Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy (St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, Derby) Apply here.
Drama & Oracy Teacher - Broadwater School (Greenshaw Learning Trust, Surrey) Apply here.
Teacher of Computing - Fulston Manor School (Fulston Manor Academies Trust, Kent) Apply here.
Looking for support roles?
We’ve gathered 30 admin, learning and pastoral support roles in here👇
On a personal note
I was wrong about how much I thought knew when teaching.
I used to think I was pretty clued up about what support was on offer and where to find it.
But it wasn’t until I started We Are In Beta that I became truly aware of just how much is available to schools.
What saddens me is that if you don’t have a big network you’ll likely miss out.
You might not be lucky enough to get that word of mouth recommendation.
You might never learn about that one thing that might change everything for you and your students.
That’s why we track every recommendation inside the We Are In Beta community.
When members asked for recommendations we can make suggestions, point them to previous conversations and introduce them to others with experience of using those products or services.
Looking for recommendations? Click here to start a conversation.
Thanks for reading.
@NiallAlcock and the We Are In Beta team
Sent this by a friend?
📱 Get 20,665 school leaders and teachers in your pocket - download We Are In Beta.
🚀 Looking for a new role? Get updates about specific jobs you’re looking for before anyone else.
🆕 New here? Catch up with previous editions, podcasts and webinars via the archive.