Christabel Shepherd, NACE Challenge and Curriculum Development Director, introduces the new NACE Essentials guide on this topic.

There is strong evidence that an educational equity gap exists across all phases of the English educational system and that the effects of disadvantage are cumulative, so that the gap tends to increase as children grow older, especially during secondary schooling. 

Concerns about disadvantaged pupils have never been as acute as they are currently, nor felt as keenly following the coronavirus pandemic and related lockdowns. According to studies collated by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) in its online collection Best evidence on impact of Covid-19 on pupil attainment, primary pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds have experienced 0.5 months more learning loss in reading and 0.7 months more in mathematics compared to their non-disadvantaged peers. Secondary pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds experienced two months more learning loss in reading than their non-disadvantaged peers. 

Information from the Education Policy Institute’s Annual Report (2020) points to the fact that the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has stopped closing for the first time in a decade. Disadvantaged pupils in England are 18.1 months of learning behind their peers by the time they finish their GCSEs – the same gap as five years ago. The gap at primary school increased for the first time since 2007 – which may signal that the gap is set to widen in the future.

The stalling of the gap occurred even before the Covid-19 pandemic had impacted the education system – as shown in reports commissioned for the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission (2014), briefings published by the DfE for school leaders (2015), and research from the Sutton Trust (2015 and 2018). 

Despite this worrying picture over many years, the plight of disadvantaged more able pupils continues to have been largely overlooked by schools. This may be based on an assumption that disadvantaged more able pupils will “be fine” and the misconception that, compared to less academically able learners, their needs are not as important or urgent. 

However, evidence shows that academically able pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are most at risk of under-performing (Sutton Trust, 2018). 

The DfE’s most recent guidance for school leaders on the use of the pupil premium (November 2021) demonstrates increased expectations in terms of the identification of the specific challenges facing disadvantaged learners, and the planning of focused, evidence-based approaches to address those challenges effectively. Although reference to more able disadvantaged learners has been made in previous iterations of the pupil premium guidance for schools, it is now far more explicit: these pupils should receive just as much focus as less academically able pupils.

This is a welcome change, which should help to narrow the widening gap between these learners and their non-disadvantaged peers, and address the “levelling up” agenda. Like any group of pupils, more able disadvantaged leaners have a right to have their needs met and it is our moral responsibility as educators to ensure that this is happening so that these young people have the same life chances as their peers.  

This month NACE has published a new NACE Essentials guide on the topic “Pupil premium and the more able”. Based on an in-depth review of education research evidence and literature, the guide provides support for school leaders to ensure that their school’s pupil premium funding can be used to maximise the opportunities for, and the achievement of, disadvantaged more able pupils. The key factors in developing a culture which will support the development and implementation of an effective pupil premium strategy are explored, and a range of specific evidence-based approaches aimed at meeting the needs of more able disadvantaged learners are exemplified. 

The guide is available free for all NACE member schools, along with the full NACE Essentials collection. Read now (login required).

Not yet a member? Join our mailing list to access our free sample resources.

Following the recent publication of the draft Curriculum for Wales 2022, Rhys Jones, Headteacher of Treorchy Comprehensive School, explores how the changes will impact on provision for more able and talented (MAT) learners.

As a Professional Learning Pioneer School we have been involved in the development of the new Curriculum for Wales and its supporting actions and agencies since its inception. Specifically, we are tasked with helping to research, understand and develop the pedagogy to teach the new curriculum; to collaborate with the Curriculum Pioneers to develop the draft Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs); and to support non-pioneer schools (known as partner schools) in their preparation for the new curriculum.

Drawing on our longstanding relationship with NACE, consideration of MAT learners has been a core focus in our co-construction work on the new curriculum – including consideration of the following questions:

1. Will the new curriculum help schools identify and challenge MAT learners?

The progression framework in each AoLE spans the age range from three to 16; the new curriculum works on a continuum rather than being split into key stages like the current national curriculum. Although the five progression steps outlined in the “what matters” statements provided for each AoLE are loosely related to ages, teachers are encouraged to look at the whole span of progression. This means that MAT learners in each area will be challenged to work at an appropriately high level.

An example may be seen in the expressive arts AoLE. If a pupil is a MAT musician, they might already be demonstrating performance skills from Progression Step 4 or 5 quite early in their school career and this is readily accepted and promoted by the Curriculum for Wales.

2. How will the new curriculum impact on primary/secondary collaboration?

It is anticipated that there will be much closer collaboration between primary and secondary schools. As mentioned above, the concept of the curriculum as a continuum without key stages is a central principle. It is anticipated that there will be co-construction in terms of planning, implementation and assessment. The primary and secondary sectors will need to learn from one another if the curriculum is to be successful.

Because of the continuum in terms of ongoing and formative assessment, information about MAT pupils will be easily available to all schools at this key transition point.

3. Will the new curriculum offer opportunities for MAT learners?

It should offer opportunities in all AoLEs. Two key strands to highlight at this stage are extracurricular activities and authentic pupil-led learning.

Across the curriculum the artificial divide between extracurricular and curricular activities is being removed. Recognition of the significance of a wide range of rich activities for pupils of all abilities, and of course for our MAT pupils, is positively encouraged in the new curriculum.

This connects to the idea of providing authentic activities in which to base pupils’ learning. Giving learners a voice to help decide the direction of their learning will encourage ownership of learning both inside and outside the classroom.

Both of these examples provide opportunities for our MAT learners, who are particularly likely to appreciate and benefit from independent self-determination in authentic settings.

4. Will teachers need to work differently with MAT learners?

At Treorchy, we would say we have a great tradition of working differently with MAT learners; differentiation by its nature implies working differently.

Because of the innovations mentioned above and because of the greater balance between knowledge, skills and experience, the new curriculum should give us even greater freedom to work with MAT pupils.