Bridging the attainment gap: Pupil Premium and the Arts
There is currently a big buzz around Pupil Premium, on how schools need to use it effectively and to evidence the impact it’s having on pupil’s attainment.
Introduced by the coalition government to bridge the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers, Pupil Premium is a per pupil fund allocated to schools to put strategies in place to benefit poorer students.
Due to rise from £619 per child to £900 in 2014, the Pupil Premium is a significant investment; and it is up to schools how to decide how best to spend it. After clarification from an Ofsted inspector at the Pupil Premium Conference in London 2013, it is clear that Pupil Premium money isn’t ring-fenced for any particular intervention and can be used by schools as they think best, as long as impact is well evidenced and spending is transparent.
Working with thousands of children every week, we know and believe that the Arts make children better learners. After nearly a decade of working with primary schools we have seen that an integrated arts-based approach to curriculum learning can have significant impact on improving language, numeracy, and writing. In the words of Artis adviser Robin Alexander, ‘the arts don’t only enrich children’s minds and lives; the arts engage the disengaged and raise educational standards.’
The arts answer the Pupil Premium’s primary aim of removing barriers to learning, to ensure that all children have the support and access they deserve. A recent report by the Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts highlighted that, “Children from Disadvantaged Backgrounds are more likely to under-participate in class, feeling less able to express their own ideas, to work collaboratively and to share ideas with their classmates.” By nature inclusive and collaborative, the arts provide powerful means for self-expression.
Using part of the Pupil Premium for targeted performing arts strategies will not only bridge the attainment gap, but will give the best possible opportunities to all children.
To find out how we can support your Pupil Premium goals through linking music, dance, drama and filmmaking to the curriculum contact us on 0207 324 9880 or email dingdong@artiseducation.com to book a 15 minute consultation.
