Underserved learners - the economically disadvantaged

The number of learners in all schools and settings who live in families facing economic hardship is increasing rapidly. It is not just those parents in receipt of Pupil Premium funding who are struggling with the costs of equipping their children for school.

All state schools are designed to provide a free education but the reality is that some children who have less than their peers can become unintentionally marginalised and their poverty can lead to them becoming hyper-visible. This then affects their sense of belonging, performance and even their attendance.

Eliminating Economic Exclusion (EEE) Review

An Eliminating Economic Exclusion (EEE) Review focuses on all the support offered by a school, setting or trust for the economically vulnerable. It supports leaders to look at the cost of the school day, from uniform to meals, resources, trips, and clubs.

The review also explores unconscious bias and attitudes towards class and poverty. It offers advice on strategies to ensure inclusion of all learners and to avoid stigmatizing or marginalizing those from families facing economic hardship.

Each EEE review is tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual setting or school. They typically involve:

• A pre-visit analysis looking at the school’s website to audit hidden costs of the school day and messaging to economically vulnerable pupils
• Looking at the results of surveys on poverty proofing completed by parents and staff
• A school visit to meet with senior leaders, including the Pupil Premium Lead, pupils, staff and parents to discuss their experience of economic disadvantage and explore attitudes towards poverty, the hidden costs of the school day and strategies for poverty proofing the school.

The visit includes co-construction of recommended actions with school leaders which are followed up in a visit around one term later to review progress and impact.

Who is it for?

All schools and settings, from PVI to Nursery, Primary, Secondary, Middle, Mainstream and Special

Why choose this service?

EEE reviews are a powerful tool to help leaders see their educational provision through the eyes of the economically disadvantaged and provide schools with a plethora of practical strategies and ideas for eliminating economic exclusion.
 

Pupil Premium (PP) Review

A Pupil Premium (PP) Review focuses on in-class provision and academic intervention for those eligible for PP funding. It provides feedback on the school’s statutory PP strategy statement and advice on how to ensure that the objectives and actions chosen by leaders will have demonstrable impact in closing the attainment gap between PP eligible learners and their more economically advantaged peers.

• Initial assessment: A pre-visit analysis of the PP's strategy, attainment and progress data, attendance, behaviour, and website content
• On-site visit: Observations of lessons and delivery of the curriculum for PP pupils, meetings with staff, pupils, and parents, and a review of the PP strategy and provision with the PP governor/trustee 
• Action planning and follow-up: Collaborative development of an action plan and a follow-up visit to assess progress and impact.

Who is it for?

All schools and settings, from PVI to Nursery, Primary, Secondary, Middle, Mainstream and Special with a gap between the progress and attainment of PP eligible learner and their peers or where PP eligible learners are not performing well relative to all learners nationally.

Why choose this service?

We know that there is a wide and stubbornly persistent disadvantaged gap in the UK’s schools and in Hertfordshire schools too. As the HMCI of Ofsted, Sir Martyn Oliver has said,

"Schools cannot be great unless they are providing a great education, with great outcomes, for their disadvantaged leaners and what is good for them is also good for all other learners.”

Eliminating economic exclusion in educational settings

The Eliminating Economic Exclusion (EEE) Newsletter is our termly newsletter focusing on the central theme of eliminating the impact of child poverty in educational settings.

It is full of practical ideas and suggestions for supporting families facing economic hardship and for ensuring that children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds are not excluded in any way from accessing school life fully. 

HFL Education EEE Newsletter - summer 2024 (email browser version)