This will be updated with data and funding as we get it. It will also be intertwined with our Inclusion action plan by December.
Introduction
Nationally, the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils remains a significant challenge, with research continuing to highlight the complex and often widening barriers faced by children experiencing disadvantage. At Donnington Wood Junior School, we recognise that there is no single intervention that can overcome entrenched disadvantage. Instead, our approach is deliberately multi-faceted, inclusive and highly responsive, combining academic support, emotional wellbeing, attendance, behaviour, SEND provision and family engagement to remove barriers to success.
This statement outlines how we have used Pupil Premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils and improve outcomes. Importantly, our definition of disadvantage extends beyond funding eligibility alone. Many of our pupils face overlapping challenges, including SEND, social care involvement, trauma, adverse childhood experiences, low prior attainment, SEMH needs and English as an Additional Language. As a result, our strategy is founded on the principle that effective support must be tailored, relational and responsive to the individual needs of each child.
Our commitment to inclusion is a significant strength of the school. We have worked hard to create a culture where every pupil belongs, every barrier is recognised, and every child is supported to achieve ambitious outcomes. This work has received external recognition through our status as an ARC Alex Timpson Learning Hub, one of only a small number of schools nationally recognised for excellence in attachment-aware and trauma-informed practice. During 2025-2026, this was further recognised through becoming the Regional Winner of the ARC Alex Timpson Award, reflecting the impact of our approach on some of our most vulnerable pupils.
Our inclusive practice extends well beyond pastoral care. Through our leadership of the PINS Project, strengthened SEND provision, highly effective multi-agency working and commitment to the principle that "Behaviour is Communication", we have developed systems that ensure pupils receive timely support before difficulties become entrenched. This has enabled disadvantaged pupils, including those with additional needs, to access learning more successfully and make stronger progress from their starting points.
During 2026-2027, we will further strengthen this work through the publication of a dedicated Inclusion Action Plan. While focused on SEND development, there is significant overlap between SEND and disadvantage within our community. Consequently, this work will complement and strengthen our disadvantaged strategy by ensuring pupils with multiple vulnerabilities receive coordinated and effective support.
We are also clear about the realities of our context. Our school serves a community with a high level of need, and many disadvantaged pupils present with complex and multiple barriers to learning. However, we reject the notion that circumstance should determine achievement. Whilst we acknowledge these challenges openly, they do not diminish our expectations. We remain firmly committed to ensuring that all pupils, regardless of background, receive access to an ambitious curriculum, high-quality teaching and the support necessary to flourish.
Our strategy therefore balances compassion with ambition. We are proud of the progress our disadvantaged pupils make, particularly in attendance, engagement, emotional wellbeing and readiness to learn. At the same time, we remain relentlessly focused on improving academic outcomes further, ensuring that every pupil is equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for future success. Through high expectations, evidence-informed practice and an unwavering commitment to inclusion, we continue to work towards narrowing gaps and enabling all pupils to thrive.
