Support and funding through the Primary National Strategy

The funding and support for raising standards at KS1 and KS2 has been organised for schools through a system of banding. A wide range of criteria has been used to reach the provisional identification of schools for each band. Your attached band plan detailing funding and support days will indicate the specific criteria that your school met in order to be included in this band.

All schools have been reviewed against the key criteria and this includes:

• Schools which have been identified by-the DCSF and LA as below the floor target (less than 65% of pupil below L4+ at the end of KS2) for 3 or more years. (This includes schools that have been re-organised in to new schools where the population remains predominantly the same as previous years)
  
• Schools with standards below 65% L4+ at the end of KS2 in either or both English and mathematics for 2 or more years
  
• Schools with a low proportion of children making 2 levels progress (e.g. below 65% making 2 levels progress)
  
• Schools in the second year of ISP
  
• Schools in an OFSTED category
  
• Schools with a low proportion of children attaining level 4 in both
• English and mathematics ( e.g. schools below 70% L4+ in both)
  
• Schools in the bottom quartile for significantly low CV A
  
• Schools causing some concern about an aspect of provision in English and mathematics and recommended by the area senior adviser ( e.g. absence of subject leadership)
  
• Schools with some identified underachievement in an aspect of reading, writing or mathematics
  
• Schools that are new, or growing into a primary school
  
• Small schools with a trend in low CV A
  
• Schools as recommended by the area senior adviser

(Some schools will be offered a KS1 support programme following the publication of teacher assessments in September 2008.) Please be assured that the banding, whilst it may reflect the challenges and the current OFSTED status of your school, carries no weight in terms of a judgment about your schools efficacy. It may seem at odds with your most recent OFSTED outcome and your agreed self-review grade. Schools with good and outstanding achievement may appear in Bands 1 and 2 to support them in the continued challenge of maintaining high achievement with low attaining pupils. The banding system is only used to target Primary Strategy funding and support.

If you have any queries about the funding or access to training courses please contact Diana Duhig (Senior Admin Assistant) or about the support then contact Robin Ings (Senior Adviser, Primary Strategy Manager).