Pupil Mobility
What is the definition of pupil mobility?
"A child joining or leaving a school at a point other than the normal age at which children start or finish their education at that school, whether or not this involves a move of home" (Dobson & Henthorne, 1999)
The consultation on school target setting arrangements for pupils with special educational needs, which extended to the issue of pupil mobility, confirmed that LAs and schools with high levels of mobility were concerned about the effects of considerable changes in a pupil cohort over the five terms between target setting and the relevant test or exams. Respondents to the consultation very much welcomed proposals to disseminate effective strategies and share examples of good practice that schools and LAs were currently using to address pupil mobility and target setting. Subsequently we sought to identify a number of LAs and schools for their effective practice in this area and commissioned some case studies portraying good examples to disseminate more widely.
The LAs and schools featured in the following case studies experience high pupil mobility and were chosen to be as representative as possible including covering different age ranges and experiencing different types of mobility. A common theme throughout the case studies is the positive approach to good quality induction procedures and programmes leading to a commitment throughout the LA or school to ensure that all pupils are included and make as much progress as they are able. Some of the key points raised in the case studies include:
- set statutory targets for the pupil cohort currently in the school;
- use short-term targets effectively to drive teaching programmes;
- monitor the 'core' (stable) cohort and the 'mobile' cohort so that their progress can be compared; and
- have in place an effective, inclusive induction programme for new pupils.
LAs and schools use various methods to measure pupil mobility. One of the more common measures referred to in some of the following case studies is Joiners Plus Leavers (JPL):
JPL = Pupils joining school + pupils leaving school x 100 divided by the total school roll
We hope you find the case studies useful. If you have any comments on them or would like to suggest some additional examples of good practice please email us at target.setting@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk. In 2002 a DfES project on pupil mobility commenced with 51 schools developing, trialling and evaluating innovative strategies to narrow the attainment gap between the mobile and static populations. Full details of the project and the outcomes are available by clicking on this link.
This is an 11-16 secondary school in the London Borough of Newham. The school has 1,310 pupils on roll with boys slightly outnumbering girls. Using the JPL formula, pupil mobility in the academic year 2000-01 was 19%. Around 15% of the pupils have a refugee background, the majority of Somali origin, and for 98% of pupils, English is not their first language
Schools in Milton Keynes experience high levels of pupil mobility. Nationally, the upper quartile for mobility is 17.6%. In Milton Keynes, 71% of primary schools have higher mobility than this figure.
About 95% of the 221 pupils are from families of service personnel based at the local garrison. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is (9%) which is broadly in line with the national average.
Pupil mobility generated by the full range of factors including movement for employment or housing reasons, families fragmenting or seeking asylum, school exclusions and transfers, travellers' migration and armed services deployment.
Oakthorpe is a small primary school with 85 pupils on roll that has doubled in size over the past few years. The school's current high mobility score (25% on the JPL formula) is as a result of pupils joining - rarely leaving - the school.
Designated one form entry school situated in an area of highly mobile population. Pupil mobility is constantly above 35% and in some years pushes towards 50%.
Movement of pupils between schools within the school year is high, particularly in primary schools with an average turnover rate in 1999/2000 of 19%.
Thames County Primary School, situated near to the centre of the seaside town of Blackpool, has 640 pupils on roll. The high mobility for this school is a result of seasonal workers and families housed in short-term 'Bed and Breakfast' accommodation
Waverley School is an 11-16 school for girls. In January 2001 it had 900 pupils on roll drawn from over 50 feeder primary schools and other local secondary schools across six London boroughs. The school's Ofsted report in 2000 commented on the high degree of pupil change which, using the JPL formula on the 2000-01 figures, is over 35%.
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