The challenge
Why do gap-narrowing strategies so rarely close the gap?
School leaders are increasingly held to account not just for overall outcomes, but for the progress of specific groups — pupil premium children, boys, the lowest 20%, children with EAL, summer-born children, and those in the most disadvantaged communities. Generic whole-class approaches rarely close the gap for these groups, and ring-fenced funding too often supports provision that is busy without being truly targeted.
Leaders need a way to identify the specific barriers that affect their target group children and to design provision that genuinely addresses them.
The gap Launchpad identifies
Understanding the patterns behind the data
Target group children often share common developmental patterns — gaps in oral language and vocabulary, lower levels of early communication interaction, less secure fine motor development, or fewer prior experiences of the symbolic and cultural activities that support literacy readiness. Launchpad makes these patterns visible and actionable.
- Oral language and vocabulary depth — particularly in disadvantaged contexts
- Early communication interaction and joint attention
- Fine motor and pre-writing foundations
- Phonological awareness and auditory processing skills
- Symbolic play and early literacy readiness experiences
- Self-regulation and emotional readiness for learning
How Launchpad solves it
Assess → Identify → Build → Track
Step 1 — Assess
Build a group developmental profile
Use Launchpad's assessments to build a developmental profile of your target group children — identifying shared skill gaps as well as individual needs.
Step 2 — Identify
Spot the patterns
Look for patterns across your group — which skill strands are consistently underdeveloped? This informs strategic provision planning rather than reactive intervention.
Step 3 — Build
Design targeted provision
Design targeted provision — through Quality First Teaching, enhanced environments, and focused interventions — that addresses the specific skill gaps of your identified group.
Step 4 — Track
Demonstrate impact
Monitor the impact of provision for your target group systematically, using Launchpad data alongside pupil progress information to demonstrate impact and inform next steps.
What's included for members
Everything you need in one place
- Developmental assessment tools useable from age 2+ through KS1
- Group analysis guidance — identifying shared developmental gaps across a cohort
- Implementation planning for pupil premium, SEND, EAL, and other target groups
- Guidance for working with the lowest 20%
- CPD and leadership development resources for strategic implementation
Who this is for
Built for leaders driving improvement for specific groups
- Headteachers and DHTs leading on pupil premium or narrowing the gap
- EYFS and primary leaders responsible for specific target groups
- Governors and trust leaders wanting evidence of targeted provision impact
- MAT leaders looking for a consistent framework to support disadvantaged pupils across schools
Real impact
What schools are saying
“Launchpad for Literacy has been the key to success and every teacher is now confident and uses Launchpad every day.”
Deb Ward, Executive Headteacher – Northumberland
“
It provides us with key tracking assessment tools, ensuring children make accelerated progress from low starting points.
Diane Jeffries, Director of Early Years – WISE Academies