DfE Coronavirus (COVID-19) Catch-Up Premium

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Catch-Up Premium Statement

Catch -Up Funding

 The government is providing funding to schools this academic year (2020-2021) to cover a one-off universal catch-up programme.

This universal catch-up premium funding will be available for:

  • Primary, middle, secondary and all through local authority-maintained schools, academies and free schools
  • Local authority-maintained special schools
  • Special academies and free schools
  • Special schools not maintained by a local authority
  • Independent special schools - local authorities will receive funding for pupils with education, health and care (EHC) plans, based on the number of such pupils in the area 
  • Pupil referral units (PRUs)
  • Alternative provision (AP) academies and free schools
  • Local authority-maintained hospital schools and academies

Our provisional allocation for this academic year (2020 - 2021) is £19,120.

This is based on the 239 pupils who were on our school roll at the October 2019 census and we are due to receive £80 per pupil in 3 termly instalments. The money will be spent to ensure that pupils, who have significant gaps in their knowledge or skills, will be able to close gaps in their learning and used to support the mental health needs of all our pupils. The government has made it clear that the spending of this money will be down to schools to allocate as they see fit.

In order to encompass all pupils, at the beginning of this academic year, all pupils sat NFER assessments tests so that we could get some baseline assessment data to help us identify the pupils most at need.

From the results of these baseline tests we could:

  • Identify gaps and ascertain what previous learning had been remembered or not.
  • Identify what learning had been misconstrued or misunderstood
  • What knowledge had been gained and retained during lockdown.

Following analysis of their results, as well as staff observations we have now identified our initial group of pupils who currently will benefit most from an additional catch up support. We have put together a timetable of in-school, small group, targeted interventions.

In order that these can groups can take place we have/ will:

  • Purchased age appropriate NFER test materials in order to conduct our baseline assessments in September following the schools enforced partial closure from 23rd March 2020 to the end of the 2019 – 2020 academic year in July.
  • Deployed our teachers who also cover the class teachers’ PPA time (planning, preparation and assessment) to work with and support small groups of children who have been identified as needing “catch up” in their learning.
  • Increased our LSA (Learning Support Assistant) hours so they too can undertake this support.
  • We will continue to observe and assess all our pupils’ needs and if necessary increase the support of others on a case by case basis.

We will also be investing some of our funding in:

  • Specialist support to support mental health and well-being of all our pupils
  • Curriculum resources and materials that support mental health and well-being of all our pupils
  • The purchase of curriculum resources and materials that support “catch up” e.g. specifically designed schemes of work and cpd (continual professional development)

For all children

  • Time spent on mental health, wellbeing and social skills development. This has been at the core of all catch up work as many children have not been in formal school setting for a number of months. We will use our scheme of work to deliver our PSHE curriculum, alongside this additional time has been and will continue to be spent focusing on mental health and well-being
  • Working through well sequenced, purposeful planning. For example, teachers have adapted planning in order to focus on missed objectives and to consolidate the basics.
  • Focus on consolidation of basic skills. The core skills, which enable successful learning, has required increased curriculum time across all year groups. These include: handwriting, spelling of high frequency words, basic sentence punctuation with the re-introduction of Kung Fu punctuation, times tables recall, basic addition & subtraction fact recall and reading skills relevant to age.
  • Assessment of learning and of basic skills to identify major gaps. Teachers have been working and continue to work to identify gaps in learning and adapt their teaching accordingly

For some children

  • Additional support and focus on basic core skills. Supported by experienced teachers and LSAs, utilising catch up premium – dependent on need as identified through ongoing assessment
  • Additional time to practice basic skills. - Again will be dependent on need of pupils in order to re-establish good progress in the essentials.
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