Coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium
During the pandemic, we responded in line with our vision. We have attempted to have a calm and measured approach to all that we have done. As we plan for the future, we aim to spend this money wisely and to the benefit of as many children as possible. We aim for all to flourish and begin this document with our vision.
Vision: We fully embrace the vision stated in the Church of England’s Vision for Education ‘Deeply Christian Serving the Common Good’ published in July 2016 of educating the whole person. We aim for our children and members of the wider school community to flourish in all they do and ‘live life in all its fullness’. (John 10:10)
The sections below show what the Department for Education states about both, eligibility and allocation of the catch up premium funding.
Eligibility
The followings settings are eligible:
- primary, 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
- pupil referral units
- alternative provision (AP) academies and free schools
- local authority-maintained hospital schools and academies
- independent special schools
We will provide funding to local authorities for pupils with education, health and care (EHC) plans who are educated in independent special schools based on the number of such pupils in their area.
Funding allocations
School allocations are calculated on a per pupil basis. Mainstream schools such as ours should receive £80 for each pupil in from reception to year 11 inclusive. Special, AP and hospital schools will get £240 for each place for the 2020 to 2021 academic year. We have applied additional weighting to specialist settings, recognising the significantly higher per pupil costs they face. A typical primary school of 200 pupils will receive £16,000 while a typical secondary school of 1,000 pupils will receive £80,000.
How does this affect our school?
Given the information above, we anticipate receiving total catch-up premium of £16,410 for the academic year 1st September 2020 to July 2021.
Guidance from the Department of Education requires that we show how it is intended that the grant will be spent and also how the effect of this expenditure on the educational attainment of those pupils will be assessed.
How the grant will be spent
Using recommended models of good practice i.e. The EEF guide to Supporting School Planning a Tiered Approach, as well as building on existing whole school curriculum model work undertaken in 2019/20 we have focused our spending on 3 main areas.
1 – Teaching
2 – Targeted academic support
3 – Wider opportunities
Teaching
- We have allocated a significant proportion of the funding on a focussed TA. The work of the TA will be to support the class teacher through each lesson (core and non-core subjects) and in particular to support pupils in specific academic interventions.
- We have implemented a 12-week Maths and English curriculum cycle to focus on 4 key operations, division and multiplication in addition to this grammar consolidation lessons are in place to secure learning lost through lockdown.
- Frequent low-stakes testing to ensure all students, and in particular disadvantaged students, experience success and celebrate the acquisition of knowledge.
- Deliberately reduce workload (e.g. reduced meetings) during the assessment cycle and parents’ and carers’ meetings to aid staff wellbeing and enable high-quality responsive teaching.
- Monitor and evaluate outcomes and quality of implementation, creating a new implementation cycle for next year.
- Maintain our existing CPD focus on curriculum review (well-being being our most developed area and the area of most change going forward).
- Launch Google classroom (tbc)
- Home Learning posted during school and class closures
- 2 year Covid catch up plan – in order for 90+% Year 3, 4 and 5 to meet end of Year 4, 5 and 6 objectives by end of 2021/22 a 2 year assessment plan is in place.
Targeted academic support
- This targeted support is in the first instance for pupils who need the development of core skills. Our focus for KS1 is Reading and for KS2 Reading Comprehension.
- Literacy and numeracy interventions
- Pupil progress meetings and action plans (This also includes Send support arrangements)
- Deployment of TAs
- Additional booster sessions (extended day) for Year 6 X2 sessions per week pw
- Deployment of cover supervisors to support within lessons
- Further develop the construction and development of an ambitious curriculum so that all pupils develop the skills and knowledge needed to be successful learners: Develop Quality of Education by launching first year of 3 year Well Being Curriculum Plan
Wider Opportunities
- We have incorporated additional playtimes for all year groups (all staff join the children for these playtimes to enable the rapid building of positive, secure relationships).
- Residential – Y6 cancelled residential (due to Covid restrictions) to be re booked for Summer term
- Additional adventure activities to be held for each KS2 Year Group
- PTFA funding to support outdoor learning ‘real life opportunities’
- Animal interventions plan to be considered as part of whole school development
- Buddy system between YR and 6 to be continued remotely
- Wrap around care to continue
- Additional ‘short stay’ wrap around care to be offered
- School Terms organised in to Strategic foci i.e. Autumn: Stabilise
- Staff Reflection
How the effect of this expenditure on the educational attainment of those pupils will be assessed
The effect of this expenditure will be linked to our whole school targets (for more information please see our School Development Plan) and will be measured against our own internal Pupil Progress targets or SEND arrangements plans. It will be cross referenced and monitored by Governors and senior leaders in planned monitoring as well as through FGBs (Full Governing Board Meetings).
