Year 7 Catch Up Funding 2019-2020
The school received £500 for each pupil that meet the following criteria:
The school will support pupils with the additional funding who did not reach the required standard in reading or maths at the end of Key Stage 2 (KS2) based on their standardised KS2 scores. The school receives £500 pounds for each pupil that is eligible for this support.
The objectives of this funding:
- To close the attainment gap by providing appropriate and targeted support in literacy and numeracy to those pupils eligible for the premium.
- To raise self-esteem and aspirations of pupils eligible for the premium.
- To enhance existing provision.
- To identify concerns and needs and to ensure intervention is effective for supported pupils.
The School received £11500 in 2019/2020. The funding will be used to support the pupils in the following way:
- Fresh Start – intervention to focus on the fundamentals of literacy. Particular focus on phonics, reading and comprehension.
- Rainbows – intervention to focus on the fundamentals of numeracy through structured exercises and homework.
- TA training- to facilitate interventions, to allow one to one work and small group work.
The impact of the funding.
Fresh Start:
Fresh Start is an intervention that targets pupils that are at risk of falling behind their peers with literacy. It focusses on a systematic and rigorous process building on a good knowledge of phonics. The objective of Fresh Start is that pupils reach the expected level in literacy and are able to continue to make progress in mainstream grouping.
All pupils are screened on reading (NGRT) and spelling (Vernon). Pupils who achieve a standardised score of less than 85 complete a phonics screening test. The programme identifies starting points (Introductory, Module 1, Module 15 and Module 26). How pupils perform on the screening test determines which module they need to start on. Each module focuses on the needs of the pupils at that starting point. The programme is delivered from October, the pupils are then re-tested on Reading and Spelling which takes place in June (8 months later).
2019-2020 Fresh Start Impact
16 Year 7 pupils were identified as needing Wave 3 intervention for reading and spelling.
All students started at Module 6
1 EAL student who had no phonic knowledge was given individual tuition and EAL support in addition to the Fresh Start intervention.
Circumstances prevented reading and spelling assessments being carried out at the end of the academic year. However, all students increased their phonic knowledge from October to March 2020.
However, using the tracking within the Fresh Start intervention indicated that 7 students gained sufficient phonic knowledge and fluency in reading to complete the intervention by March 2020.
Overall, on average students had 5 times more phonics knowledge than when they started.
Numeracy
The mastery curriculum is a priority across Wreake Valley Academy; in Maths this is complemented with a bespoke ‘Rainbows’ intervention. Following an initial screening test pupils are placed on the scheme at their rainbow colour; the programme provides structure, exercises and homework that promote the acquisition of numerical skills that will promote attainment at GCSEs. This provides opportunities for individual and small group teaching. Lower ability groups experience a more favourable staff to pupil ratio by the considered allocation of Teaching Assistants (5 hours per week).
The Inclusion Department has designated a TA with a focus on Mathematics and Numeracy. This is to ensure that the pupils that require the most support with numeracy receive it. The impact will be evaluated at the end of the academic year.
Numeracy Impact:
The planned evaluation at the end of the academic year have not been able to take place.
However, there is an increased confidence within support staff when developing strategies and support for students in lessons.
Staff Training:
Lockdown prevented face to face training but had the benefit of releasing staff to take part in virtual training. The following areas and their impact on the learning environment were delivered:
- Literacy
2. Attachment
3. Working Memory
Staff Training Impact:
Staff have reported that the training was well delivered, engaging and informative. They reported higher levels of confidence and understanding of the different factors that contribute to learning. The impact on students has not been able to be gathered.
