Literacy and Numeracy catch-up premium

At St Alban’s, the Catch-Up Premium, is used to provide literacy and numeracy catch-up support for Year 7 students. It enables students that did not achieve the required standard in reading and/or mathematics at Key Stage 2 to be given the opportunity to catch up as quickly as possible. Since the pandemic back in 2020, this has created challenges that have impacted on our learners due to several lockdowns and unprecedented challenges faced by many secondary schools.  As a school we have a variety of strategies to enable students to catch-up and these are designed to meet the individual needs of students identified as needing support.  It is worth noting that the Catch-Up Premium is separate to the Pupil Premium, although there may be a significant overlap of students who are entitled to both forms of support.

2019-20 academic year

Like the Pupil Premium, the Catch-Up Premium is reported online by the school annually and contains information on the funding allocation, strategies used and impact of spending on the students.

As a school, we received £5,786 in 2019/20 to support 40 students with a scaled score of below 100 in reading and/or mathematics.

How we used the Catch-up Premium

In English for example, literacy was through a revised curriculum:

• All Year 7 Schemes of Work have structured literacy skills embedded within them
• Explicit teaching of complex vocabulary
• Knowledge organisers with key ideas/vocabulary in a booklet for every scheme of work for every student
• More complex, challenging and diverse texts studied
• Writing challenge homework booklets. Tasks are reviewed and redrafted every fortnight.
• Use of online learning resource ‘Seneca’ providing homework that focusses on vocabulary, spelling and grammar set on a weekly basis
• Access to ‘The Writing Hub’ resources through our ‘No more marking’ subscription. Student grammar skills are also tested every week

In addition we will be bidding for further targeted support from the Ipswich Opportunities Area funding initiative to use GL Literacy and numeracy testing for students joining our school to clear identified gaps in literacy and provide a ‘bespoke’ programme for further support.

For our SEND students:

• Baseline of all Year 7 in Spelling and Reading and shared with all staff
• 18 Year 7 students identified as working well below average for spelling and have weekly, TA supported, sessions using personalises pathway on spellzone.com (mix of students with known SENDs, EAL and others)
• 15  Year 7 students identified as working well below average (or with spiky profiles) for reading and have weekly, TA 1-2-1 reading sessions using Rapid Plus reading scheme (mix of students with known SENDs, EAL and others)
• 8 Year 8 students currently accessing weekly TA led intervention in spelling and reading (half a term of each)
• Small group literacy groups led by specialist TA for 6 Year 7 students and for 3 Year 8 students (2 hours a week for each group)
• SALT provision for 2 Year 7 students and 2 Year 8 students where BVPS highlighted poor vocabulary (assessed by school employed external SALT and delivered by specialist SALT TA)
• Specialist TA support in lower set Maths class for one half of the year with greatest need
• Specialist TA and TA support in 2 English classes (where greatest need is identified)
• TA after school ‘Study Zone’ available for any students that require it

Targeted support provided by our Maths department using small group support with identified Year 7 students once they have completed a baseline test

• Use of 6^th Form students to act as ‘Maths buddies’ to work 1:1 at designated support times and supervised by staff to develop ‘Maths mastery’
• Use of web based Maths learning platform – ‘Hegarty Maths’ providing differentiated learning opportunities
• Laptop loan scheme to provide students with access to ‘internet ready’ device to ensure they can access resources at home if they are unable to attend school or the ‘Study Zone’ support club

Looking ahead during the next academic year, we will be coordinating the Skills Based Foundation Studies class for Year 7 students identified as not yet ready for mainstream curriculum in Maths, English, Science and Humanities.

By measuring the impact of the strategies mentioned earlier, by the end of the summer term 2021, 60% of the relevant students were on or exceeding their expected targets in Maths and 90% of the relevant students were on or exceeding their expected targets in English. As a school, we will be measuring the impact over time to ensure the best support is provided to our most vulnerable ensuring that no one is left behind.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium

St Alban’s Catholic High School will use the additional COVID-19 Catch up Funding for the 2023-2024 academic year to support the students in our school affected by the pandemic.