Coronavirus (COVID-19) Catch Up Funding

Introduction:

Following the closure of schools due to the COVID pandemic school have been given funding to support the rapid catch-up of pupils that may have fallen behind due to the closure of schools.  This following information sets out the schools plans for this funding and how the school will ensure that funding has made impact. 

What is the desired outcome? 

For all pupils to make rapid progress from their starting points and for identified pupils to make even more rapid progress. As a result of this, any gaps that have developed due to the closure of school will be addressed and closed. 

Our action plan and use of funding is based on the following principals:

Not all pupils will have been affected equally by the closure of schools, for instance those pupils that were able to attend school from 1st June will not have missed as much teaching time as those pupils that were unable to attend.

Some pupils will have been able to access and make good use of the home-learning that was provided to pupils throughout the period of school closure. However, we are also aware that some pupils will have only had limited resources to support learning during this period.

Leaders have used strategies from EEF document; Covid 19 Support guide for schools 

In response to this: 

All pupils will be baselined and tracked against this baseline half termly. This will be through teacher assessment and the use of appropriate tests. The analysis of this information will help identify where there is a significant need. This will help identify our next steps. 

In Mill Hill there will be 3 tiers of support:

Tier 1 Quality First Teaching 

All pupils will have high quality teaching. The curriculum will be designed to have ‘catch up’ elements with a particular focus on phonics/reading, writing stamina and maths skills which may have been missed during closures.  All pupils’ progress will be reviewed at the end of each half term to check for progress. 

All pupils will receive additional practice through homework.

This will include our home school reading / phonics strategy. There will be a universal approach to this throughout the school. There will be a survey for parents and carers to identify where ICT needs could be further supported.

Tier 2 Support- Small Group Tutoring 

Pupils will receive additional support through group ‘Tutoring’ / interventions. This will be carried out by teachers and adults in school and from the National Tutoring Programme. Funding will be used to provide pupils with additional tutoring within the school day and through the use of specialist staff. Priority will be given to those identified with specific gaps through the analysis of baseline data on the return to school.  Tutoring will also be used to ‘pre-teach’ small groups where it has been identified that a small boost will allow them to access Tier 1 support more successfully. 

Tier 3 Support – Individual / Specialised Tutoring 

Pupils will receive additional support through individual ‘Tutoring’ / interventions. This will be carried out by NTP partners, teachers and adults in school. Funding will be used to provide pupils with additional tutoring within the school day and through the use of specialist staff. Priority will be given to those pupils where there is the greatest need –this will be identified through the analysis of baseline data.  Tutoring / Interventions will initially focus on phonics, reading, fine motor programmes and maths skills.