St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

At the end of 2022/23 our analysis of in-house assessments, observations and work scrutiny shows that on entering into the academic year of 2023/24 Year 2, Year 4 and Year 5 children remain affected by the pandemic. Reading will be prioritised across the school but more resources will go to these year groups as analysis has shown that these year groups continue to need focus.  Some children in Years 3 - 5 need a specialised Phonics Programme to ensure opportunities for catch-up on last learning.

At St Joseph’s, we are using this funding to support pupils’ education recovery in line with the curriculum expectations in the actions for schools during the coronavirus outbreak guidance (DfE catch-up premium guidance, 2021). To assess the impact of this funding, we are using the following methods: ·

• Regular assessments will be used to ensure those targeted children are making rapid and sustained progress in this prime area.
• Books and children’s data will be assessed by teachers regularly to ensure children are making progress. This in turn will support planning, teaching and assessment.
• Lesson observations, monitoring, books and pupil progress meeting by phase leaders and Headteacher to ensure those children’s gaps are being addressed and children are appropriately challenged.
• ELSA/FEIPS assessing and monitoring the children’s well-being throughout their sessions.
• Children’s safeguarding and emotional well-being survey will be completed by these children across the school to monitor children’s attitudes, emotional resilience and their general well-being.

• We continue to use our bespoke SOW to deliver our PSHE curriculum, alongside this additional time will be spent focusing on mental health and well-being for example wake and shake and mental health/well-being focus days.
• School FIEPS and ELSA, having more time available throughout the school day offering advice and support to those children deemed as vulnerable or in need of additional support.

• Some of the children identified as requiring additional support will receive this in their maths and English groups. These interventions are planned for by the teacher and the children then work with an additional class teacher or LSA in the class to allow for smaller ratios and more targeted support.
• Teachers and subject co-ordinators are adapting the current SOWs to ensure they meet the needs of all children based upon work scrutiny, teacher observations and in-house assessments.

• There is extensive evidence supporting the impact of high quality one to one and small group tuition as a catch-up strategy. In addition to the extra in class support, some children identified most at risk of falling behind in English and maths, partake in small group targeted interventions. These sessions are run by a teacher or LSA. The sessions are fast paced and work on lost learning from the prior year group or work missed in lockdown in order to give children the best possible chance of progressing in their current year group.
• Some children receive one to one intervention. These one to one intensive sessions allow individual learning particularly in relation to reading, spelling and phonics.
• Reading will be prioritised across the whole school. This will enable children to regain the appropriate reading and comprehension abilities, with focus given on the comprehension of what is read. This is supported by teachers and support staff who read with these children across the school. Any child identified as needing additional support with their reading are being heard at least 4 times a week in KS1 and 3 times a week in KS2. Alongside this, class teachers read to the whole class every day to promote engagement in a variety of texts.

• Resources to enhance teaching and learning in English and maths have been purchased e.g. phonics games, practical maths equipment etc…
• DB Primary enables some activities to be accessible through games such as spelling and times tables which enable the children to access resources at home and is encouraged by their teachers in school.
• During the lockdown DB primary was used to support ‘catch up’ children from the Autumn term and differentiated/ personalised learning provided to some children as and when appropriate.
• We have provided teachers and LSAs with opportunities for their professional development. Alongside this, staff meeting time is allocated so that teachers can identify gaps in the curriculum that have been identified as a result of lockdown.
• Early career teachers/ NQTs have not had the opportunity to develop their practice due to school closure, therefore are receiving additional mentoring and support.

• Additional FEIPS and ELSA support across the school.
• Additional LSAs supporting in English and maths set as well as implementing additional interventions across the school.
• Additional qualified teachers implementing target group support/1:1 intervention in different classes.
• Additional cover for subject leads and class teachers to attend training as well as adapt SOW to support in meeting the needs of all children.
• Resources to enhance teaching and learning in English and maths as well as resources to support children’s well-being.
• Additional mental health resources
• Qualified teachers providing differentiated and personalised learning to support ‘catch up’ children from the Autumn term.

In June 2020, the government announced £1 billion of funding to support children and young people to catch up on missed learning caused by coronavirus (COVID-19). Therefore, throughout the school, we identified children that would benefit from a range of intensive teaching and learning initiatives to support these children to make their expected progress. We received £38,720. This funding was used to provide target group support, 1:1 interventions, additional resources, CPD for staff and additional FEIPS and ELSA support across the school.

The data shows that the catch-up intervention scheme employed by the school has had a positive impact on the attainment of those children who had fallen behind due to COVID lockdowns.

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Updated September 2023