Catch-up Premium
In 2020, the Government announced a package worth £1 billion (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium) to ensure that schools had the resources they needed to help all pupils make up for lost teaching time, with extra support for those who need it most. £650 million was to be spent on ensuring all pupils had the chance to catch up. This one-off grant funding was paid to all state-funded primary, secondary and special schools in the 2020 to 2021 academic year.
At Bridekirk School, the headteacher and assistant headteacher, together with the class teachers, observed, assessed and liaised with parents to identify pupils who would benefit from additional support to diminish gaps in their reading, writing and maths.
Pupils who were impacted in a negative way with their wellness were also identified and provided with additional support, nurture and intervention.
The catch up money was used to fund an additional tutor to deliver a 1:1 maths intervention programme to the lowest 20% of children in each class from yr.2 - yr.6 as initial assessments showed a wider gap in maths than in reading. As well as this, it was used to provide extra maths support in our primary one classroom. The grant also enabled us to free up current experienced teaching assistants each week in every classroom.
A detailed timetable of support interventions was devised and implemented. Leaders identified effective interventions, based on experience and research undertaken by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). The impact of these interventions was evaluated weekly and the timetable of support reviewed to ensure that we accelerated academic progress diminishing the difference between identified pupils and their peers.
The Recovery Premium 2022 - 23
The recovery premium provides additional funding for state-funded schools in the 2021 to 2022 & 2022-23 academic years. Building on the pupil premium, this funding is to help schools deliver evidence-based approaches for supporting disadvantaged pupils.
Bridekirk School will receive a minimum payment that is referred to as a ‘floor’ payment to ensure that an eligible primary school will not receive less than £2,000.
This money is supplementing paying for an experienced TA to continue with the targeted maths programme seen to be so successful last year. Again, the programme is supporting the lowest 20% of children in school from Yrs. 2 - 6. The current assistant headteacher over sees the delivery of this programme, ensuring that the correct children are making progress and that needs are being met. part of the grant is also used to Purchase LIGHTNING SQUAD which is a literacy (reading & phonics) programme again used to support our lowest 20% of children. These sessions are offered before and after school so that learning is not missed during the school day.
School-Led Tutoring Grant 2021-2022 / 2022 - 2023
School-Led Tutoring is part of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP). Eligible state-funded schools receive a ring-fenced grant to source their own tutoring provision for disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils who have missed the most education due to COVID-19. At Bridekirk Dovenby, we receive funding for two pupils which totals £600. To this, school also adds funds to ensure 30hrs of tutoring (£18 / hr) in total per child.
We have decided to opt for the School-Led Tutoring route which offers flexibility for schools to identify their own tutors. Leaders have identified appropriate tutors with the skills and experience to deliver high-quality tuition to meet the needs of pupils. Teaching assistants will not deliver this tuition until they have successfully completed the training course.