The DfE provides additional funds for improving the attainment of our disadvantaged pupils. This grant is known the Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium. The funds are primarily aimed at improving maths and English levels at KS2. An allocation is made for every pupil who has not achieved the ‘expected standard’ in reading or maths at KS2 as per the October school census.
This short report summarises how the previous year’s funding was spent and how we intend to spend this year’s funding. Most importantly, it provides information on the outcomes of the spending and the improvements made amongst our pupils.
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Previous performance of disadvantaged pupils |
2019 |
2020 |
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Percentage of pupils making expected progress in maths: |
86% |
56% |
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Percentage of pupils making expected progress in English: |
73% |
70% |
Use of the Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium 2019/2020
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Total amount of Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium received for 2019/2020 |
£20,761 |
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Spending of the Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium 2019/2020 |
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Objectives: |
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To support the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and aid their progression and access the secondary curriculum. Although the focus is on Literacy there is an understanding that this work will also significantly impact Maths progress as students have a better understanding and accessibility to more problem solving questions. |
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Summary of spending: |
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• Provision of a Literacy Academic Mentor timetabled to work with targeted students 2 hours a week in Literacy lessons • Provision of small groups for English and Maths lessons lead by specialist subject teachers for 3 hours a week • Provision of a bespoke timetable for significantly low ability students to offer additional Literacy lessons for 2 hours a week timetabled with a specialist English teacher • ICT support packages for Literacy – Literacy Planet and Accelerated reader • Maths Numeracy Ninja use in tutor time • Continued upgrade of the Academy library including fortnightly Library lesson, with a focus on enjoying and improving reading ability |
How have we used the funding?
In 2018-19, we received £20761. The strategies we have used to support students have included;
- Morning intervention Reading Buddies Programme, targeting 19 Year 7 students weekly during morning registrations
- Maths intervention programme targeting students weekly during morning registrations
- Literacy and Numeracy Academic Mentor appointed to work in part with Year 7 students identified as not secondary ready
- English Fresh Start programme led by the SENCO and and Assistant SENCO for 3 hours per week for the least able Year 7 class
- Small group Mathematics lessons lead by the SENCO or specialist maths teacher for 4 hours per week for a Year 7 class
- ICT support packages for Literacy – Literacy Planet
- ICT support package for Maths – 123 Maths
- Maths Numeracy Ninja use in tutor time
- Continued upgrade of the Academy library -fortnightly Library lesson, with a focus on enjoying and improving reading ability
How does the Academy assess the impact of this provision?
We assess all Year 7 students on entry at Granville, they are then reassessed at the end of the academic year to track the progress that they have made. Reading and Spelling Age data, alongside internal assessment data and data produced by our intervention programmes, all help to build a picture of a student's overall progress.
Impact – Numeracy
Outline
- 41 students in Year 7 arrived “not secondary ready” or below
- Of these 25 are PP/Disadvantaged
- Of these 18 have some form of SEND need or are being monitored/supported by the Academy
- 38 students received ICT intervention via 123maths
- The cohort had a baseline assessment testing skills expected at Year 4 - Year 6
- Students were supported by a Maths teacher or the Academic Maths Mentor once a week for 20 minutes.
*Percentage is the percentage of the skills students in Year 4 - Year 6 can demonstrate.
Impact/results
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Cohort |
Average (base line) |
Average end |
Change |
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Whole |
36.9% |
50.6% |
+13.7 |
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SEND |
32.2% |
42.4% |
+10.2 |
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PP/Disadvantaged |
34.3% |
46.3% |
+12 |
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Males (19) |
37.5% |
49.8% |
+12.3 |
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Females (18) |
36.2% |
51.3% |
+15.1 |
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SAT score 90+ (more able of less able) (29) |
41.8% |
59.8% |
+18 |
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SAT score 85+ <90 (middle of less able) (4)) |
21.2% |
32.6% |
+11.4 |
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SAT score >85 |
16.7% |
18.2% |
+1.5 |
At the start only 4 students were able to demonstrate skills at 60%+, this had doubled to 8 by the end of the year. The program showed some real positive results in closing the gaps for students. The programme alongside classroom teaching has resulted in 16 of these students being moved from the lower groups to be placed in the middle two sets for Year 8.
How have we used the funding for Literacy?
In 2018-19 we received £3000 (with an agreement to receive the same funding in each of the next two years). The strategies we have used to support students have included:
- Primarily Catch Up Premium is used to fund ICT support packages for Literacy — continued subscription to Literacy Planet (£3000/year)
Other strategies targeting Catch Up students include:
- Morning intervention Reading Buddies Programme, targeting 19 Year 7 students weekly during morning registrations
- The English Academic Mentor works in part with Year 7 students identified as ‘not secondary ready’
- English: Fresh Start programme led by the SENCO and Assistant SENCO for 3 hours per week for the least able Year 7 class
- Continued upgrade of the Academy library, including purchasing further reading material for weaker readers
- Accelerated Reader Programme – fortnightly Library lesson, with a focus on enjoying and improving reading ability
How does the Academy assess the impact of this provision?
We assess all Year 7 students as they arrive at Granville, they are then reassessed at the end of the academic year to assess the progress that they have made. Reading and Spelling Age data, alongside internal assessment data and data produced by our intervention programmes, all help to build a picture of a student’s overall progress.
Impact - Literacy
We subscribed to the Literacy Planet programme in December of 2017 using catch-up funding (after a successful introduction through the Word Mania competition). We re-subscribed in February 2019, securing the programme for a further 3 years. Our involvement in the Word Mania competition in 2018 brought much improved results. Granville Academy Year 7 placed 15th in the world, the second highest British school! Last year, our Year 7 placed around 42nd.
This academic year, we have introduced the Accelerated Reader Programme for all Year 7 students, with the aim of developing students’ reading ability. This is a personalised, data-driven reading programme, which encourages students to read according to their ability and receive rewards. There has definitely been a marked shift in the reading culture, which we seek to promote further as the year continues.
Reading Buddies (Monday registration) targets 19 catch-up students to help build confidence and develop reading skills. Those selected generally scored between 94-99 at KS2. Most/More Able students from Year 9/10 are being used as buddies to help support and encourage their younger counterparts.
From the combination of all interventions used in 2017-18, the 72 students identified for Catch Up Support were monitored and tracked over the year. Internal assessments show that:
- 73.6% of the cohort made progress throughout Year 7
- 18% made one sub level of progress
- 55.5% of the students made more than 2 sub levels of progress
- 15.2% made a whole level of progress
It is estimated that the average student will make one sub level of progress in a year, those who are behind are expected to make less. This shows that the work from English is having a positive impact on students' outcomes.
In the 2018-19 academic year, out of 68 students identified for Catch Up Support:
- 45.6% have made progress throughout Year 7, with a further 37% maintaining their current level
- 14.7% made 2 or more sub levels of progress across the year; with 40% of these students making a whole level of more or progress.
How will we continue to use the funding
- Continued subscription to Literacy Planet, with a fortnightly Literacy lesson – Literacy Planet will become more of a homework tool to support the Literacy work completed during Library sessions
- Continued use of the Accelerated Reader programme, but focused on Catch Up and SEN students, as part of their programme of intervention
- A designated small Fresh Start class, targeting students who scored 90 or below at KS2
- Looking into the Literacy Assessment Tool, which can monitor student progress more efficiently and provide useful diagnostic information to inform intervention strategies
- Catch Up students will receive 2 timetabled Literacy lessons a week for the 2019-20 academic year