Year 7 Literacy and Numeracy Catch-up Premium

This is a whole-school policy, within the framework of which the Primary School and the Nursery policies operate as appropriate.

The Literacy and Numeracy Catch-Up premium gives schools additional funding to support Year 7 pupils who did not achieve the expected standard at the end of Key Stage 2.

For 2019-20 this meant a Year 7 pupil recorded on the October 2019 school census and recorded in the 2019 Key Stage 2 assessment data as not having achieved KS2 score of 100 or above, in Reading and/or Mathematics.

For 2019-20 Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School was awarded £2000 for the Literacy and Numeracy Catch-Up Fund.

The funding is held in a central budget and the Head had oversight of the budget and how the funding is allocated.

What do we do?

We assess the individual needs of each of the pupils who attract the Year 7 catch-up premium to decide the best way to use the funding. We use testing in English and Mathematics alongside prior attainment data to set appropriate targets for each of our pupils. We carefully monitor the progress of all of our pupils and design a range of programmes and approaches that we know are effective.

How do we do it?

  • All low-ability pupils are supported in their Mathematics and English classes. From September 2019 to January 2020, this is through extra teacher support in class. From January 2020 it is by smaller sets which allow for more individual attention from the class teacher.
  • All Y7 and Y8 pupils are screened using a diagnostic reading and spelling test on ‘Accelerated Reader’ (AR).
  • All pupils in Y7 and Y8 follow the ‘Accelerated Reader’ – a programme that supports pupils in reading, enjoying and understanding texts. Following the programme has been shown to significantly boost the reading ages of pupils.
  • The reading ages of the identified pupils are carefully monitored and extra support is provided by the class teacher and the School Librarian where necessary.
  • All Y9 pupils take part in the ‘Bedrock’ scheme – a programme that supports pupils in expanding their vocabulary. This scheme is monitored both by English teachers and the School Librarian.
  • The school follows the White Rose Mathematics Curriculum in Y7 and Y8 which is designed to ensure basic numeracy skills are fully developed and embedded.
  • My Maths (www.mymaths.co.uk) is a subscription web-based service to which the school subscribes. Y7 pupils who are below the expected level in Mathematics are targeted with extra learning activities on this website which can be monitored by their class teacher.
  • Learning by Questions, a computer based programme, is used in Mathematics to ensure that pupils can develop their skills at their own pace with immediate feedback provided.
  • Small group focused intervention through the SENCO and the TA team.
  • Dyslexia and Dyscalculia support.
  • Counselling if emotional barriers exist.

Impact Statements