Year 7 Catch Up Premium

This fund has now been discontinued; last payments were for the 2019 to 2020 academic year

Year 7 Catch Up Funding Strategy 2019/2020

Context of Churchward School

Churchward School was approved by the Department for Education in 2016 and opened in temporary buildings in September 2018. It currently provides secondary and sixth form places to students aged 11-19 with a primary diagnosis of autism and/or social, communication and interaction difficulties. Students at the school will often have additional and complex needs that cannot be met in other educational establishments. All admissions to the school will have an EHC Plan.

The school will remain at its current location until September 2020 when it will move into a purpose built provision on the northern edge of Swindon. Over the next 2 years the school will continue to grow until it reaches its agreed capacity of 75 students. At present Swindon Borough Council have commissioned the majority of available places.

Churchward School is part of the Brunel Academies Trust (Brunel)and works in partnership with the Uplands Education Trust.

Students at Churchward School have often had traumatic and turbulent experiences of education having been in multiple settings through either exclusion or in a provision which is unable to meet their needs. These experiences have resulted in increased anxieties surrounding school life and a lack of trust in those associated with learning. To challenge these complex difficulties often requires a personalised approach, using both the strengths and interests of a young person to build a relevant, comprehensive and bespoke curriculum around them to ensure engagement and ultimately progress.

Characteristics of the Learners

Churchward School caters for students who have an education, health and care plan [EHC Plan] with a primary diagnosis of either autism and/or social, communication and interaction difficulties. However many of the students have a range of interlinking and complex needs. 65% of our current cohort have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (26 students), 25% have a diagnosis of ADHD (10 students) and 80% have social, emotional and mental health difficulties (32 students).

As with similar schools there is a higher number of boys (87.5%) than girls (12.5%). The school has 13 students in receipt of free school meals and 1 student is LAC (Looked after Children).

Introduction to Catch Up Funding

The year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium is a sum of money allocated to Year 7 students who have not reached the expected standard in reading or maths at the end of KS2.

Planned spending

The amount of Year 7 catch up funding received for academic year 2019/20 is £674.00. The money will go towards the purchasing of an online reading programme to support student engagement and progress in reading.

Impact

Due to COVID-19, there have been delays to implementation and assessment of the online reading programme, therefore it is too early to demonstrate impact. However, 8 staff have completed a series of six remote training sessions and students who returned onsite post lockdown in Term 6 were assessed. Reassessments will take place in Term 1 and assessments will be completed. This programme has given students the opportunity to access high quality, high interest reading during the pandemic – either at school or from home.

Previous spending

The amount of Year 7 catch up funding received for academic year 2018/19 was £421.00. The money went towards the purchasing of a maths programme to support the progress of our students.

Impact

All students in year 7 made progress in maths during the academic year 2018-19.