Catch Up Statement 2015-16
Staffordshire University Academy ensures that ‘Catch Up’ funding is used to support the students for whom it was intended and aims to make a significant impact on their achievement and progress. The academy ring fences this funding and ensures that it is used to provide additional support for those students that enter Year 7 not Secondary ready.
Intervention had several objectives:
- To improve progress through provision of supported literacy per week focusing upon reading strategies and extended writing opportunities.
- To improve phonic understanding and application skills through personalisedLexiaprogramme and guided reading sessions.
- To support tutor time guided reading sessions by pre-teaching and overlearning vocabulary.
- To provide focused Numeracy support to develop and improve basic number processes.
The funding has been used to provide additional staffing to enable students to be supported in smaller groups affording as much support and differentiation as possible.
A baseline assessment was completed to establish areas of strength and weaknesses. A phonics assessment also provided phonics profile, aiding targeted teaching opportunities. All students received a range of appropriate interventions, including Lexia, Reading Champions, Star Reading,
In addition, the academy deploys a clearly structured Accelerated Reader programme, with a range of age appropriate and levelled reading books to meet individual needs, that supports the making and measurement of progress.
On initial assessment in September 2015, 7 students entered the Academy with no National Curriculum in literacy, 9 students arrived with levels below Level 4. Following a range of interventions, the most consistent way to demonstrate progress is through reading ages.
6 students (one left the academy) with no levels made an average reading age gain of 32 months.
Of the 9 below Level 4 students, an average reading age gain of 37 months was made.
Data at an individual level and specific intervention data is available from the Progress Centre on request.
In Numeracy, 4 students entered with no curriculum level and 23 students achieved below level 4. The students were provided with three members of staff to be taught in small groups, replicating a primary maths model for all of theirscheduled five lessons a week.
Working with new assessment levels 1-9, end of year assessments identified that 22 students made pleasing progress, gaining Level 1.3 students gained F3, demonstrating progress from entry point. Two students were absent at the end of the year but assessment records demonstrate progress across the areas of maths. Specific data is available on request.
For the academic year 2016-17, funding and specific criteria is yet to be confirmed. (Update March 2017: £12 359). The academy is focusing upon students who enter the academy below standardized score 100. This is triangulated through GL assessments and department baselines. Interventions and teaching will focus on progress to 100 and beyond, measured through intervention and progress check data.