In the summer of 2020, in the light of the coronavirus outbreak, the government announced it would be providing all schools with funding to support the ‘central goal of schools getting back on track and teaching a normal curriculum as quickly as possible.’

The amount awarded to schools in the Catch-up Premium is based on the number of pupils on roll. The Department for Education states that:

  • Schools should use this funding for specific activities to support their pupils to catch up for lost teaching over the previous months, in line with the guidance on curriculum expectations for the next academic year.
  • Schools have the flexibility to spend their funding in the best way for their cohort and circumstances.

At Redmoor Academy the Catch-up Premium has been allocated to a range of strategies including individual and small group academic tutoring and pastoral strategies to support students’ health and wellbeing. 

The following priorities have been identified as being crucial areas for focus:

  1. Literacy – to support students with weaker literacy skills to improve their reading and writing
  2. Numeracy – to support students with weaker numeracy skills to improve their functional maths
  3. Independent Study Habits – to support students to develop and practise effective learning habits such as organising homework and revising effectively
  4. Pastoral Support – 
    • Attendance and positive behaviour for learning – to ensure no further learning time is lost or disrupted
    • Physical and mental wellbeing – to ensure students are better able to cope with the added education, social and family pressures encompassed in a global pandemic
  5. Access to ICT – to broaden students’ access to the technology required to work independently and easily on their homework and revision

The aim of all strategies is to reduce the achievement gap caused to students whose academic progress or ability to cope with regular school life have been negatively affected by the Covid19 pandemic.

You can read more detail about this provision in our Redmoor Academy Catch-Up Premium Report.