Coronavirus Catch-Up Premium
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication Coronavirus (COVID-19) Catch-up Premium
Introduction
The government is providing funding to cover a one-off universal catch-up premium for the 2020 to 2021 academic year.
It aims to support pupils to catch up for lost learning so schools can meet the curriculum expectations for the next academic year, with the key principles:
- Education is not optional
- All pupils receive a high-quality education that promotes their development and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
- The curriculum remains broad and ambitious
- All pupils continue to be taught a wide range of subjects, maintaining their choices for further study and employment.
- Remote education
- Where needed, this is high-quality and safe, and aligns as closely as possible with in-school provision. Schools and other settings continue to build their capability to educate pupils remotely, where this is needed.
Informed by the above key principles, the DfE asks that schools and other settings meet key expectations IF considering revisions to the school curriculum for 2020-21:
- Teach an ambitious and broad curriculum
- Aim to return to the schools’ ‘normal’ curriculum by the summer term 2021
- Plan on the basis of the educational needs of pupils, informed by an assessment of the pupils’ starting points and addressing gaps
- Develop remote education so it is integrated into the school’s curriculum planning.
Funding
Special, Alternative Provision and Hospital Schools will receive a total of £240 per place, as follows:
- In 3 instalments - in autumn 2020, 'early 2021' and summer 2021
- Payments 1 and 2 – total of £140 per place across the payments
- Payment 3 - £100 per place
Per place numbers for each instalment are based on the published high needs place numbers for the 2020 to 2021 academic year.
Catch-up Planning
Schools are able to spend the funding in the most effective way for their own pupils
It is up to the school to decide:
- Which pupils need to access the support
- Although funding is on a per pupil basis, there are no specific requirements for who to spend it on.
- Schools should Identify pupils that will benefit most from the funding
- The activities that will be provided
- The Education Endowment Fund (EEF) has guidance on catch-up approaches schools could choose, as well as a planning guide to help implementation of catch-up strategies for the 2020/21 academic year.
- the DfE recommends small group or 1-to-1 tuition (particularly through the National Tutoring Programme)