Coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium
Harmonize Academy is an alternative provision secondary school for students in years 9-11 who are disadvantaged and vulnerable. We aim for every student on leaving year 11 to progress to continued education, training or employment.
COVID-19 catch-up premium grant 2020-2021: £24,960
This provided measures and activities to support educational recovery following the disruption to their school lives caused by the pandemic.
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Additional Teaching Assistant support for proven and effective catch up English, Maths and Science sessions for year 10 and 11 students.
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We employed six Teaching Assistants with relevant skills and knowledge on an intern contract over the year to deliver catch-up sessions.
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Sessions were aimed primarily at year 10 and 11 students studying for core GCSEs in English Language, Mathematics and Biology and created an environment that allowed them to recover a focus and motivation on the core subjects.
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A small cohort of students were also working towards GCSEs in Chemistry, Drama, Physical Education, Psychology and Statistics and the additional support also helped with their motivation to achieve these qualifications.
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One-to-one support was available for students identified as needing individual assistance.
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Year 10 students were offered the opportunity to attend catch-up sessions in order to re-engage with their learning after school disruption caused by the pandemic.
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A rewards system was operated to encourage attendance at these sessions.
The effect of the catch-up premium funding can be demonstrated by exam results analysis. The educational attainment by year 11s in 2021 was comparable with previous years, including the percentage of students who achieved 5 or more GCSEs including English and Maths at grade 4 or above. This meets the school’s priorities to raise achievement and improve progress at Key Stage 4.
Further qualitative impacts of the education catch-up programme can be demonstrated through students’ confidence in using literacy skills more widely across the curriculum and, by gaining qualifications that allow them to choose destinations after year 11 that meet their interests and aspirations.