The Department for Education (DfE) has updated its guidance for secondary schools on the Year 7 Literacy & Numeracy Catch-up Premium. The new guidance, published on 17 October 2017, details the value of the Year 7 Literacy and Numeracy catch-up premium funding schools receive, advice on how to spend it and regulations regarding how its use must be reported on school websites.
The main change to the publication is the inclusion of Literacy and Numeracy catch-up strategies (a new publication) which provides schools with details of interventions that have proven successful in assisting low attaining pupils, in Literacy and Numeracy at the end of Key Stage 2, make accelerated progress. The publication defines low attainers as those pupils whose attainment in Literacy and Numeracy, when they leave Junior school, is below age-related expectations.
Action for Governors
Governors in secondary schools should be exploring how the Catch-up premium is being used in their school(s) and if schools are aware of this new publication and are planning to use it. This should inform detailed exploration of the value for money that is being achieved through expenditure of this funding.
Action for Clerks
Clerks should be ensuring that governors are aware of this new publication, how to locate it and ensure it is included on the agenda/being discussed at relevant committee meetings or governing body/trust board meetings this term.