Recovery Curriculum and COVID Catch-Up Premium

 

 

Returning to School - March 2021

We are very aware that the COVID-19 pandemic and two significant lockdown periods has caused disruption and will have had all sorts of impact on children.  Some children will be eager to get back to the safety and predictability that school provides for them, others may be anxious. it is essential that academic, social and wellbeing aspects are carefully considered as school continues during the pandemic.

At St Paul’s we will provide a safe, calm, and caring welcome and each child’s well-being will be at the centre of our thinking.

We understand that remote learning has brought its challenges for families and we have made thoughtful and considered plans to ensure our children return to school to a curriculum which is designed to help them recover.

After the first national lockdown, a carefully constructed curriculum at St Paul's preceded the return of our pupils. Learning in English and Maths was immediately reintegrated to ensure children's learning was built upon, strengthened and key objectives from the previous year were enhanced to reduce 'lost learning'. Learning focused on key skills from the National Curriculum. In addition, a programme of PSHE linked activities - designed to help children reintegrate socially and emotionally - combined with additional daily physical activity took place. All staff also received training to help prepare for curriculum adaptation and expected behaviours.  We were also prepared for blended learning to ensure pupils could learn remotely in the case that they needed to self-isolate at home.  

We understand that remote learning has brought its challenges for families and we have made thoughtful and considered plans to ensure our children return to school to a curriculum which is designed to help them recover.  The curriculum at St Paul's will remain broad and ambitious, covering all subjects and creating time to cover any missed content.

At St Paul’s our first priority will be to reconnect and establish routines, being positive and looking forward while ensuring mental health and wellbeing are fully supported.  We will make use of formative assessment to address the needs of the pupils, making curriculum modifications as required.  We will prioritise gaps in reading, writing and maths while allowing plenty of time for the creative curriculum, learning that was more difficult to deliver remotely and being outside as much as possible.  

We aim for the return to school at St Paul's to be a positive, vibrant and enjoyable experience for all our pupils and are greatly looking forward to seeing them again!

Recovery Curriculum Aims at St Paul's

Positive, safe, nurturing, healthy relationships

Emotional wellbeing, mental and physical health

(physical education, team games, gardening, forest schools, yoga etc.)

Our school values: Respect, Encourage, Friendships, Love, Equality, Compassion, Trust

Basic skills in maths, reading and writing

Creative arts (drama, role play, music, art)

Reading for pleasure

Use of the outdoors

PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education / RSHE (Relationships, Sex and Health Education)

At St Paul's CofE (VC) Junior School we have introduced a whole school PSHE scheme called Jigsaw.  Jigsaw combines PSHE, emotional literacy, mindfulness, social skills and spiritual development.  Jigsaw aims to help children know and value who they really are and how they relate to other people in this ever-changing world.  When children return to school we shall initially be using the Jigsaw Recovery Package and will focus on the following areas in PSHE lessons:

In the recent DfE guidance it states that this academic year schools can choose to focus on the immediate needs of our pupils.  Therefore, our focus at St Paul’s until July 2021 will be relationships, health education, dreams and goals.

English

Our English curriculum has continued throughout the 2021 lockdown providing pupils with pre-recorded daily lessons. When all pupils return to school year groups will start a new text / unit of work to encourage a sense of community, new start and shared experience. 

Time will be given to allow pupils to recap on key concepts during the school closure.

More curriculum time will be given to speaking and listening approaches, drama, reading, handwriting, punctuation and grammar and a phonics based approach to spelling. 

Spelling Shed and EPIC Reader were successfully introduced during the school closure and will continue, quality time will also be given to allow children to use Accelerated Reader.

Maths

Our Maths curriculum has continued throughout the 2021 lockdown providing pupils with pre-recorded daily lessons however we are very aware that pupils will have different experiences of remote learning. At St Paul’s we will continue to use White Rose Maths.  Adequate time will be given to allow pupils to recap on the most important conceptual knowledge and understanding that pupils need as they progress through Key Stage 2. 

We will continue our weekly lesson which focuses on basic number skills, ‘Calculation Friday’.  Future maths topics will also be adapted to include the objectives that were missed in the first school closure.

Science

The curriculum at St Paul’s covers strands of science in biology, chemistry and physics and the experiences of working scientifically. The science curriculum has continued remotely during this second school closure.  Time will be allocated for practical lessons that were difficult to teach remotely.  Topic missed in the first period of school closure will also be considered in teacher plans.

Creative Curriculum

The curriculum at St Paul’s supports pupils’ mental well-being by focussing on learning that promotes self-expression and creativity.  Our already established engaging and cross-curricular topics and enrichment activities will continue.  Time will be spent on learning that was more difficult to deliver remotely and revisiting key knowledge and skills from the curriculum.  There will be a focus on creativity, artistic and craft-based learning that will support pupils’ fine motor skills and concentration. Our outdoor environment will be used where possible.

Physical Education

Children may have spent a large proportion of their time in their homes due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  Inactive behaviour and low levels of physical activity can have a negative effect on quality of life, health and well-being.  The Physical Education Curriculum at St Paul’s promotes daily physical activity outside, within the framework of social distancing.  Children will take part in learning activities that encourage play and sport.  We are fortunate that we have a wealth of outdoor learning spaces in our grounds and sports coach staff. After school opportunities with our sport coaches will also enhance our PE provision.

SPORTS COACH LESSON - Monday: Y3, Tuesday: Y6, Wednesday: Y5, Thursday: Y4  (please wear PE kits to school on these days)

Religious Education

There will be no change to our Religious Education curriculum as units are revisited after two years in more depth.  Teachers will account for any lessons that have been missed during the school closure.

Collective Worship

There will be a collective worship every day however we will not congregate in the hall as a whole school.  Worship will be in classrooms, outside (in good weather) or virtually.  There will be a Friday celebration worship, sadly parents will not be able to join us for the time being.

SEND

We will closely monitor all children on their return to school academically as well as socially and emotionally. Where we have any cause for concern, we will address this through the use of appropriate individual or group intervention and in-class support.

COVID Catch Up Premium

The DfE allocated £650 million to be spent on ensuring all pupils have the chance to catch up and supporting schools to enable them to do so.  Whilst headteachers will decide how the money is spent, the Education Endowment Foundation has published guidance on effective interventions to support schools.  For pupils with complex needs, schools should spend this funding on catch-up support to address their individual needs.  There is also an allocation of £350 million for a National Tutoring Programme, intended to deliver proven and successful tuition to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable young people. 

At St Paul's CofE Junior School:

 Documents

Diary Dates