We mainly use intervention programmes to help the children ‘catch-up’ with an area of learning they are finding difficult.  However, we can also use interventions to help children to work at a higher level, when they are ready for the next level of challenge. 

Throughout the school, we run small phonics groups to help children revise phases of phonics that the class has already learnt, particularly if these sounds are not yet secure.  Children in these groups remain with the whole class for new phonics teaching, so that they don’t miss out on content and fall further behind their peers; phonics interventions take place at other times in the day, to help the children ‘over-learn' sounds they need which are not yet secure. 

Children who are making slower progress with their reading need to read each day with an adult in school and are known as ‘Daily Readers.’  Similarly, some children need regular handwriting practice in addition to the work done in class.  Maths intervention groups focus on number, so that a small group have additional support to become more accurate at reciting numbers in order, counting an amount accurately, as well as comparing numbers/amounts, sequencing numerals and practising addition and subtraction in a practical way, before practising recording their number sentences. 

In Year R, we run the ‘Time to Talk’ intervention to support children who are not confident to talk in a larger group. Specific children may also receive Speech and Language Therapy, which is overseen by a Speech Therapist, with some sessions run by Learning Assistants who have been trained to carry these out. 

With all our interventions, short-term targets are set and progress against these targets is tracked, so we can see if the intervention is having the desired results.  

In 2022-23, we will be running the ‘Mastering Number’ programme for all classes, supported by our Maths Hub.