Department for Education Catch Up Funding 2020.21
Funding allocation:
Mainstream Schools’ allocations have been calculated on a per pupil basis, providing each school with a total of £80 for each pupil from Reception through to Y6.
Payments:
This funding will be provided in 3 tranches. The DFE provided schools with an initial part payment in Autumn 2020, based on the latest available data on pupils. They will then distribute a second grant payment in early 2021, based on updated pupil and place data from the October 2020 census. The second grant payment will also take account of the initial part payment made in autumn 2020 so that schools will receive a total of £46.67 per pupil. A further £33.33 per pupil will be paid during the summer term 2021. Though funding has been calculated on a per pupil basis, schools should use the sum available to them as a single total from which to prioritise support for pupils according to their need. As the catch-up premium has been designed to mitigate the effects of the unique disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19), the grant will only be available for the 2020 to 2021 academic year. It will not be added to schools’ baselines in calculating future years’ funding allocations.
Use of funds:
Schools can use this funding for specific activities to support their pupils to catch up for lost teaching over the previous months, in line with the guidance on curriculum expectations for the next academic year. Schools have the flexibility to spend their funding in the best way for their cohort and circumstances.
Accountability and monitoring:
As with all government funding, school leaders must be able to account for how this money is being used to achieve the DFE’s central goal of schools getting back on track and teaching a normal curriculum as quickly as possible. Given their role in ensuring schools spend funding appropriately and in holding schools to account for educational performance, school governors and trustees will scrutinise the schools’ approach to catch-up from September, including their plans for and use of catch-up funding. This will include consideration of whether schools are spending this funding in line with their catch-up priorities, and ensuring appropriate transparency for parents. (DfE guidance - Coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium - updated 24/08/2020)