Intent

The Literacy and Numeracy Workshop will support learners who have gaps in their learning, moving them closer to their age related expectations in their core skills.  They will do this in an environment which is calm and safe, allowing them to develop self-esteem through experiential learning and consolidation of basic skills.  This will be done in a dignified manner, taking account of each child’s individual specific needs. The aim is to motivate and encourage the learner to master the basics thus gaining the knowledge and skills to move up the steps and become confident, self-assisted learners.

Implementation

Using the data collated from the data trawls and the information from Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) a bespoke curriculum is provided for each learner who has been assessed as needing additional support, to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. The use of the primary Assertive Mentoring approach allows learners to fill gaps in their prior learning. It meets the needs of each learner allowing them to develop spellings, grammar and maths skills. Each learner is supported to develop their basic skills.  This is done by working on a one to one basis, in pairs or in groups.  There is a significant focus on speaking and listening skills, on developing vocabulary and understanding the four functions of number. This is supported one day each week from a speech and language therapist who works with learners individually and in a group.  Learners are provided with continuous support with tasks that are aimed to consolidate deep learning and chunked to challenge whilst avoiding memory overload.  A variety of other teaching resources are used such as: Education City, Lexia, TT Rockstars (times tables), textbooks, worksheets and individual learner led projects.

Impact

By providing a calm and safe environment, a structured approach to learning outcomes, excellent resources our learners bridge the gaps in their understanding with the development of basic skills that encourages self-belief as a learner.  Learners will experience success through positive attention, this will motivate them to be inquisitive, take risks, make mistakes, develop resilience which in turn will accelerate their progress.