Secondary Intervention Glossary

Achievement

A pupil's achievement is judged by considering their actual attainment in relation to what could be predicted as their potential for attainment. Thus a pupil whose attainment is above what could have been predicted is a high achiever. Underachievement is where pupils attain at a level below their potential. Underachievement can result from a combination of factors such as:

Additionality

An important principle in intervention is that the targeted pupils receive something additional that is funded by additional funds to the school. Additionality can take the form of extra tuition or extra support, for example through the employment of a teaching assistant.

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

'The process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there.'

This process is integral to effective intervention as it contributes to:

Attainment

The level of knowledge, skills and understanding that a pupil has reached at a given time. Low attainment is defined as attainment that is one level below what is expected for pupils at a given age. Pupils may be defined as having low attainment if they have attained:

On entry to Year 7 level 3
On entry to Year 10 level 4

Pupils whose attainment is two or more levels below expectations may be described as having very low attainment and many of these pupils will have been assessed as having special educational needs.

Booster

This term refers to additional teaching that is provided for targeted groups of pupils in advance of the end of key stage tests or examinations. Booster work is designed to help borderline pupils secure level 4 or 5 in the tests or examinations. Materials to support booster sessions in English, mathematics and science are available. There is a GCSE booster pack for Key Stage 4.

Conversion

A measure of pupils' progress. For instance, it is possible to see how many pupils in school 'convert' from level 4 or 5 as they move through Key Stage 3. The main objective of intervention in Key Stage 3 is to achieve conversion from level 3 to level 5. Intervention will also be appropriate for pupils who enter at level 4 and make little or no progress.

Critical teaching units

Units of work for English and mathematics that are designed to accelerate the progress of a whole teaching group towards reaching the expected level. These are described in the Intervention Toolkit (see below) and include:

Targeting Level 4 in Year 7: English
Targeting Level 4 in Year 7: mathematics, which includes Springboard references
Targeting English Level 5 and above: teaching responses to reading in Year 9.

Curricular targets

These are targets set for pupils after a significant next step in learning has been identified for them. Curricular targets can be set for individuals or groups of pupils and help teachers to focus their work and pupils to see where they need to concentrate their efforts. The identification of curricular targets for pupils is an essential part of intervention and tailored teaching.

Guided group work

This is where a group of 4-6 pupils receive teaching focused on a specific learning need. The session is usually about 20 minutes long and takes place either within the context of a class lesson or, possibly, outside of class lessons. Guided group sessions may be taken by a teacher or by a teaching assistant who is following a planned programme.

Intervention

Action planned to improve the progress of targeted pupils who have been identified as falling behind the expected level of attainment and who are at risk of not fulfilling their potential. Intervention implies that these pupils will receive some additional or different provision at certain times, but effective intervention also requires that the needs of these pupils are taken account of in all their teaching.

Intervention toolkit

The suite of materials developed by the Secondary National Strategy to support intervention in schools. There is a useful publication of the same name which describes most of the materials. It is available to view/download at: www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3/respub/ws_intvstrat

Learning Challenge

Learning Challenge is designed to be focused support for individual pupils and is based on one to one coaching of pupils by volunteer coaches, mentors or teaching assistants. It is a sequence of general sessions to help pupils to organise themselves for learning in Key Stage 3 and beyond, and to accelerate their progress from level 3 to 4. Topics include: organising yourself; working on your own; working with others; homework; and working in different subjects.

Learning Conversation

Learning Conversations are periodic, small group discussions involving an adult coach and between two to four individuals to develop an ongoing dialogue with learners about their progress and preferences in learning. For more information see: www.nationalstrategiescpd.org.uk/course/view.php?id=25

Literacy Progress Units

The Literacy Progress Units support the teaching of pupils working at level 3 in English, with the aim of moving them to level 4 in Year 7. The units teach pupils how to read with greater understanding and how to express themselves accurately in writing. There are six units: Spelling, Phonics, Writing organisation, Information retrieval, Reading between the lines and Sentences.

Mathematics Challenge

This scheme to boost the learning of Year 7 pupils currently working at Level 3 in mathematics is based on one to one coaching of pupils by volunteer coaches, mentors or teaching assistants. It could be used with small groups where appropriate. The coaching is carefully targeted on specific areas of difficulty in mathematics.

One to one tuition/coaching

This is where individual pupils receive tuition or coaching individually to meet an identified need. Programmes such as Reading Challenge are based on one to one tuition/coaching, which may be provided by teachers, but more likely by teaching assistants, mentors or older pupils.

Peer coaches/peer coaching

This is intervention involving the reciprocal provision of support on a personal or group basis, by a colleague or fellow student. This definition of peer coaching is taken from the Secondary National Strategy DVD-ROM Coaching in Secondary Schools DfES ref: 0115-2006DVD-EN. Copies available from Prolog, Tel: 0845 6022260.

Pen portraits

These can be found in the English Progression Maps and describe readers and writers at particular points on their learning journey. They help teachers identify where their pupils are and see where they need to go next.

Progression Maps

These are a web-based tool to help teachers identify curricular targets for their pupils and teach effectively towards them. The Progression Maps also help teachers make effective use of the wide range of materials that has been developed by the Secondary National Strategy.

Reading Challenge

This scheme to boost level 3 readers in Year 7 and level 3 or 4 readers in Year 8 is based on one to one coaching of pupils by volunteer coaches, mentors or teaching assistants. Coaching is focused by a diagnosis of the pupil's most pressing reading difficulty and is designed to remedy it.

Study Plus

Study Plus is the approach to Key Stage 4 intervention in English and mathematics that is being developed by the Secondary National Strategy. The SNS materials support schools in planning a Study Plus course that is tailored to meet the specific needs of their pupils.

Tailored teaching

Teaching that takes account of the needs of specific groups and individuals. The use of curricular targets is an effective way of tailoring teaching.

Teaching Assistants

Used by the Secondary National Strategy (SNS) as a generic term to cover adults who are not teachers but who are employed by the school to run intervention programmes and/or support the target group of pupils in lessons. The generic term includes a range of titles used by schools such as academic mentor and learning support assistant. The employment of teaching assistants is an effective use of funding for intervention where they are deployed in the context of effective programmes or where they have a planned role in lessons to support target pupils (for example, guided group work).

Transfer of learning

This is where pupils are able to consolidate what they have learnt in intervention programmes and apply it in main lessons. Transfer is difficult to achieve where a school's approach relies solely on the provision of specific intervention programmes.

Wave model

This is the model of intervention recommended by the Primary and Secondary National Strategies.

Wave 1

Tailored teaching in classes.

High quality inclusive teaching supported by effective whole-school policies and frameworks, clearly targeted on all pupils' needs and prior learning. This results in schemes of work that are designed to move all pupils from where they are to where they need to be. Wave 1 teaching anticipates the needs of pupils based on effective use of yearly transition data and information.

Wave 2

Wave 1 plus additional, time-limited, tailored intervention support programmes. Wave 2 support is designed to increase rates of progress and secure learning for groups of pupils; putting them back on course to meet or exceed national expectations. This takes the form of tight, structured programmes of small group support, carefully targeted and delivered by teachers or appropriately skilled teaching assistants to help pupils achieve their learning objectives. This can occur outside (but in addition to) whole-class lessons, or be built into mainstream lessons as part of guided work. Critically, intervention support needs to help pupils apply their learning in mainstream lessons.

Wave 3

Wave 1 plus increasingly individualised programmes, based on independent evidence of what works. Wave 3 support will accelerate and maximise progress and minimise performance gaps. This will involve one to one or very small group support via a specialist teacher, highly trained teaching assistant or academic mentor, to support pupils towards the achievement of very specific targets.

Writing Challenge

This scheme to boost level 3 writers in Year 7 and level 3 or 4 writers in Year 8 is based on one to one coaching of pupils by volunteer coaches, mentors or teaching assistants. The coaching is focused by a diagnosis of the pupil's most pressing writing difficulty and is designed to remedy it.

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