At Holy Family, we believe that Interventions and Support begin in the classroom. Through well planned lessons and assessment, and excellent subject knowledge, every teacher and member of support staff recognises the academic potential of all Holy Family students. Therefore, underachievement can be rapidly identified and intervention strategies put in place.

Each department will offer support sessions to any student experiencing difficulties. Where possible, there will be a second member of staff in lessons to work alongside the teacher in the delivery of the subject. Our vibrant SEND department also provides vital support with individuals or small groups of students. Throughout Years 10 and 11, there is an established interventions’ timetable in which our committed colleagues volunteer their time before or after school to facilitate ‘booster’ sessions in their given subjects.

Yet we also recognise that some students also need emotional as well as academic support and have many colleagues and programmes to ensure that this is provided. Therefore, we have our in house Learning Mentors and Year Team mentoring. In addition we work with Zurich mentors, Spark2Life mentors and run peer mentoring programme.

We continually strive to ensure that every student at Holy Family is supported and we trust that they feel academically challenged and safe.

Whole School Literacy

Literacy opens the door to the curriculum and is the key to improving the life chances of young people. Since developing these skills is so crucial, it is embedded within teaching, learning and assessment, where it is taught explicitly in every subject. Students are, therefore, required - and become accustomed to – improving their work, following feedback from staff, including correcting errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar,

At Holy Family Catholic School, we make it our mission to ensure that every learner is supported to make progress. There is a reading support programme for those with additional literacy needs, whilst more able students are directed to embrace opportunities for wider reading through extended projects. In addition, all pupils in Years 7-8 have one timetabled lesson, per fortnight, in the school library, during which they receive an induction on how to make effective use of this resource, along with a taught programme, with a focus on reading, thought-provoking discussion and book reviews.

The provision is consolidated with weekly spelling, punctuation and grammar tests during form time, plus spelling competitions between one house and another, all of which lead to tangible rewards, as well as academic progress.

Intervention

Types of Intervention

In line with our Catholic ethos, our intervention policy is dedicated to nurturing each student as a whole person, providing academic, emotional, and spiritual support. We strive to foster a learning environment rooted in respect, compassion, and faith. All students are valued and supported through a tiered intervention approach, with a commitment to early identification, tailored support, and a collaborative effort with families and the wider faith community.

Intervention support has always been prevalent at Holy Family Catholic High School. Class teachers are responsible for matching their teaching to the individual needs of the children, thereby providing appropriate intervention at a classroom level. Following this, there are now 4 key types of Intervention:

a) Subject Specific – run by the Head of Department and may include in-class and after-school interventions.

b) Reading support - run by Literacy coordinator, the English department and LRC staff and may include the use of online tools and one to one reading support.

b) SEND Support – run by the SEN department and may include in-class support and after clubs

c) Pastoral Support – run by the Pastoral Team and External Agencies

Referral Process

a) Initial Concern: Teacher, parent, or data identifies a concern.

b) Assessment: Intervention Leads reviews the referral and conducts any necessary
additional assessments.

c) Intervention Planning: Appropriate intervention type is determined based on the
student's needs.

d) Parental Notification: Parents are informed of the proposed intervention and their consent is obtained.

e) Intervention Commencement: Student begins the allocated intervention program.

Prioritisation

In cases where demand exceeds capacity, a prioritisation system will be used:

1. Students significantly below target grades in core subjects
2. Students with multiple subject concerns
3. Students with specific learning difficulties
4. Students approaching key examination periods

Review Cycle

Student progress in intervention programs will be reviewed every 6 weeks (one intervention block). Decisions to continue, modify, or conclude intervention will be made based on these reviews.

Teacher Feedback

Subject teachers will provide feedback on any observed improvements in classroom performance. This feedback will be collected via a standardised form at the end of each intervention block.

Parental Feedback

Parents will be surveyed at the end of each intervention block to gather their perspectives on their child's progress.

Multi-Agency Approach

For complex cases, a multi-agency approach may be adopted, involving external specialists as needed.

Transition Support

Special attention will be given to identifying students who may need intervention support during key transition periods (e.g., Year 7 entry, GCSE options selection).

Numeracy

Rationale

Numeracy Club was officially launched several years ago for students who need additional help to make progress in mathematics. It runs with the support from the maths and learning support departments.

The club is primarily designed to act as a second layer of intervention outside the normal lessons.

At another level it is a support with the aims of:

bringing in parental participation to pupils at home and club sessions, and
providing identified students an environment conducive for learning maths.

To these ends the club:

provides drinks and biscuits during its sessions
tries to create a friendly, welcoming and flexible learning environment
invites parents/ carers to be present with their children (whenever they are available) during sessions
provides resources for parents/ carers to work with their children at home.

Who attends?

The pupils attend the club are selected according to:

The results of formal assessments or
Recommendation from colleagues in the maths department.

The club also attracts pupils, who are not in the identified list but, wanting to improve their grades/ levels.

Club sessions

The club runs four sessions on the Wiseman site (Monday – Thursday), and two sessions operate on the Walthamstow site ( Monday and Wednesday).

Time: 3.15 – 4.15

Pupils are given 1:1, 3:1, and group tuition on:

basic, and
functional numeracy

We focus on individual needs, which forms the basis of the club’s continual assessment or on the basis of needs due to the topic learned during formal lessons at a particular time.

Over the period the club has built up its own resources and assessment materials according to NC standards.

SEND PRovision

Holy Family is a National Autism Society accredited school!

At Holy Family, the care for the SEND children is at the core of our values and we are passionate about including them in all aspects of school life. Our teachers ensure that every child is provided with an appropriate level of challenge and makes steady progress.

We have effective systems in place to make sure that the school’s staff have a good understanding of each child’s strengths and needs and bespoke support is offered when required.

We endeavour to work closely and in partnership with parents of SEND students and, when deemed necessary, seek the support of outside agencies.

The SENDCO’s surgery runs every Monday 3.30 pm - 4.30 pm.

Please email to book an appointment: m.scullion@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk

Monika Scullion - SENDCO

m.scullion@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk

Gabriela Pietrzyk - Assistant SENDCO

g.pietrzyk@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk

Maureen Murray - Year 7 Transition coordinator

m.murray@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk

Flora Warren - EAL coordinator

f.warren@holyfamily.waltham.sch.uk

For further details on Waltham Forest Local Offer click here.