English & Maths Policy

Our English & maths policy tells you our literacy and numeracy arrangements in the curriculum and the required levels of qualification for staff.

Introduction & Context

English and mathematics (hereafter maths) are crucial skills for young people, helping them prepare for and navigate adulthood.

This policy ensures high-quality teaching and learning through personalised English and maths delivery. It also outlines our objectives for delivering English and maths to both students and staff.

The College will develop our students’ commitment to lifelong learning, recognising that English and maths abilities provide essential tools for understanding and application throughout their lives.

Purpose & Scope

Homefield College provides English and maths opportunities for all students and staff.

This includes opportunities to communicate and calculate to a level above their entrance level (calculated by diagnostic assessment and prior qualifications) with the opportunity to develop up to Level 2 where appropriate.

Students and staff will be offered an effective and robust diagnostic assessment.

For students:

  • Their needs are identified on an Individual Learning Plan (ILP).
  • English and maths are delivered in context of their pathway and individual needs within streamlined levels, totalling one hour per week per subject.
  • Resources within English and maths lessons follow the College’s approach to ‘Total Communications’ where possible.
  • All teaching staff have access to appropriate resources and diagnostic tools to be able to understand their students’ levels within English and maths.

For staff:

  • All College staff are expected to communicate in writing without grammatical and spelling errors. The College provides help and support to aid this.
  • Continual professional development is available for staff to enable them to be confident and competent to teach English and maths and be suitably qualified to do so.

Monitoring Arrangements

Quality Assurance (QA)

  • QA of English and maths is completed via standardisation meetings, a robust interval verification (IV) process and working with external verifiers.

Quality of Teaching and Learning

  • All English and maths teaching staff have regular learning walks where feedback is given in written format.

    • For those who need a more structured observation, this is undertaken by the Quality Assurance Manager.

    • Where quality is not strong, the member of staff is placed on an internal improvement plan which is a fully supportive procedure.

Attendance

  • All English and maths lessons have a separate reporting system to clearly establish attendance.
  • All students who miss two consecutive English and maths lessons (without good reason) are subject to an early intervention attendance improvement plan.

    • In the first instance, the student meets with their area / pathway coordinator Progress Coach to address concerns.

    • If there continues to be insufficient improvement to attendance, a further meeting with the student, their parent/carer and the area Coordinator takes place to devise a plan of commitment and create a Fitness to Study Action Plan.

    • Further to this, if there is still insufficient progress then the Disciplinary Procedure is enacted. Please note that Sub-Contractors call this process an Attendance Action Plan.

Progress Tracking and Monitoring

  • All English and maths teaching staff complete termly student reports on Evidence for Learning (EFL) for their students.
  • Students who attend English and maths lessons, including discrete sessions and 1:1, are included in the tracking system to record all progress.
  • Regular assessments are undertaken and tracked accordingly following the Scheme of Learning.
  • Students use an exercise book to record their work and log verbal feedback from their tutors. This enables a clearer progression route to be evidenced.
  • All English and maths teaching staff complete the progression trackers weekly, which follow the Scheme of Learning.
  • All students have access to assessments, whether they are undertaking qualifications or working towards.

Management Awareness

  • Staff responsible for each pathway / area are fully aware of their students’ progression and objectives, whether formal qualification, working towards or milestones.

Links with Other Policies

  • Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy
  • Homefield Quality Cycle
  • Fitness to Study + Disciplinary Action Policy
  • Performance Management

Appendix 1: Assessment and Required Levels

Students

Students’ specific English and maths needs are identified through a range of check points and assessments, including Education and Health Care Plans, pre-enrolment information, meetings with professionals, baseline assessment and diagnostic assessments via Century Tech.

Students follow an individual learning pathway including contextualisation of English and maths skills.

  • Pre-Entry Level – any students assessed to be working at a pre-entry level are set personalised communication and calculation targets. Homefield uses Milestones assessments to determine what skills need to be taught. These skills are scored termly to assess and record progress.
  • Entry Level – assessments are available on demand, internally marked and verified and then externally verified by the Awarding Body.
  • Level 1 and Level 2 – assessments are completed by either formal paper-based or online assessment and quality checked by the Awarding Body. English speaking & listening assessments are assessed by Homefield staff and quality checked internally and externally by the Awarding Body.

Students may need additional access arrangements for formal examinations, which are organised as per the procedures set by the Awarding Body and JCQ.

For some students, taking exams may not be appropriate. They continue practise their existing skills to ensure that they do not lose these.

We recognise that the development of English and maths is a priority for all students; these will be contextualised in lessons wherever possible.

Exemptions

Homefield College rigorously assesses students’ entry levels for English and Maths using prior qualifications, diagnostic assessments, and staff discussions. Within the first six weeks, meetings are held to review progress, attendance and engagement.

The policy aims for all students to either obtain relevant qualifications in English and/or Maths, aiming for at least one qualification entry per year, or encouraging participation at an appropriate level.

A multi-disciplinary approach is taken to determine whether a student should be exempt from the ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) Condition of Funding where they are not entered for an accredited qualification in any given year.

The College’s primary aim is to ensure students engage with their Study Programme. Even if an exemption is approved, students should be taught either contextualised English / Maths or they are expected to attend discrete timetable sessions where they continue to work towards qualifications at an appropriate level.

An ‘English & Maths Qualification and Exemption Form’ is completed and stored centrally to record details of the qualifications being studied or capture where an exemption has been approved.

Staff

All staff need Level 2 qualifications in both English and maths before probation can be signed as completed, and preferably before employment starts.

If staff need achieve these qualifications during probation, then full attendance at staff workshops is mandatory. Staff must achieve the qualifications before completion of probation and be signed off by Head of Quality Assurance.

Published: September 2024
Staff Responsible: English & Maths Coordinator
Approved by: Trustees