City Year UK is committed to making a lasting, positive impact on every child we support – helping them build the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to thrive long after they leave the classroom.
City Year Areas of Focus Model – An Overview
Our Areas of Focus model helps us track progress and respond to the individual, evolving needs of each child. At its core is Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), supported by targeted improvements in attendance, behaviour, and curriculum. Together, these pillars create the conditions every child needs to thrive.
How it Works
Up to Three Areas of Focus
Pupils will receive support in up to three focus areas.
Supporting Social and Emotional Development
Once added to the Focus List, pupils receive support in social and emotional learning (SEL) through DESSA and weekly Check-In Check-Out sessions.
Selecting Focus Areas
Schools can choose one curriculum area (Maths or English) and up to two additional focus areas: Attendance and Behaviour. The attendance focus can target either attendance or punctuality, at school or lesson level.
Curriculum support is delivered through IXL Learning, a leading platform aligned to the National Curriculum, offering personalised Maths and English practice from Reception to Year 13. For best results, City Year UK recommends IXL’s suggested weekly intervention of 40–55 minutes, which can be split across days or sessions as needed.
Social and emotional support is delivered through DESSA (Devereux Student Strengths Assessment), a standardised Social and Emotional Competency (SEC) assessment for pupils from Year 1 to Year 13. It enables City Year mentors to build a measurable, actionable programme of support, track progress reliably, and adapt interventions to meet changing pupil needs.
Need more details?
Explore our Areas of Focus model in more depth and find out how we can work together to achieve the best outcomes for pupils.
