Most able
What is understood by most able?
The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) has used the term Most Able to describe those students who are achieving or who have the potential to achieve a level substantially beyond the rest of their peer group. At Kingsthorpe College, ‘Most Able’ encompasses students who demonstrate this capacity across the curriculum.
Who are most able students?
Most Able students are high performers across all areas of the curriculum this has been determined by either their academic attainment at the end of year 6 or their GCSE results. These students have the potential to academically achieve substantially beyond their peer group.
Why is supporting most able students important?
At Kingsthorpe College we believe time and resources should be dedicated to this group of young people, not only to raise aspiration but also to provide tailored opportunities to further enhance their subject understanding away from the classroom environment.
We believe that this group of young people have the innate capabilities to achieve. The Most Able programme aims to provide academic, pastoral and real world opportunities to not only help them to realise these capabilities but also drive them on to succeed beyond the results they will achieve at Kingsthorpe College and go on to exceptional destinations, whether that be through university, higher level apprenticeships or a variety of other prestigious routes that our students take.
What is the experience for students at KS3 and KS4?
We need to challenge students to think outside the box and push themselves outside their comfort zone. Challenge should not be so large that the task is impossible and breaks their motivation, but instead we need to make sure stretch and challenge is carefully tailored to allow growth of their knowledge within achievable limits. This is shown through our high expectations of students in the classroom and our ethos of ‘teaching to the top’.
Students will have opportunities across the year analyse and reflect on their experiences and collaborate with staff on approaches to further enhance their time here at school.
What is the experience for KS5 students?
For years 12 and 13, our Aim Higher tutor groups and aspirational mentoring ensure that students’ future aspirations are carefully considered and appropriate steps are put into place to succeed with these aspirations, such as:
- Subject masterclasses & boot camps
- Summer residentials
- Open days
- Oxford and Cambridge conferences
- A dedicated Academic Writing initiative
What is the super-curriculum?
The evidence shows us that providing opportunities for learning beyond the curriculum and confines of the classroom environment not only enhances knowledge and understanding, but also leads to greater aspiration to achieve.
We have collated a variety of speakers, events and visits to provide a diverse range of opportunities that will offer something for all students and their particular interests. Here is a flavour of what we have to offer…
Politics
A range of politicians from a variety of political allegiances will speak to students about their local knowledge and experiences, how they have had to discuss these at a national level and how they have overcome the challenges they have faced.
Oracy and debate
We have entered students into the International Youth Debate Competition.
The evidence shows us that developing oracy skills allows students to be confident, articulate, emotionally intelligent and academically successful.
To be successful communicators, both now and in the future, students need the skills and confidence to deliberate, debate and examine critically the arguments presented by others.
These workshops and competitions will provide an opportunity to students to build these skills.
Sciences
The Sciences theme encompasses a variety of extra-curricular STEM opportunities, including our 4 day residential to Futuroscope: a STEM theme park in France which takes place in the Summer Term.
Literacy
Students take part as key reviewers for large publishing houses, reviewing brand new books for both up and coming and established authors and feedback is sent on to the publishers.
This allows our students to get an insight into careers in English and the media and evaluate writing for real life purposes.
Higher education
The higher education events will be integral to raisings the students’ aspirations and showing them that all higher education options are still very much available to them including Oxford and Cambridge University. Support and workshop sessions are available to students interested in pursing these routes of study.
Additional opportunities
Duke of Edinburgh Award and the Extended Project Qualification.
Where can you find further information?
The following websites are helpful to both parents and students alike:
- http://ygt.dcsf.gov.uk
This is the official site for young, gifted and talented learners and has a wide range of information for parents and students. This website will tell you more about what it means to be Gifted and Talented and includes information about courses and events for the gifted and talented child. - http://www.londongt.org
This website provides more information about courses available for parents and offers high quality learning programmes and e- resources to stretch children across the curriculum. - http://www.gov.uk
This website provides excellent advice to parents and carers to find out how to identify if your child is gifted and talented, and to learn about extra educational support which is available. - http://www.nagcbritain.org.uk/
The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is an independent charity which works with the whole family to support the child who is gifted and talented. This website offers parents of children with high learning potential the support needed for their children to thrive successfully. - http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/iggy
IGGY is an international network for gifted 13-18 years old students aimed at challenging its members to help them reach their full potential. - http://www.giftltd.co.uk/
GIFT is a company with more than 30 years’ experience of providing for the Exceptionally Able, Gifted and Talented child. It is now a specialist consultancy which runs both residential and non-residential courses for gifted children of all ages with a unique resource base of specialists providing over four hundred different extension courses for every imaginable discipline from Archaeology to Zoo physics. - https://www.inspiringthefuture.org/schools-and-colleges/
Inspiring the Future offer a range of virtual volunteering opportunities for secondary school students so that they can get a taste of the world of work.
