OUR APPROACH

We recognise that our highly able students need access to broad, balanced, and challenging curriculum opportunities to enable them to reach their true potential. We achieve this by offering activities that extend and enrich their learning and promote high attainment and good progress.

Where appropriate, students will move through their learning at a faster rate than their peers. Particularly able students may be able to take additional qualifications and enter into Local and National Competitions.

At The Henry Beaufort School we have identified to teachers those highly gifted students who fall into the category of the ‘Top 5%’ (T5) in terms of their academic ability or gifted and talented skills. Students on the T5 register will be supported to reach their full potential through high calibre, differentiated tasks and activities in daily lessons and enrichment activities.

T5

Over the years, the language used to identify highly able students has been ‘interchanged’ depending upon the agency describing a group of students; ‘More Able’, ‘Most Able’ and ‘High Ability' all refer to the same group of students.

Higher Ability (More Able/Most Able) identification

• Students at Year 6 who achieve a high scaled score in English and Maths and are deemed as exceeding expected progress in writing.
• Students (in the absence of Year 6 data) who demonstrate the ability to achieve the above in their first assessments in Year 7 or in equivalent tests.
• Please note that if a student demonstrates this ability as they progress through secondary school, they are added to the list.

Gifted and Talented

• Students with one or more abilities develop to a level significantly ahead of their year group, or with the potential to develop those abilities, for example in sport or the arts.

   

There is a difference between a student who performs at a high level across English, Maths and traditionally academic subjects, and a student who excels in a specific area e.g. Art or PE. We therefore hold one register; T5.  This registers our higher ability students and gifted and talented students. Whilst the Department for Education no longer make this differentiation, we feel that it is an important one to retain in order that we can support our Gifted and Talented students to achieve their potential in their specific area of expertise.

We also support students in preparation for scholarship exams to private colleges such as Winchester College.

CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT

Teachers often set optional extension activities for students, so do keep a look out for these in their books or as part of their home learning in ARBOR. A number are aimed specifically at the More Able. 

Below are examples of curriculum enrichment activities that students have had access to recently:

SUBJECT	CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Art	Participate in community-based Art competitions Promote Christmas Card competition, whole school Developing an in-school mural Support the build and design of whole-school production set
Drama	Ambition strand in 5 Year Curriculum Bi-annual Whole school Production at The Theatre Royal Year 9 and 10 Drama Club Leaders
English	Clinics in Year 11 are lecture focused for higher attainers – mimic university style lectures taken from academic reading Weaving academic reading into Literature schemes of work Creative Writing Club – particularly for lower years. Creative writing competitions on a termly basis Beaufort Book Society – encouraging reading and discussion of texts Poetry Live for high-attaining Year 11 students
History	History & Archaeology Club Wider reading opportunities given throughout the 5-year curriculum Stretch opportunities given within lessons Links with Winchester College
Geography	“Geochallenge” extension tasks built into every lesson in the 5-year curriculum Geog in the News enrichment opportunities & discussions Environmental Club Enrichment lectures from Geographical Association for Year 11 Geographers
I.C.T	Vodafone Girls in STEM teams meetings Year 8 and 9 Extensions and explorer tasks built into every Core lesson in Years 7-9 and extensions in Year 9-11 Bletchley Park trip Support with Primary E-Safety Days Cyber Ambassadors
Mathematics	UKMT Maths Challenge: Open to top set mathematicians in Years 7-10 A chance to participate in the Math Challenge held at Winchester College House Of Maths:  Interactive workshops for T5 students. On offer to Years 7 and 8 Maths Inspiration Show: The Maths Inspiration is a national programme of interactive maths lecture shows for high ability Maths students. Open to Year 10 and 11 Further Maths GCSE qualification: This additional qualification fills the gap for high achieving students by assessing their higher order mathematical skills, and who are likely to progress to A-Level study in Mathematics
MFL: French, German, Spanish Languages	Mandarin extra-curricular classes Early entry GCSE for home languages Bespoke GCSE revision clinics focused by tier of entry Year 8 Residential visit to France Year 9 Residential visit to Germany Visit to Peter Symmonds College (Year 10 MFL taster sessions)
Music	External exams every term (ABRSM/Trinity/RSL) Whole School Production Concerts every term Jazz Band – ensemble designed for higher grade musicians Chamber Choir – vocal ensemble of higher-grade vocalists Links to Hampshire Music Service, The Arts Council, Hampshire County Youth Orchestra, Southampton University and Winchester Cathedral
PE	Leadership opportunities for Sports Teams and the opportunity to represent the school at District, County at National competitions Wide range of extra-curricular opportunities for students to attend The opportunity to become a Sports Captain Range of Enrichment Week Opportunities linked to Sport and Adventure PGL Netball Weekend and the opportunity to play against a range of schools in a high-level competition
RE	Trips to places of worship to speak with religious leaders and the religious communities Promote Spirited Arts, whole school ‘News Day’ Debating within lessons
Science	In Science over half of our students follow Triple Science and it does not require them to take up an option block. This allows all students with the ability to follow the Triple Science route, whilst maintaining a broad curriculum Science club
Technology	Engineering club and competitions and trips including Powerboat Challenge and Scalextrix4Schools for students in Years 9-10 Design challenge run with Winchester College for Year 9 Technical skills workshops in Food Preparation & Nutrition for complex skills

      

MOVING THROUGH THE SCHOOL

• At Year 6 transition time, we talk to primary school teachers and junior school Headteachers about the T5 students that are starting school with us.

• In Year 8, we ensure that T5 students make appropriate options choices for Key Stage 4. For example Engineering and Computing is presented to students as an academically and challenging GCSE pathway.
• During Years 8-11, students are given tailored advice regarding future options and pathways.

TARGET SETTING AND TRACKING

The school provides students with stages and targets for their attainment and monitors the progress of its students.  T5 students are likely to have higher individual stages/targets in some subjects. This ensures that they have an appropriate level of challenge and reach their full potential.  At whole-school level, the attainment and progress of students are tracked against other schools, the Russell Group Education Trust and the relative performance of specific groups of students, including the More Able, is scrutinised as part of this process.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES SUITABLE FOR T5 STUDENTS

The school offers a range of extra-curricular activities and trips that are suitable for highly able students and assist in extending their learning. 

       

AWARDS OUTSIDE SCHOOL

We recognise that our students come from diverse backgrounds, they may have achieved qualifications or certificates in various disciplines – sports, music, languages etc. If this is the case for your child, please let the school know of their most recent achievements and keep your child’s tutor and/or Head of Year updated. Those with ABRSM qualifications or the equivalent may be entitled to ‘points’ equivalent to GCSEs which can help with university applications (Grade 6 onwards). For more information, please visit; https://gb.abrsm.org/en/our-exams/information-and-regulations/exam-regulation-and-ucas-points/

T5 STUDENTS AND SOCIAL MOBILITY

We work to ensure that able students from all backgrounds are given support to access further and higher education and therefore have equal chances to succeed.