Nov 2016 - JMc To be updated Nov 2018 More Able Policy
EQUALITIES STATEMENT Kingsmeadow School is committed to equal opportunities for all and the policy will be applied equally to all members of the school community regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, age or any disability. We are committed to providing a calm, caring and well ordered environment where everyone feels safe, happy and understands the expectations of attitudes to learning in order to create an ethos conducive to excellent learning and teaching for all. We promote a culture of praise and encouragement and expect consistency of response to both positive and negative behaviour. We believe that positive relationships based on mutual respect, promote positive attitudes to learning and that as students learn by example, all adults within school should act as positive role models with regard to their own behaviour. Equality Targets Everyone at Kingsmeadow School must strive to accept and meet the differing needs and aspirations of all members of the school community, using the human resources and skills available to us all to: 1. Safeguard individuals from all forms of abuse and harassment. We must ensure that victims can be confident of support and, where appropriate redress. We must ensure that aggressors can never claim the excuse of acting out of ignorance. Incidents of aggression and bullying are rare and dealt with effectively and outcome of which are recorded on Behaviour Watch. 2. Establish a school ethos built on mutual trust and respect. We should treat others as we would wish to be treated. We should respect other people, their property and school premises. Students regularly receive merits and praise for their positive attitudes to learning, respect to others, their school campus and their local community. Incidents of disrespectful behaviour are rare and dealt with promptly and effectively and the outcome of which are recorded on Behaviour Watch. 3. Safeguard the rights and freedoms of others. We must actively pursue our aim to help pupils develop personal moral values which respect the values and tolerates differing religious and cultures. Racist and homophobic incidents are extremely rare and dealt with promptly and effectively and the outcome of which are recorded on Behaviour Watch. Students display tolerance, support of and celebrate other cultures/religions through their work. 4. Develop an organisation which maximises pupil opportunity and experience. We must ensure that the curriculum and other activities encourages and supports the opportunity for all. We must ensure that pupils are not excluded from activities because of status or income. All student groups are able to access the curriculum fully and discrete intervention results in specific gaps in student achievement narrowing and in line with the whole school population and national figures. Eg boys, girls, students with SEND and students receiving free school meals. Mission Statement and Rationale
Inspiring minds, opening hearts, transforming lives. As our Mission Statement says, at Kingsmeadow we believe that all pupils are entitled to receive the support and challenge necessary to inspire their minds and to help them to develop their full potential. The needs of More Able, Talented and Gifted pupils are acknowledged as part of our overall inclusion policy. We recognise the importance of identifying a wide range of abilities and talents, and of providing opportunities to nurture these, with the aim of widening students breadth of experience and opening up thought processes and career pathways. In addition we are committed to developing pupils social and emotional skills, opening their hearts to new experiences and ideas as part of the development of the whole person. Definition At Kingsmeadow we use the general term More Able to refer to pupils who demonstrate or have the potential to work at a level above their peers. This may be in one or more areas. Specifically, More Able pupils are those who have ability in academic subjects, e.g. English, which is initially identified in KS2 results (those achieving 5.3+ in English and maths or 110 or more in the new KS2 scaled scores). A second wave of upper band students will be identified based on those who have attained an average of 5+ at KS2. Talented pupils will have ability in the areas of music, art or sport. Although others may use the term more generally, we identify gifted pupils as those who demonstrate exceptional ability in one or more areas, and represent 0.5% of the national population. Aims To use a broad range of qualitative and quantitative data to identify our more able pupils. To recognise those pupils who may have potential but currently underachieve. To ensure that all staff receive appropriate support and training in identifying and providing for our most able pupils. To provide support and challenge in the classroom, within an ethos of high expectations. To ensure that where necessary individuals receive academic or pastoral support to overcome identified barriers to learning. To build on existing systems of monitoring and evaluation to track the progress of these pupils. To work with parents to help pupils achieve their potential and to be ambitious. To provide a range of additional opportunities to develop the experiences of our most able including making connections with higher education and training providers. To allocate Pupil Premium funding to allow disadvantaged more able students to experience appropriate levels of stretch and challenge and participate in extracurricular events that will inspire them to aim high. Roles and responsibilities Governing body The governing body will approve the action plan for deploying pupil premium funding to More Able students. The governing body will hold senior and middle leaders to account for implementing the school s action plan and for evaluating its impact on the achievement of targeted students. The Chair of the Finance Committee is the governor designated to ensure that the pupil premium grant is used to support More Able students within the context of this policy.
The Chair of the Curriculum Committee is the governor designated to evaluate the impact of increased support on the achievement of targeted students. Head Teacher, SLT, Director of HA and Sixth Form At Kingsmeadow School, the Director of Higher Ability and Sixth Form will lead our More Able strategy, with the Head teacher monitoring effectiveness. This will include the implementation of an action plan, delivery of staff CPD, quality assurance and mentoring of MA students. The Director of HA and Sixth Form, supported by the Director of Achievement, will produce termly data reviews of MA progress and coordinate interventions where appropriate, including mentoring of Year 11 MA students. The Director of HA and Sixth Form will produce termly academic reports for the governing body, showing the progress made by all MA students and socially disadvantaged MA students, including projections for each academic year. The Director of Pastoral Care will also provide termly behaviour and attendance reports for all students and student cohorts including MA and socially disadvantaged MA students. The Deputy Head, Achievement, will have overall responsibility for evaluating the impact of progress made within the classroom including MA and socially disadvantaged MA students. Heads of Department Heads of Department are responsible for the progress of all students within their subjects and will contribute to reports to the Head Teacher and governing body through the Deputy Head - Achievement. The progress of individual MA students will be identified at each Learning Conversation and personalised intervention strategies will be deployed for each off target student. There will be regular conversations between the Head of Department and the teacher to understand the story behind the data, to agree interventions and to evaluate impact. Heads of Department will identify any particularly talented students within their subject areas and provide an individualised programme for these. All staff All staff are expected to have an in depth knowledge of all the students they teach and support, including students with specific needs and potential. Staff must also know individual student Attainment 8 Estimates for the MA students they teach so that they understand their real academic potential. Class and subject teachers are responsible for the progress made by all the students they teach. All staff will give students clear feedback, additional support and opportunity that helps them to improve their work. Staff will identify both upper band students and More Able students on seating plans and provide differentiated lessons and activities to stretch and challenge appropriately. Action Plan Short term The school will have an effective MA strategy and there will be strong commitment to this strategy by all stakeholders. Challenging teaching and learning activities with be incorporated into all Inspiring Minds planning. Priorities identified from the school SEF and actions planned in the school SIP are being implemented and monitored.
Departments will share their current MA provision, both within the curriculum and from an extra curricular perspective. Staff CPD will be focused on identifying A* skills and embedding them within schemes of work. Medium term As a result of an effective CPD programme the skills and expertise of all staff are being enhanced to identify and respond to the needs of MA students and disadvantaged MA students thereby helping to narrow the gap between students who qualify for additional funding through the pupil premium grant and those who don t. Department self evaluation provides an improved programme of More Able strategies and activities. Evaluation through scrutiny of students work and observations show that a higher proportion of teaching and learning strategies are producing faster progress for MA students. Close monitoring of student progress will help target intervention to ensure the best possible outcomes for MA and disadvantaged MA students. MA mentoring and student voice provide evidence of increased confidence and aspirations, greater involvement in learning and better understanding of how students can achieve their potential. Long term Successive cohorts will meet their achievement targets (both levels of progress and attainment) and this will result in narrowing the gap between students benefiting from pupil premium funding and their peers: The attainment gap accelerated progress will result in closing the gap in terms of GCSE and A level grades. Student destinations will reflect their high aspirations e.g a high percentage of our MA students going on to first class universities and apprenticeship opportunities. Conclusion The success of the policy will impact on the school s ethos. At Kingsmeadow we want our pupils to foster a love of education and to be proud of their own intelligence and academic progress. Furthermore, they should strive to achieve their full potential. We want our staff to feel confident in offering appropriate levels of challenge for our More Able students and we will measure success by both academic performance and an increase in the confidence, curiosity and independence of our learners.