More Able

Our academic achievements are outstanding, and the school has a solid tradition of academic rigour. Students go on to their choice of university each year, with between 10% and 20% attending Oxford and Cambridge.
Within the College we recognise that students have different strengths, and some may be more able in different subject areas.
We aim to:

• deliver high quality teaching that teaches to the top and then provides challenge for each individual learner.
• identify students’ strengths and provide them with opportunities within and beyond the curriculum to stretch their abilities and achievements.
• build student awareness, independence, and responsibility for their learning so that they can work with drive and focus towards achieving their full potential.
• have a culture of academic endeavour and to celebrate achievement in all its forms.

Our subject teachers recognise each student’s individual strengths and, where relevant, students are set work that gives them the opportunity to explore a topic in more depth. This ensures that everyone is working at their individual level of ability and can work to their own potential.

We recognise the research by Mueller and Dweck (1998) that shows that labels such as ‘gifted and talented’ emphasise the role of innate or natural talent but can then be interpreted by students as diminishing the importance of effort. A label of ‘gifted and talented’ can result in a decrease in future academic success if students are aware of it. Our approach, therefore, is that our offering for More Able students will be open to every student, but the More Able students will be actively encouraged or signposted towards it.

Teachers use data to inform their planning and delivery of each lesson. High expectations are held for all students and each student should be able to chart their progress throughout their educational journey. We accommodate the individual needs of all students through planning for variety in:

• teaching style
• pace
• support
• level of cognitive challenge
• types of tasks
• outcomes
• response formats

Students are offered tailored co-curricular opportunities to practice and extend their skill.  Some of these opportunities may be:

• In College– Debating society, school competitions and debates, MEDSOC, EPQ, Duke of Edinburgh, school show, masterclasses and workshops, leading workshops, musical ensembles, June gallery exhibition, Scholarship Programme, performances in concerts, additional qualifications e.g… Further Maths in Year 11.
• Regional and National – MUN, John Locke essays, GSA competitions, GSA Student conference, Able and Ambitious Conference, Speak Your mind Debate, Maths Challenge, Science STEM Award, Science Olympiads, French Competition, sporting fixtures, Drama Competition, exhibiting in local galleries.
• Oxbridge – personalised support from departments, Oxbridge speakers, extension lectures at Oxbridge and other institutions, Oxbridge essays competition, trips to Oxbridge.
• Academic and Beyond – interesting and inspirational tasks to complete in their own time, each year group has a separate list.

More Able students often also enhance their learning out of school. This can be found through the membership of local, regional or national clubs, taking part in national courses, masterclasses and summer programmes, self-guided learning e.g.. a new foreign language, a coding language, entering national competitions independently and wider reading including TED talks, journal articles, documentaries, MOOCs and Gresham lectures.

We believe it is important to celebrate achievement and this may take many forms including prize giving, Achievement Assemblies, social media, parents’ reviews and the Head’s Bulletin.