More Able Students
Identification
Whilst we support all students to succeed and progress at Challney Girls, we do recognise that some students are considered ‘More Able’ due to their academic and extracurricular successes.
Whole school ‘More Able’ students are identified as soon as possible that they enter the school based on data from cognitive ability tests (CATs) that they take at the start of year 7 and from data from their KS2 assessment tests.
As well as this, we also ask departments from all key stages to nominate students who are considered More Able in specific subject areas. These are then recorded on our school database and identified on seating plans in order to provide additional challenge in lessons and have opportunities to work with each other on activities and visits throughout their time at Challney High School for Girls.
We have also expanded this identification process to now include Parental nominations for “Talented” students. These nominations capture extracurricular achievements of students outside of School hours that set them aside from their peers. This could include but not limited to: Fluency in sign language, being in a professional academy for a sports team or having placed in a regional art, music or drama competition.
Provision in subjects
Encouraging ‘More Able’ students to excel in their studies can take many forms. Whether it’s getting students to try and solve a challenge in an alternative way, taking on leadership roles within the classroom or providing adapted tasks that are designed to stretch their wider contextual knowledge. We also encourage departments to develop a list of extra curricular activities that can be completed to raise the students’ awareness of the world beyond the School.
Wadham College and The Wadham Project
As part of Challney High School for Girls’ ongoing partnership with Wadham College, Oxford, we have the opportunity to invite 15 ‘More Able’ students in Year 10 to visit the campus and to experience life as an Oxbridge undergraduate. This includes a tour and taster sessions of seminars as well as a chance to get to grips with the interview processes of Oxbridge candidates.
Additionally, 5 of these students are selected to participate in the Wadham Project. A range of collaborative sessions that gives them an even greater insight into University life and culminates with support of their personal statements.
The Brilliant Club and The Scholarship Programme
New for ‘23/’24, the Brilliant Club’s Scholarship Programme is designed for 14 Year 8 ‘More Able’ students who will be partnered with a PHD tutor over the Spring Term. The students will be pushed to the maximum as they engage with University level sessions on topics such as Genetics and Climate Change for 8 weeks before preparing a piece of work that will be marked to a University standard. For the students completing this programme they will also receive a Graduation day at a local university to celebrate their successes and effort.
NACE
Our School is a proud partner of NACE (National Association for Able Children in Education) and our teachers have access to a wide range of Professional development resources and courses to help provide a high quality of education for our Able students.