High Prior Attaining Students

The following is a summary of the provision for students of High prior attainment (HPA) at Crofton School. It is our aim for students leaving primary school, securing the highest scaled scores in English and maths to achieve grades 7-9. 

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School leadership: 

All Crofton School leaders are committed to a purposeful drive to improve standards for all students and high expectations among their families and teachers. We believe the term ‘special educational needs’ should be as relevant to HPA students as it is to those who require support for their learning difficulties. Students who have HPA students are regarded as a significant ‘reportable group’ and the progress of the group is tracked closely. 

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Early identification: 

Effective transition arrangements support the move from primary to secondary school. Early identification of our HPA students enables teaching and the curriculum to be adapted and tailored, to meet their needs; and groupings that allow students to be stretched from the very start of secondary school. 

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Teaching and the curriculum: 

Teaching is focused on the needs of all students, particularly at Key Stage 3. Students must do the hard work and develop the resilience needed to perform at a higher level with more challenging tasks regularly demanded of them. Lessons are planned to ‘Teach to the Top’ ensuring students have the opportunity to learn at the highest level. Teaching is designed so students are given more opportunities to develop their higher order thinking, problem-solving and questioning skills.   

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“Intellectually demanding work is the entitlement of all pupils, regardless on their starting point.” Mary Myatt: from the introduction to ‘Teaching to the Top: Aiming higher for every learner'.

 

Setting – In some subjects, students are put into discrete sets from as early as Year 7. However, in other subjects, smaller mixed-attainment sets enable our teachers to adapt their practice to ensure our HPA students are being challenged.  

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Home learning – HPA students are most often provided with appropriate and challenging work to complete independently. They are encouraged to read widely. 

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Courses - the curriculum is designed to give additional opportunities and choices. For example: 

KS3 – opportunities to study more than one language in MFL.  

KS4 – separate science, statistics and FSMQ option, dual linguists’ course, subject options pathways to support EBacc success and Further/Higher education entry. 

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Enrichment - All of our extra-curricular activities and clubs provide all students with further opportunities to progress and for development of their leadership attributes. 

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Ambition beyond school: 

We ensure, from early on, that students know what opportunities are open to them and develop the confidence to make the most of these. They need tutoring, guidance, and encouragement, as well as a chance to meet other young people who have embraced higher education. Students are shown how to apply to a range of colleges and the most prestigious universities. 

  

How can parents support their child? 

• ​ Accept that wanting to be perceived as just like everyone else is normal 

• Your son or daughter may be intellectually able, but other areas of development might not be quite as developed. 

• Expect your able child to want more freedom and independence than you are prepared to give. Take a holistic approach to their needs and provide cultural, social and creative opportunities to enrich their thinking. Encourage extra-curricular activities in and outside of school 

• Maintain strong links with the school and let your child see that you have good lines of communication with key members of staff 

• Allow natural consequences. For example, if your child has not completed their home learning by the deadline, encourage them to discuss this with their class teacher.  

 

Who should parents contact in school? 

Parents sometimes need to contact the school: if things are not going well; to seek advice; or to obtain more information in order to better support their child. The following key personnel should be contacted: 

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• The subject teacher or subject leader for subject-specific questions 

• The Head of Year for questions relating to student well-being