Academically Higher Achieving
At St Mary’s CE (VA) Primary School we believe all children are entitled to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum in order to ensure that they have the opportunity to realise their true potential. Academically Higher Achieving (AHA) children need as much guidance, support and encouragement as any other group of children in the school. This is predominantly provided through high quality classroom teaching and learning.
To ensure that this happens, we aim to provide learning opportunities for more able children that offer challenge and intellectual stimulation, as well as enriching their school experience in whichever area of the school curriculum they excel in.
Academically Higher Achieving pupils are identified by the staff, according to their academic achievement. Their progress is tracked and monitored closely to ensure that they are making expected, or better, progress throughout each school year. The lead teacher for this area is Mrs MacGregor. She works closely with the Headteacher, governors and staff to ensure that the curriculum, resources and learning experience for these children support them in reaching their full academic potential, whilst remaining well rounded individual learners.
Developments and opportunities for Academically Higher Achieving (AHA) pupils may include:
- Focused Challenge Days in various subject areas, giving AHA pupils the opportunity to participate in lessons and workshops that challenge their learning;
- An extra curricular maths extension club at the local secondary school to extend pupils’ learning;
- An enterprise club, which coordinates fundraising for special projects;
- Developing differentiated homework, to include specific challenges for AHA pupils;
- Further skills development for the most able readers, through training as school librarians and a book group;
- Introduction of the role of ‘times tables masters’ for the most able pupils in order to strengthen their own skills by teaching and testing other pupils in this area;
- Maths mastery opportunities throughout the school;
- Development and celebration of Master Spellers through the school’s Spelling Bee;
- A school focus upon higher-order questioning in order to extend pupils’ understanding.
- Lunchtime project club for AHA children (multi subject)
- AHA pupils to write content for school website.
Anglia Ruskin University
Year 6 took a trip to Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford. We had a great day touring the campus, meeting current students, learning about all the courses you can study there and preparing and presenting designs for our ideal universities.
