St George’s is a member of the National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE). As such, we endorse the NACE mission statement to “provide for pupils with high abilities whilst enabling all pupils to flourish.”
Our NACE membership evidences our commitment to ensure that challenge for all is implemented in every lesson. Our approach is to provide personalised learning that tailors education to individual need, interest and aptitude. Provision for the More Able is not a bolt on but an integral part of teaching and learning at St George’s.
At St George’s, the education of more able learners is a whole-school endeavour. It is well evidenced that addressing the needs of more able pupils can raise achievement for a much wider group of learners and therefore we seek high aspirations by increasing the level of supported challenge for all. Our curriculums provide for more able learners and they give our pupils opportunities to flourish. Furthermore, considering the needs of more able pupils who face specific disadvantage(s) is crucial to ensuring an inclusive and fair curriculum. Ability can be revealed across a range of subjects and we have a holistic framework for identification of more able pupils. Our SGA ethos and culture of high expectations and aspirations is integral to providing for more able learners. Equally, St George’s teachers are central to providing challenging and enriching education, and their professional development is paramount. Ability is a fluid concept: it can be developed through challenge, opportunity and self-belief.
The main SGA Stretch aims are:
- Raising the aspirations of all pupils at St George’s, Ascot.
- Lessons in the SGA classrooms that stimulate, interest, challenge, inform, excite and encourage through partnership and dialogue with teachers and other pupils and through active participation in the lesson.
- Skilled, well-prepared and informed teachers, who have a perspective and understanding of whole school needs, including those which concern pupils who are identified as more able.
- High expectations of achievement for all SGAcapable pupils driven by a high achieving learning ethos throughout the School.
- Greater enterprise, self-reliance and independence for SGAconfident pupils.
- Continual improvement in quality of the provision of teaching to support all pupils regarding depth, breadth, pace and opportunity.
In order to achieve these aims, St George’s will ensure that all pupils have opportunities to develop specific high level skills and abilities. All pupils are individuals with their own needs and requirements. More Able pupils need to be identified, targeted, supported and challenged.
The DfE defines the more able in terms of those whose progress significantly exceeds age related expectations. St George’s employs a holistic, yet data founded approach, to identification of More Able pupils, which includes references to:
- Holders of academic scholarships and exhibition awards.
- Monitoring of assessment records and data.
- Girls who receive a high number of high current performance reporting grades.
- Feedback from Heads of Department.
In addition to SGAchallenge within the classroom, St George’s offers enrichment activities that include SGA clubs, outings and trips, co-curricular projects and events designed to stretch and stimulate. For example, More Able pupils are invited to join the SGA Stretch group. These activities are not exclusively for More Able pupils but they may appeal to pupils who are in search of further stretch and challenge beyond the curriculums.
There is a wide range of enrichment and SGA Stretch activities at St George’s and, although these benefit all pupils, they are particularly apt for ensuring that More Able pupils are given opportunities to practice and extend their skills. Each academic department offers enrichment subject visits and trips. Furthermore, there are leadership opportunities available to pupils, such as tutor group captains and school council representatives. St George’s is a vibrant community that is enriched by a plethora of co-curricular clubs, alongside performing arts and sporting activities. We are delighted to welcome frequent visiting speakers. In addition, House and academic events, such as mock elections and debating, provide further SGA Stretch. In addition, many of our pupils complete the Duke of Edinburgh Award. In addition, St George’s will be attending the Senior Stretch Conference in Oxford next term. As the pupils progress into the Sixth Form, they may embark on the EPQ or join the Young Enterprise.
Pupils may find information about our SGA Stretch program on Dragonfly and on the SGA Pupil Stretch Site.
