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how Students Learn at Denbigh...
Continuity:
Well established links with our partner schools enable a smooth transition
from primary to secondary education.
Close contact between tutor and parent
ensures continuing progress.
Care:
On entry to Denbigh School, students are placed in a tutor group and a House
under the care of a personal tutor and a Head of House.
The tutor is the central
figure in the student's life.
A tutorial programme encourages and supports
all aspects of student development and includes opportunities for students to
review their learning and to discuss progress with their tutors.
Peer support
is encouraged and is a strength under the vertical tutor grouping system which
is used at Denbigh.
Good Teaching: Banding & Setting
Key
Stage 3:
From September 2007, Year 7 will be divided into two halves of equal ability
on entry – the X and Y Bands.
Within each Band, students will be
set according to their ability in four groups of subjects. The Groups are set
out below with an explanation of how students will be taught within each of the
groups of subjects.
Students will be set based on a combination of their CAT scores, KS2 SATs,
target levels and their progress throughout the year.
Students will be
able to move up and down through the set groups at the end of each Term.
A
student’s performance will be reviewed based on a number of factors, including
assessments taken and progress made.
Group 1 – Mathematics, Science, Information Technology, Drama
Students will be set according to their ability in these four subjects, with
Class 1 being the highest ability, working through to Class 4.
Group 2 – English, Modern Languages, Humanities, Music, Art
Students will be set according to their ability in these four subjects, with
Class 1 being the highest ability, working through to Class 4.
Group 3 – Technology
Students will be taught in mixed groups.
Group 4 – Physical Education
Students are set according to gender, physical ability and the activities that
need to be covered as part of the National Curriculum.
Key
Stage 4 :
From September 2007, on entry to Year 10 the Year Group will be divided into
two halves of equal ability.
Within each half students will then be set,
according to their ability in the following subjects; Mathematics; Science; English;
Humanities and Modern Foreign Languages.
In Technology, students will be
put into groups according to the choices that they have made within the Technology
Faculty.
In Physical Education, students will be set according to gender
and the activities that need to be covered as part of the National Curriculum.
There
will be no setting in the Option Groups.
Students’ academic performance will be reviewed at the end of each term
so that changes to student groups can be made where appropriate.
The core subjects will all have tiered groupings for examinations, higher
tier and foundation tier and this will determine the level of paper sat at GCSE.
Assessment
and Target Setting:
The School uses a programme of continual assessment and target setting to
assess, monitor and develop each student’s potential throughout their time
at Denbigh.
An assessment of each student’s academic potential and performance will
take place upon entry to Denbigh via CAT tests.
Targets for the end of
Key Stage 3 (end of Year 9) will then be set for each student based upon this
assessment along with the student’s prior attainment in primary education.
The
targets will outline the minimum expected levels we expect each student to achieve. During
the first term parents will be invited to discuss these targets with their child’s
tutor.
Each student’s progress will then be assessed against these
targets at the end of each half term and progress reported to parents.
At the beginning of Year 10, students are set the minimum expected grades
which are expected for their GCSE subjects based on their achievements at Key
Stages 2 and 3.
Each student’s progress will be assessed against
their targets at the end of each half term and progress reported to parents.
Examinations:
In addition to the public examinations at the end of Year 9 (SATs) and Year
11 (GCSE), students will take internal examinations towards the end of each year.
There
will be opportunities to discuss the results of these tests and to review student
progress with tutors and subject teachers during the year.
Students will also take trial GCSE examinations in Year 11, after which the
Senior Management Team will meet with every student to assess likely achievement
at GCSE and progression Post 16.
The School has a policy regarding the entry of students for public examinations
and a copy is available on request from the School.
Reporting To and Working in Partnership with Parents
At the end of each half term, parents will receive a report detailing the
progress their child is making.
The reports will include an assessment
of the child’s performance in terms of homework, effort and behaviour,
as well as giving an indication of the national curriculum level or GCSE grade
the student is working at in each subject.
At Key Stage 4 this also includes
an indication as to whether the student is on target with their coursework.
These
reports will help you to monitor your child’s progress throughout the year
in liaison with your child’s tutor and subject teachers.
Towards the end of each academic year, parents will be provided with an Achievement
Record detailing their child’s progress throughout the year.
This will
give, for each subject, information on attainment in examinations, classwork
and homework, skills acquired and personal and social development.
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