Aim Higher
Aim:
The Aim Higher Programme at Bishop Heber High School creates extension and enrichment opportunities in addition to the excellent classroom provision for our most able students. The Aim Higher programme, which starts in Year 6, ensures our gifted and talented students have every opportunity to achieve their full potential throughout each stage of their school life.
Identification:
As required by the DfES, we aim to identify the most able 5-10% of students in each year group. Every effort will be made to ensure that this is a representative sample. The identification process will utilise evidence from a variety of sources that include general school assessment and standardised norm and criterion referenced tests, for example:
- CATS
- teacher assessments and checklists of observed characteristics and learning traits;
- teacher recommendations based on subject-specific criteria;
- scrutiny of students’ work and performance, including school reports
- significant participation and high performance in extra-curricular activities provided by the school or external agencies
- end of year examinations
The use of an amalgam of evidence ensures that identified cohorts of gifted and talented students encompass students with general intellectual ability, subject-specific ability, and/or ability in visual and performing arts and PE. The identified cohorts will also contain students who have the ability, but who are currently underachieving.
Students who are identified for the Aim Higher Programme are most likely to show some of the following characteristics:
- Creative flair and imagination
- Successful and hard working
- Eager
- Risk takers
- Critical
- Know their intentions
These groups are reviewed regularly and all teaching staff are made aware of who these students are so that they can ensure their lessons have a sufficient level of challenge.
The Extension Programme:
Bishop Heber runs 10 Aim Higher sessions in English and Maths for selected students from our feeder primary schools, stretching them beyond the KS2 curriculum and preparing them well for high school. Our Science department lead on a CSI forensic day and there are opportunities also for talented musicians, actors and artists to further develop their skills.
Masterclasses run across departments, there are numerous STEM opportunities and students in Year 12 are well prepared for application to Oxbridge and Russel Group Universities. To find out more about subject provision, click on the link:
Download the Aim Higher Programme Year 7 – 13
