Other Curriculum Strands
A.I.M
Accelerate - Initiate - Motivate
In 2005 the Headteachers of the Secondary Schools agreed that a major problem lies with the students who are Reluctant Learners. To meet the need, a grant from a London-based Trust allowed a personalised online learning package for individuals to be piloted with a new approach to engaging those students, usually teenage boys, who are at risk through under achieving. This was started in 2006/7 and is being developed into a more ambitious programme, with the intention of rolling it out to the Coventry 2020 cohort of schools.
The approach is:
- face-to-face tuition in small groups and one-to-one
- online learning with highly personalised schemes of work*
- virtual classroom teaching*
- flexible times of the day* and using a range of facilities, including
home-based learning*
- tailored curriculum plans which include work placement, college courses and
vocational training
- develop a Managed Learning Environment to enable all strands of learning to
be co-ordinated and assessed*
* The Coventry 2020 project will develop and, eventually, disseminate practice in online learning, virtual classrooms, use of flexible times and places for learning and a managed teaching environment.
The aim of the project will be to ensure that every student leaves full time
schooling with the minimum qualification of functional literacy and numeracy and
eliminate the NEET category of school leaver from Coventry 2020 schools by July
2009.
(NEET: not in employment, education or training)
Visit the Coventry 2020 Website
Asdan Cope
The
Certificate of Personal Effectiveness is a qualification which aims to develop
and demonstrate a range of skills. It provides a way of gaining accreditation
for what has been learnt from a wide range of activities that have been
undertaken both inside and outside formal education. To gain the Certificate
which is taught at both Level 1 and Level2 the student must take responsibility
for planning, organising and carrying out a number of activities or challenges.
The student must also develop and provide evidence of working with others,
improving own learning and performance and problem solving. In addition evidence
of developing research, discussion and presentation skills must also be shown.
The qualification is widely recognised by both employers and Further Education
establishments. Both Level 1 and Level 2 carry GCSE
points.
In June 2009 all 16 year 11 students achieved level 1 with 8 of the students planning on completing Level 2 in year 12
Breakthrough
Breakthrough is a national project that set out to motivate boys to engage with school. We were delighted to take part in this project and launched it in 2005. Originally we targeted boys who had been identified as becoming disengaged with school. We ran a variety of activities to regain their motivation with a lot of success.
They participated in an ironman competition (not a real one!), walked the Malvern Hills, went Go-karting, cooked pizzas, did jigsaws, team building exercises and much more.
The remit for the Breakthrough programme has widened and we are looking to engage both boys and girls across the year groups 8 – 11. It is a dynamic part of school life and aims to adapt to get the most out of those on the programme.
Bright Sparks
Bright Sparks is an after school session aimed at year 6 pupils that runs on a Wednesday from the last week of September through to the first week of July. The sessions from September are open to all year 6 pupils at our feeder schools, letters are sent out to local primary schools at the start of the Autumn Term.
The purpose of each session is to help students to familiarise themselves with the school layout, subjects and staff and to support the transition process for those students who eventually select Stoke Park as their secondary school. From the start of the Summer Term, Bright Sparks is attended only by those who have been given a place on roll for September. Students continue to enjoy a range of lessons whilst getting to know each other and making new friends.
BTEC
We recognize that every learner has different strengths so we have introduced BTECs into our curriculum to support learners who prefer to work at an assignment rather than to sit an exam. They are developing into realistic alternative allowing students to succeed in areas that they may not normally perform so well in. This is an exciting additionto our curriculum that is growing in popularity.
Duke of Edinburgh
We have run the Duke of Edinburgh scheme at Stoke Park for three years now, allowing students to challenge themselves in a meaningful way that shows a level of perseverance for them to achieve this highly rated award. We are now looking to extend this award and to get more students involved with
Functional Skills
Functional Skills are qualifications brought in by the government to
address the needs of employers who want new recruits to be able to complete
certain functions in English, Maths and ICT. They are to be introduced to the new
specification for English, Maths and ICT so they will be taught in lessons to
better prepare our students for the world of work. It is also a requirement
that they achieve the three of them to be awarded the full Diploma.
Gifted and Talented
Stoke
Park School and Community Technology College aims to promote high attainment
for clearly identified more able learners through excellent teaching and a
relevant curriculum that gives each individual the opportunity to realise their
full potential.
We want
to encourage a desire for life long learning and extend and support the
learning experiences of our more able students.
We aim to
provide: classroom climates that promote celebrated excellence; planned
opportunities for demonstrating and developing high levels of aptitude both
within lessons and from enrichment activities; clearly differentiated
activities and scope for intellectual initiative.
Students
are identified using the information from primary schools and in class
assessment and their progress is monitored throughout their time at Stoke Park.
We offer a range of extra-curricular activities, this year they have included
theatre and museum visits, coaching opportunities and their involvement in a
national Stand Up to Hatred campaign. We aim for the gifted and talented
students to become the leaders of the future and give them the opportunities to
develop the necessary skills both in and out of school.
View our Gifted and Talented Newsletter,
or download a copy.
Strategies
for Challenge
Strategies
that teachers use to stretch our gifted and talented students in lessons
- Problem solving.
- Pupils as researchers.
- Role play/hot seating.
- Working from a difficult
text.
- Using a range of texts or
information.
- Plan/do/review.
- Recording in an unusual way.
- Choice in how to handle
content.
- Decision making.
- No correct answer. Give them
the answer & they set up the question.
- Allowing pupils to do the
planning.
- Time restricted activities.
- Extended time on activities.
- Developing meta-cognition.
- Higher order thinking.
- Game Shows.
- Bright Ideas time: e.g. PMI
- Open ended tasks.
- Technical language.
- Philosophy.
- Modelling experts.
Work Related Learning
As part of our commitment to ensuring that students have the courses
that are most suited to their needs, we recognize that we cannot cater for
every student. We have access to a wide number of courses aimed at a wide cross
section of students that we target with students who we believe will benefit
from this additional resource. Students study a variety of courses from Engineering,
motor vehicles right through to construction courses. We aim to allow all
students to achieve their full potential.
