Gifted and Talented (GATE)

Each year we adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of our most academically able students.

In September we use KS2 SATs results, Cognitive Ability Test Results (done by all students
in their first week in the College), and teacher recommendations to identify students who are
best suited to an accelerated curriculum. These students follow a programme of study as
follows:

Humanities Subjects (Geography, History and RS) select parts of the National Curriculum
that are completed by the end of Year 8.

This means that students are then able to:

Start their GCSE courses in the core subjects a year early, leading to A Level courses in
Year 11.
Follow an alternative Humanities Curriculum in Year 9 with an international and
enterprise focus.
There is a meeting in October to explain the GATE curriculum to students and their parents.

Open University Young Applicants

The Open University's Young Applicants in Schools and Colleges Scheme (or YASS for short) enables academically gifted students in Years 12 and 13 to study a wide range of undergraduate modules at first-year level alongside their AS and A levels. This scheme gives students the opportunity to study at university level, encourages independent learning, builds confidence and has the added bonus of differentiating them from other students when it comes to applying to traditional universities.

The scheme enables teachers to add breadth and depth to the school curriculum for their students, as it enriches the academic profile and develops important learning skills.

Benefits to students

There are early indications that students who have studied with The Open University are more likely to succeed at university studies;
Their OU study differentiates them from other candidates on their UCAS application and admissions officers view such study very positively - particularly for the more competitive subjects such as medicine.
There are very clear benefits in terms of study skills, personal organisation (the ability to plan ahead and meet deadlines) and independent learning;
Students encounter new subject areas and/or approach familiar subject areas from a different standpoint;
Those young students who decide to continue their university studies with The Open University can count the module they have passed while at school towards their degree;
Most young students studying with The Open University acknowledge their increase in self-confidence;
The competing demands of school and Open University study (together with, in many instances, part-time jobs) results in the development of a strategic approach to learning which will stand them in good stead in the future.

YASS is supported by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT), the CFBT Education Trust in its new National Programme for Gifted and Talented Education (NPGATE) and the National Extension College (NEC). The scheme is also recognised by the DfES Standards and Effectiveness Unit, UCAS and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)