1. Stretch and Challenge: improving classroom provision for the most able
Dom Burrell John Mason School

2. Theoretical background
Bigger picture: national picture of underused ability
Sutton Trust: Missing Talent - demonstrates the remarkably high levels of wasted potential among able students, at least reflected by grades
OFSTED 2013, “The Most Able Students” – KS3 focus, suggests that these younger students are consistently underchallenged
OFSTED 2015, “An Update” – updates the report. Essentially, not enough has changed.
Progress 8 can demonstrate effect of failure to challenge early in school career.
Beginning course details and/or books/materials needed for a class/project.

3. Theoretical background
Local context: JMS GCSE 2016 results were not showing significant progress for able students
OFSTED (Jan 2017) – highlighted that levels of challenge for able students were not consistently high, and expectations were often lower than what able students could achieve
My role: Able, Gifted and Talented Co- ordinator at JMS since September 2016
Beginning course details and/or books/materials needed for a class/project.

4. Research Methodology and Aims
Action Research methodology
Aim: to examine and improve the challenge provided for more able students across the school
Areas of strength – subjects/ teachers – as perceived by students
Areas for improvement
Two simultaneous strands:
Data collection – emphasis on KS3
Classroom improvement – 1+ classes for teachers working on research project
Beginning course details and/or books/materials needed for a class/project.

5. Data Collection Use of Google Forms
Allows for easy questionnaire design
Automatically tabulates responses
Helpful for quick presentations…
Objectives for instruction and expected results and/or skills developed from learning.

6. Actions and Outcomes
Early data collection fed back to SLT and used for staff training sessions; these training sessions in general poorly attended.
SLT meeting, combined with OFSTED’s report, led to whole-staff training session
Students present and judging lesson plans based on interest and learning
Able students with special interests invited to staff briefing to discuss their research
Data taken again 1 month after this to see if any difference had been made
Objectives for instruction and expected results and/or skills developed from learning.

7. Conclusions
Able KS3 students generally enjoy positive challenge, but do not feel they are getting enough of it.
They are able to identify what effective challenge means for them.
They do not always feel comfortable asking for more challenging work.
Challenge across Year 7 and 8 seemed to rise significantly following a whole-school training session and OFSTED report. 2 possibilities (among many):
Teachers gained a lot from the training session in terms of understanding the students – integral part of the training
Pushing more able students was at the forefront of teachers’ minds when planning these lessons.
Objectives for instruction and expected results and/or skills developed from learning.

8. Next Steps
To continue to regularly collect data to ensure that students are being challenged.
To encourage HoFs to look over schemes of learning for challenge (or appoint someone within departments to do so).
To provide wider opportunities for these students to stretch themselves – particularly with homeworks and independent learning moments.
Objectives for instruction and expected results and/or skills developed from learning.