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Case study 2: Tackling underachievement
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This case study shows how a community college identified and overcame the barriers to learning facing some of its underachieving gifted and talented students.
community college (11 to 18) with over 2000 students on roll
identifying underachieving gifted and talented students
providing mentoring sessions to help set short-term targets
monitoring students' progress closely
improvements in students' work and motivation
closer links between special educational needs and gifted and talented students in the college
Background
The community college has over 2000 students on roll, including 330 tertiary students. In a rural area, it draws students from 14 feeder primary schools covering an area of more than 120 square miles. It is a DfES-designated sports college with a national reputation for excellence in PE and school sport (it holds the Charter Mark and Sportsmark Gold).
Tutors and heads of year identified a number of gifted and talented year 9 students who were underachieving. They decided to identify and address the barriers to learning, with the aim of 'kick starting' GCSE courses for gifted and talented students and improving attainment at 16 and beyond.
Implementation
The key aims of the initiative are to raise the quality of learning and levels of attainment. It involves the gifted and talented coordinator, classroom assistants, classroom teachers, heads of department, heads of year, pastoral tutors, parents and, most importantly, the students themselves.
Gifted and talented students were observed at work in the classroom individually. They were then given mentoring sessions to help them set short-term targets to overcome their immediate difficulties.
Alex is a bright year 10 student who scored highly in national curriculum tests. He has been diagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is taking medication. His attainment during key stage 3 was just slightly above average and did not reflect his true potential.
From the start of year 10, Alex was observed at length in the classroom and it was clear that his restlessness and hyperactivity often led to disruption. Mentoring sessions were arranged and simple agreed targets were set. Some aspects of accelerated learning and the National Learning Programme were used to increase Alex's enthusiasm for learning. His parents were interviewed and are supportive. Ongoing communication is ensured through full use of Alex's 'student planner', which is used to record progress towards targets.
The initiative, which began at Easter 2002, is being funded by the school's inclusion budget. It is part of an overall strategy of academic mentoring throughout the college, which ties in with the mentoring element of the national key stage 3 strategy from September 2002.
Impact
The initiative is still new, but there have already been significant improvements in students' work and clear increases in their motivation. Alex, for example, now sees himself as a successful learner. Mentoring and monitoring will continue, and the school is confident that he will reap the rewards and fulfil his very high potential.
As a result of the initiative, special educational needs and gifted and talented students in the college have become closer, to the benefit of all. In the future, the college is planning to develop more in-depth strategies to address barriers to learning. This will demand an even closer relationship between special educational needs and gifted and talented students under the overall banner of inclusion.