How we Progress KS4

How We Progress

Progress at our school is not simply about achieving Academic success.  Our Curriculum model is designed to support pupil progress in the following areas:

• Improving attendance
• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Reducing behavioural incidents
• Increasing personal, social and leadership skills
• Increasing potential and aspiration

We firmly believe that, if we can address these issues from pupil point of entry, Academic progress and transition to positive, appropriate and sustainable destinations post 16 are achievable – and we have a record of proving it.

All pupils enter at ‘Step 2’ of our Curriculum model (below) and, depending on circumstance, immediately find a place on one of the higher ‘steps’.  Most pupils soon demonstrate ‘Step 4 or 5’ abilities but others take a period of time to get there.  Progress made by pupils entering at the lower ‘steps’ is judged more on the areas outlined above as priorities over Academic performance.

Curriculum Development Model (CDM) illustrating the rationale behind ‘The CPA Way’:

Entry Points

Pupils enter the CPA during termly referral windows.  Pupils referred from other schools only come directly into the CPA at the start of each term.  When not at capacity, the CPA offers respite and short term places outside of these windows with the CITE team – based at Bishop’s Wood in Stourport.  Pupil progress at CITE begins at ‘Step 3’ and is focussed at getting new pupils ‘CPA ready’ – smoothing the transition into school for new pupils whilst providing continuity and stability for existing pupils.

How We Progress at Key Stage 4

Following referral to either our school or CITE in Key Stage 4 our first priority is to successfully integrate pupils and begin to build trust.  Pupils not looking at reintegration to their ‘home-school’ are supported in making progress in their priority areas before entering Key Stage 5 at the CPA or applying to College, gaining employment or beginning apprenticeships.

Key Stage 4 pupils will typically focus on progressing through the latter 4 ‘steps’ of our Curriculum Development Model (CDM) – they are seen as being in the ‘towards independence’ stage of their academic journeys:

CDM steps 5 – 8: towards independence + social skills development:

• Step 8: an adult leadership role
• Step 7: focused personal development
• Step 6: taking full responsibility for actions
• Step 5: sharing responsibility

Some pupils enter with ‘dependency traits’ and require support in attending regularly and becoming engaged in lessons and the school community. If this is the case these are addressed as part of our commitment to bespoke educational packages:

CDM steps 1 – 4: dependency:

• Step 4: taking part – team building
• Step 3: regular attendance, assessment, support
• Step 2: priority social skills (self-esteem, feelings, empathy, values)
• Step 1: initial contact – selling the idea

Progression is managed through support by Learning Coaches and teaching staff, initially developing trust and identifying individual needs and preparing, in partnership, an Independent Learning Profile.  This is updated regularly and is shared termly with all staff – major changes to pupils circumstances are discussed, and strategies are implemented, as required.

Students are continuously supported by teachers and Learning Coaches (ratio1:4), trained in specific areas of expertise by The ContinU Trust and the CPA.  These specialisms are designed to facilitate and support the learning of individual students via a wide range of motivating practical, vocational and issue based activities.  These activities promote and encourage progression through the Curriculum Development Model.

The social skills that the CPA assists young people to develop are divided into two areas:

1) Priority Social Skills: these are the skills necessary to contribute to & benefit from group work, classroom learning, employment and to be able to benefit from and contribute positively to the activity i.e.:

• self-esteem – a positive life view, a commitment to control and change their life;
• recognising and managing feelings – impulse and anger control, defer gratification, develop alternative strategies for addressing conflict;
• understand and identify with others (empathy) – to recognise the feelings, needs and points of view of other students and teachers, or victims of crime;
• values development – to identify, understand and explore alternatives to current values, beliefs, behaviour and their consequences, particularly in relation to the school ethos.

2) Other Social Skills: when students are ready, they will move onto prioritise the other important social skills that will support the pupil in progressing to and through the latter stages if the CDM. These are developed with the encouragement of all staff i.e.:

• communication skills – including listening and assertiveness, non-verbal, literacy;
• interpersonal and relationship skills, friendships and support networks;
• problem solving, including decision making, particularly in terms of interpersonal issues, the ability to set attainable goals, linked to self-control and delaying gratification;
• negotiation, how to reach compromise;
• planning, thinking ahead;
• reviewing skills, learning from experience.

This supports students in finding and taking up a wide range of positive outcomes.  At all stages in the delivery of the CPA curriculum we will work with students on potential destinations.  This includes:

• Regular liaison with the referring school to look at opportunities for the student to return to mainstream education;
• Regular discussions with parents to look at trajectory of progress and to better judge what is best for the pupil whilst continuing their Academic journey;
• Careers and destinations support and advice ready for transition to Key Stage 5.

Provision Overview:

Key Stage 4 provision is focused on the progression of pupils towards positive post 16 destinations following the options process at the end of Year 9.  Admissions are made at the start of each term and new students are placed in option groups according to their needs, interests and subject capacity.  Pupils are placed in vertical tutor groups according to their needs where they are often mentored by older pupils as well as staff.

Key Stage 4 Curriculum Offer

Overview of Example Key Stage 4 Timetable:

All Key Stage 4 pupils benefit from:

Academic Strategies to ensure that high ability pupils achieve qualifications in line with expectations from 1) CPA baseline and 2) Key Stage 2 baseline in order to achieve positive destinations:

• Personalised choices at the end of Year 9/integration meeting;
• Early entry examinations at Entry Level and Level 1 if appropriate;
• The opportunity to study additional GCSEs;
• The opportunity to experience offsite vocational learning;
• Extra provision after school mentoring/tutoring and enrichment;
• Work related learning (work experience) and Careers IAG

Intervention Strategies to ensure success for our more vulnerable students:

• All students will have an individual learner profile;
• All students will join the CPA with a completed Progress Passport;
• 1 to 1 support will be available for a variety of academic and therapeutic support;
• Reduced timetable and consolidation of subjects.  For example some students will be withdrawn from subjects that they were seriously underperforming in and more time allocated to those that would be beneficial.  This is always done in consultation with student and parents/carers;
• Additional work related/vocational learning, for example, Hair & Beauty, Construction, Horse/Animal Care, Motor Vehicle – whereby they have the opportunity to secure an NVQ Level 1 or equivalent;
• Students are withdrawn from lessons for additional literacy and numeracy work with the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) team;
• School nurse support;
• Drugs counselling;
• E-safety;
• Educational psychologist (SDQ scores used to determine suitability and need);
• Aspiration specific Level 1 courses delivered on bespoke basis where necessary.

Outcomes for Pupils at Key Stage 4

• Year 10/11 pupils in October 2018 had attended 83% of the time.
• Year 10/11 pupils demonstrated the lowest levels of stress and anxiety at this time (below 14) compared to all other Year groups – demonstrating the ability of the CPA to reduce these the stresses of our pupils over time
• Year 11 pupils were making the most Academic progress in 73% of their subjects – followed by Year 10 pupils (63%)

These figures demonstrate that the longer pupils spend at the CPA the more progress they make in all of the areas that result in success beyond the age of 16 – many pupils, and their parents, would suggest that they never thought this was possible when they first arrived at our school.

Progress Over Time at The CPA

From the table above you can see that over the last 3 years pupils have left the CPA with growing numbers of qualifications (3.65 per pupil in 2014/15 to 5.31 per pupil in 2017).  This figure is not dominated by a small number of pupils achieving lots of qualifications as it shows that nearly 80% of pupils in 2017 achieved 5 or more qualifications – with small year group cohorts this is all but approximately 3 pupils.  Since our first year in 2014/15 on average 40% of pupils leave with 5 qualifications above Level 1 – this has been the key to the increased quality of destinations that our pupils are progressing to when they leave us.  We have also seen increases in the percentages of pupils gaining GCSE pass grades in English, maths and science – this was not expected at the pupil’s point of entry.

Since 2014 every CPA pupil that has left at the end of Year 11 has achieved a firm offer of a place in further education, employment or training.  The groundwork for this progression is often laid down in Key Stage 3 allowing the pupils to flourish in Key Stages 4 and 5.