Aspire: The super curricular programme for high-attaining pupils

“High quality teaching benefits all, but high prior attainers can plateau without challenge”.

Education Endowment Foundation

Who are high prior attainers?

The government defines students whoattainedKey Stage 2 score of or above 110 in English and Maths. At the John Roan School we alsomake use of the MIDYIS scores of or above 117 to categorise students in the HPA category.

Our approach to teaching

At the John Roan School ourpriorityis to provide all our children with quality first teaching. We track progress after every mid-term and end of year students to ensure students are placed in the correct teaching groups which enables teachers to challenge students.

Outside of the classroom, we provide students with a range of extra-curricular clubs and trips which broadens their knowledge beyond the classroom setting.

Aspire: The Super Curricula

Mathematics Excellence

MEF (Maths Endowment Fund): Advanced problem-solving, collaborative challenges, and enrichment sessions for students with a strong interest in mathematics

Participation in national maths challenges and competitions

Law, Debate and Critical Thinking

Mock Trials Programme: Students take part in realistic legal cases, developing skills in argument, analysis, and public speaking

Debate Mate: Debating and public speaking opportunities, including competitions andshowcases

Academic Societies and Student Leadership

Philosophy club: Each week we explore a different philosopher or philosophical topic, starting witha brief introduction followed by an open discussionand debate among students.

Arabic club: A space where students can learn to read and write the Arabic alphabet, along with building a foundation in basic concepts and conversational phrases.

Student Council

Brilliant Club

Students attend university style lectures on a super-curricula topic. This year it was on ‘Formation of Memories’

Students complete a5000-wordproject at the end of the course

Extended Project Qualification(sixth form)

Opportunities to complete extended research projects and independent enquiries

Development of critical thinking, academic writing, and research skills

Careers and Real-World Application

Guest speakers, visiting professionals, and alumni talks have included:
- Leah Choudhary (First British Asian woman to cross the English Channel)
- Stuart Lawrence,
- Lorin D’Costa (Grand Chess Master)
- Levi Rozman

Programmes such as Model United Nations and subject-specific career pathwayssuch as Mock trial for students aiming to read Law

Insight into careers including law, medicine, STEM, and the humanities

Educational Visits and Partnerships

University visits and academic trips to broaden horizonsfor example, trip to Mansfield College Oxford for Y11 and Y12s.

Opportunities to engage with external organisations and enrichment providers, for example, Future Maths workshop at LSE for Y7.

We are committed to continually developing our HPA provision.

Forthcoming initiatives include:

An HPA Lecture Series, where students engage with academic talks given by Subject Leads

Expanded partnerships with universities and external organisations.

A structured Super-Curricular Portfolio, enabling students to track and reflect on their academic enrichment.

What role can parents play in supporting the progress of High Prior Attaining (HPA) Pupils and a High Attaining Pupils (HAP)?

At the John Roan School, we recognise the fundamentally important role that parents can play in supporting the progress of HPA and HAP pupils and ensuring that they display a positive attitude to their learning and achievement in school.

To further support your higher attaining child at home you may like to:

Encourage your child to discuss what they are learning at school.
Encourage your child to read widely beyond the curriculum to broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to tackle more complex texts.
Support your child to complete their Home Learning by asking them what Home Learning they have to complete and providing a quiet space in which they can do this.
Encourage your child to partake in extra-curricular activities such as Sport, Music and Debating to help develop their interpersonal skills.
Help your child develop their ‘cultural capital’ by visiting museums, galleries and exhibitions.