Higher Ability Students

What type of school is Chilmington Green School?

Chilmington Green School was set up as a comprehensive, not a high school. This means we cater for students across the ability range.

Why would anyone not choose a selective school?

In this area, a selective school may seem to be the more obvious choice. It is however worth considering an alternative for many reasons.

Some parents:

• are ideologically opposed to selection
• want a mixed sex environment
• do not want the stress of a summer cramming for tests
• want to avoid notions of success / failure for young children
• want a different, often less formal, atmosphere
• believe their child would benefit from being at the top of the ability for one school, rather than lower down in another.

The Classroom Matters – Learning at Chilmington Green School

For all core subjects – English, Mathematics and Science, we group students by ability. These sets are predominantly based on their Key Stage 2 SATS scores and other baseline tests that students take at the start of Year 7. Setting is continually monitored to ensure that all students are stretched and challenged in each of their subjects. Within classrooms, teachers plan and cater for high ability students, encouraging students to demonstrate higher level thinking and offer tasks to extend the learning of all students.

Beyond the Classroom – Opportunities for the Most Able

Our co-curriculum and Enrichment Week activity programmes allow children to choose from a wide range of activities. These are highly diverse and allow students to pursue their own interests.

Our Student Voice group gives students a chance to devise and realise ideas which would normally be the reserve of teachers. Our students have contributed to our transition events, our behaviour and reward systems, our library, their social areas and helped organise numerous events.

Our Future Curriculum

With our ability profile, as noted above, virtually all of our learners will follow a traditional curriculum of GCSEs and many will go on to A levels, with many going on to universities, including the Russell Group and 1994 Group.