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PROVISION FOR MORE ABLE PUPILS
One of our priorities is to provide for our significant number of Gifted and Talented pupils, to ensure they are sufficiently challenged. Each subject area has particular strategies in place to provide for the needs of the most able; current provision includes a Latin course, an extra Mathematics GCSE course (Statistics), opportunities for more able physicists to enter the British Physics Olympiad and an additional Arts subject (Expressive Arts).

Many of our talented pupils represent the Country in a range of sports, county bands and orchestras. Gifted mathematicians in partciluar have won local and county mathematics challenges and have been runners up in national mathematics challenges. Able pupils are encouraged by all staff in independent investigative research work as means of extending and enriching standard provision. A significant number of pupils from all years are members of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth.

PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (SEN)
Our learning support department works with subject staff to provide for the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs. The following strategies are used to ensure a measure of challenge and support for these pupils:

Intensive work is done in smaller groups on literacy and numeracy
Pupils are withdrawn from tutor time to focus on particular areas of need
Extra support is provided in lessons as appropriate
Help is given with organisation, time management and study skills
Appropriate targets are set for pupils with special needs by subject staff
Parents of SEN pupils are kept informed of progress regularly.

ASSESSMENT
Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning and as good teachers we are assessing progress every lesson. More formal assessments take place in each subject area at least once a term and in most cases every half term.

REPORTING TO PARENTS
At St Michael's we work extremely hard to ensure parents are informed and involved at every stage in their child's education. There are several formal points of contact with parents throughout the school year. These are:

A consultation evening is held where parents make appointments to see each of their child's teachers
A full written report is sent home giving details of attainment in each subject area
An 'Information to Parents' sheet is sent home twice a year giving expected Key Stage level/GCSE grades, current performance and effort grades

Data from the 'Annual Report' and 'Information to Parents' sheets is collated and given to tutors and Pupil Managers for discussion and review with pupils. This data is also passed to subject teachers and Heads of Departments to monitor pupil progress in individual lessons ensuring pupils achieve as fully as possible. Pupils who do not meet their targets are monitored closely for a period of time to make sure they get back on track. Parents are contacted and asked for support if there is any cause for concern either within one particular subject area or across the board.