Ensuring our pupils feel confident and comfortable in the classroom is at the heart of what we do.
At Clayesmore, we believe students who feel confident and comfortable enough to make mistakes in the classroom are most likely to go on to achieve academic success. Our teachers are skilled practitioners; finding ways to encourage those who are a little shy to take part, providing scaffolding for those who are reluctant to write, and challenging those who are ready with probing questions to make them think more deeply. We work hard to ensure that students enjoy their learning and want to do well.
In Year 9, students take a wide range of subjects and make their GCSE choices in the spring term. Parents are fully involved in this process. At GCSE all students study English Language, Mathematics, Science and can choose subjects from a wide range of options.
Most students will take 9 GCSEs, though some can opt for fewer, and many will take more. We report every half-term to parents on progress and how things are going in both classwork and prep.
Academic work is underpinned by a more general development of study skills and revision strategies. Students take exams relatively early in the year – so there is time to give them help to improve. We seek to embed a healthy attitude to work. There is a good deal of praise, and criticism is always diagnostic and supportive.
Students use a laptop for most of their work and they are given help in learning how to do this well. We use Google Classroom, which helps pupils organize their work and provides parents and guardians with a weekly summary of assignments.
All our teachers are experienced with, and supportive of, dyslexic students, students with ADHD and mild autism and this is reflected in the way they teach. Our Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) guides both pupils and subject teachers in the most effective way to learn. We have some experience with other special educational needs too but everyone who joins the school must be able to complete GCSEs in most subjects.
LEX Futures and LEX Think
Year 9 students take part in a weekly carousel of activities designed to teach them employability skills. They take part in a Business Challenge, debating and critical thinking, learning about teamwork, collaboration and communication.
Years 10 and 11 take part in LEX Think where they are academically enriched and extended beyond the curriculum.
The Tutor System
Clayesmore operates a successful and effective tutor system. Pupils have one tutor for Year 9, and new one for Year 10 and 11, the GCSE years.
Tutors act as a mentor for all their tutees and in this work are supported by Houseparents and Deputy Head (Academic). They will advise them on managing academic work, sorting out any problems which arise, choosing subjects for GCSEs or A Levels and generally being someone they can count on for good advice while they are at school.
Pupils will see their tutor briefly most days and have a longer Tutor group meeting every Friday afternoon. These are enjoyable moments in the weekly timetable and pupils make full use of this unique and helpful relationship.
Senior Academic Support
The Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) provides specialist 1:1 and small group teaching to underpin the work that is done in classes. These lessons are provided for students who opt for one or two fewer subjects. They take place in the working day.
We place great importance on knowing the profile of individual pupils in order to teach to the strengths of each child, whilst working to improve and support them develop the underlying skills they need to become independent learners. After specialist assessment, targets are set, in consultation with pupils and parents, for lessons within the Teaching and Learning Centre and classroom strategies are shared across the school.
In addition to specialist dyslexic support, we support some students with the development of speech and language skills, social skills, fine and gross motor skills. We encourage all students, should they need to do so, to use assistive technology, such as dictation software, within the Prep and Senior Schools. The whole school is accredited by CReSTeD.