Ysgol Uwchradd
CAERGYBI
Class Organisation
Do you set pupils for subjects in Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi?
The purpose of our organisation is to give each individual, whatever his/her ability, the opportunity to work at a more appropriate pace and thus raise standards.
In Yr 7 all pupils are ranked according to the information received from their primary school. The year group is split into two halves CAE & GYB so in the core subjects they can be set according to ability within each half of the year group.
In non-core subjects such as Music & History they are taught in their tutor groups. Regular assessment, monitoring and class teacher feedback on progress ensures that pupils have been placed into the set which is most suited to support and challenge them. Setting in Maths, English, Science and Welsh is flexible in that it allows for teachers to recommend set changes throughout the year if a pupil requires more support or more challenge in the subject. In both subjects all classes work through the same programme of study. Classes may cover this work in slightly different ways as the teacher will assess the needs of the pupils within their class. For example, in Maths the split between the procedural practice of methods and the application to worded problems may vary between classes; in some English classes there may be more focus on literacy skills during each scheme of work.
In Yr 8 a similar pattern is followed with CAE & GYB having parallel setting 1 -3.
In Yr 9 the core subjects are taught across the year group enabling setting to be carried out across the whole year. Pupils are provided with the opportunity to experience a mix of non-core subjects tailored to their ability and interests. They are also given the opportunity to select subjects that they previously have not experienced but may wish to take at GCSE such as Events Management, Health & Social Care and Business Studies to name a few.
The Setting Process
Every core subject undertakes a summative assessment four times a year, with humanities undertaking these assessments three times each year. All of these assessments are combined to give an overall attainment for each pupil which are placed in rank order. Pupils are distributed into draft sets based on this. The subject leaders meet and discuss and agree on the set boundaries and borderline pupils prior to draft sets being formed. Subject teachers and heads or year have an opportunity to raise any issues with the draft sets prior to these being finalised.
Full setting occurs at the end of each school year, and at Christmas of year 7. The positions of pupils at the top and bottom of sets is considered at the end of other terms and changes are made where it is clear that the current setting is inappropriate.
Key Stage 4
Pupils are placed into sets in the core subjects (Welsh, English, Mathematics, Science) with each subject creating their own sets based on subject assessments and the courses the pupils are following. These sets are adjusted slightly during the course, especially in science where different sets follow significantly different courses. You should contact the relevant heads of department if you need more information on setting in their subjects.
