TIGHS’ curriculum is in a class of its own

Nick Gibb, Minister of State for Schools, has praised TIGHS’ well-rounded, academic curriculum for its role in transforming educational outcomes for children and young people. Addressing the Association of School and College Leaders during a national summit on ‘Taking Ownership of your curriculum,’ Mr Gibb noted that 74% of pupils at TIGHS achieved the English Baccalaureate – considered by many to be the definitive measure of Key Stage 4 attainment, as it takes into account the number of pupils attaining A*-C grades at GCSE in core academic subjects.

Traditionally, pupils’ success at Key Stage 4 has been defined by their ability to achieve 5 A*-C grades at GCSE, including English and maths. However, to achieve the English Baccalaureate, pupils need to secure at least a ‘C’ grade in English, mathematics, the sciences, a modern foreign language, and history or geography. Nationally, only 22.9% of pupils reach this standard, and Mr Gibb praised TIGHS’ remarkable success in ensuring so many of its pupils accomplish – and surpass – the EBacc benchmark, in spite of low prior attainment at primary school:

“The structural reforms undertaken by this government have created extraordinary school success stories, which force all of us to revise our expectations about what children, particularly those from deprived backgrounds, can achieve…The Tauheedul Islam Girls High School in Blackburn has a higher than average proportion of disadvantaged pupils, and 95% of its pupils speak English as a second language. Yet last year, 74% of their pupils achieved the EBacc.”

Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, believes that the secret to the school’s success lies in its culture of high expectations, rigorous tracking and personalised intervention:

“The key is to create an environment where pupils are engaged and invested in their education, and we achieve this through carefully monitoring their progress, setting ambitious targets, and supporting them every step of the way. We deliver a high-powered academic curriculum, but ensure that it is accessible to everyone, and we encourage all of our pupils to believe that if they work hard enough, anything is possible. Time and time again, they prove this to be true, and we’re incredibly proud of their accomplishments. Of course, none of this would be possible without the dedication of our teachers and support staff, who are always willing to go the extra mile to help our pupils realise their potential, and I know they will be delighted to receive this recognition from the Schools’ Minister.”

Added By: Star Academies | Date Added: 29th Apr 2016 | Posted In:

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