Setting in English
Students are set in all year groups.
Year 7 are set after Term 1, following their first class assessment and their initial performance in their lessons.
Setting is based on the following criteria:
- Student achievement in both lessons and assessed work throughout the year (this is not based on prior attainment in primary).
- Attitude to learning and effort (commitment in lessons and independent attitude to their work, as judged by their class teacher).
- Behaviour and pastoral needs (punctuality, respect for all, positive attitude towards lessons and learning environment).
- Learning needs (assessed by our SENCO or EHCP requirements).
We will never set based on one assessment, as we understand that any of our students can have a bad day- rather, we set on their overall performance throughout their studies.
We reevaluate sets at intervals throughout the year, resultantly, your child may move sets mid year.
Sets and Language Choices:
Class codes on timetables for Years 8 and 9 are dictated by language choice. We have an unequal split of students across Spanish and French which impacts our class codes for your child's timetable. Please see opposite for the explanation of the class set codes.
N.B. Spanish is more popular resulting in more competition for top set places.
Set structures:
Year 7
7 groups: 2 top sets, 3 mixed middle ability, 2 nurture groups.
Year 8
8 groups (sets are dictated by language choices).
French - 1 top set; 1 mixed middle ability; 1 nurture group.
Spanish - 1 top set; 3 mixed middle ability; 1 nurture group.
Year 9
8 groups (sets are dictated by language choices).
French - 1 top set; 1 mixed middle ability; 1 nurture group.
Spanish - 1 top set; 3 mixed middle ability; 1 nurture group.
Year 10
7 groups: 2 top sets, 3 mixed middle ability, 2 nurture groups.
Year 11
7 groups: 2 top sets, 3 mixed middle ability, 2 nurture groups.
Class Codes and Sets:
Please be aware that class codes do not correspond to set numbers. Your child's teacher will explain what group they are in at the start of the year.
For years 8 and 9, class codes depend on language choices:
Q = Spanish side of the year group.
P = French side of the year group.
For example, 9Q/En2 and 9Q/En3 are the same set level - the number does not indicate set position.
Number indicates sets in the following pattern:
Top set = 1
Middle sets for Q (Spanish side) = 2, 3, 4
i.e. 8Q/En4 and 8Q/En2 are both mixed middle ability.
Middle sets for P (French side) = 2.
Nurture groups for Q (Spanish) = 5
Nurture group for P (French) = 3
For years 10 and 11, there are no letters:
Top sets = numbers 1 or 2 on class codes
i.e. 11/En1 and 11/En2 are both top set (no difference in ability).
Mixed middle ability = 3, 4, 5
i.e. 10/En3 and 10/En 5 are both mixed middle ability with no set difference.
Nurture groups = 7
Parental requests for set moves:
Challoner is an exceptional school with very talented students and we understand parents' natural desire to ensure their child is in the highest set possible to support their child's ambition and success. We share those goals - all sets at Challoner are carefully provided for in order to maximise success...our results reflect this.
We do not have tiered papers at GCSE and there is no restriction on potential grade outcomes for any student, regardless of their set. Many of our middle set students go on to achieve grades 7-9 at GCSE. All BCCS students will be pushed to achieve their potential and to exceed their expectations.
If your child does not secure a position in top set, please understand that we will offer them every opportunity to make progress and achieve their potential. Where class sizes allow, we will offer meritocratic movement between sets.
N.B.
Please be aware, that set moves are never approved solely on the basis of parental request.
If your child feels they have missed out on an opportunity to move up a set, we ask them to speak to their teacher directly about this, where possible, and this will then be discussed with the Head of English.
Class sizes are limited and it isn't always possible to accommodate students in a top set. We reserve the right to make decisions in the best interests of our students and can not always share our reasoning to protect the privacy of our students.
Behaviour
Challoner offers students a quiet and purposeful learning experience. We find this allows students the best opportunity to focus and learn.
Detentions:
We understand there is often a lot going on for a student which we are not aware of and which can sometimes be revealed through their behaviour. As a first line of intervention, a teacher may speak to a student at the end of a lesson to resolve an issue or to check in on their well-being. If the issue appears to be related to well-being, we will refer this to their tutor, Head of Year or a Safeguarding lead and someone will contact home. If we feel a behaviour needs further discussion we may set them an after school detention. We believe students should be held accountable for their attitude, actions and learning.
Why we may set an after school detention:
Detentions may be set for failure to complete work; rudeness or failure to engage; behaviours that are not respectful of their learning or of others; behaviours that damage their learning environment; plagiarism.
We use detention not as a punishment, but as an opportunity to have a private conversation with a student (away from their peers) about the way they are interacting with their learning or others. It gives us and them a chance to share viewpoints and to have a constructive conversation about how they can improve and how we can help them. These conversations may not be possible in a busy lesson and we don't believe in taking their break time or lunch time away from them, as these are valuable moments to reset and regulate their needs. Therefore, they will be set a detention for the end of a school day between 3.35pm
- 4.35pm. You will receive a message via parent mail if this has been requested.
Department Detentions:
Thursday evenings 3.35-4.35pm
Detentions operate on a scale according to level and frequency of offence.
They will be set by the class teacher in the first instance, followed by a department detention, Head of Year detention, or SLT detention.
Use of AI and Plagiarism
English assessments will often be sat in class, blind, in order to give us an accurate picture of exam performance. We find this limits the temptation to use AI to elevate performance.
Whilst AI is an important tool is society, we actively discourage most students from using it for academic purposes. See our expectations on AI use and plagiarism here: