Student Challenge

At Archbishop Beck Catholic College, we believe that all students are entitled to receive the support and challenge necessary to help them to develop their full potential. We believe that all students’ abilities can develop at different stages of their educational journey, as such, all students have the right to be challenged to produce their very best. In addition, we are committed to developing students’ spiritual, social and emotional skills as essential elements in the development of the whole person.

We want our students to be ambitious to strive to achieve their full potential. We want our staff to drive students’ achievements by offering appropriate levels of challenge for all students. We will measure success by academic performance, an increase in the confidence and independence of our learners, and the many other ways in which they demonstrate excellence and outstanding achievement.

Intent

The National Curriculum states that ‘teachers should set high expectations for every pupil. In addition, they should plan stretching work for pupils whose attainment is significantly above the expected standard.’ We aim to support the learning of students who demonstrate the ability to achieve the highest grades at all key stages. Added to this, we aim to support all students to be stretched and challenged to achieve their best possible outcomes as a fully inclusive college.

To fully challenge our students, we aim to foster an inclusive approach with pupils being offered additional challenge, breadth and depth via our High Five Lesson Plan. The key principles of Consolidation, Modelling, Challenge, Independence, Response and Feedback aim to help our students to give and achieve their very best in every lesson. The High Five Lesson Plan offers challenge to all therefore we aim to create an atmosphere of inclusive challenge within all classrooms.

Furthermore, our students will be encouraged to build their confidence, be positive, respectful, resilient and motivated always giving their best. These are the Archbishop Beck Catholic College student’s key learning characteristics highlighted by both students and staff.

Within the classroom, staff have a clear understanding of the need to adapt their teaching with challenges built into lessons and pupils are encouraged to extend their work to complete more challenging aspects of the curriculum.

Implementation

Each curriculum area delivers a challenging curriculum via The High Five Lesson Plan in which stretch and challenge is offered to all and is a key feature of all schemes of work and Long-Term Plans. Teachers can further inform their planning with an awareness of students categorised with high prior attainment at Key Stage 2 and upon entry to the college. We are also aware that students not previously placed into this category can develop within their time in college and should be given every opportunity to be challenged and to produce their best possible outcomes.

The assessment procedures within the College aim to support and challenge the progress of all students. Our formative and summative assessments help staff, students and parents to track their aspirational learning journey ensuring that any underachievement is investigated with intervention established where necessary.

At Archbishop Beck Catholic College, we have very strong partnerships with all local universities that support all year groups in providing a range of enrichment opportunities to raise aspirations and to support academic excellence. The college nominates students annually in Year 10 and 12 to participate in the prestigious Aspire Liverpool program which encourages Oxbridge applications. Success has been evident with successful entrants to the University of Oxford in 2024 and 2025. The College also participates in a Scholars programme with The University of Liverpool which offers eligible students reduced UCAS points offers for their courses. Other opportunities include Pathway to Law and Medicine in collaboration with The University of Liverpool. Visits take place at Russell Group Universities with a focus on Oxbridge entry together with guidance for application. These aspirational visits are offered to Key Stages Three, Four and Five. At Key Stage Three, a group of students participate each year in the academically challenging Brilliant Club which offers tuition at a level above their key stage delivered by an external PHD tutor. In Year 8 we participate in the University of Oxford’s Oxplore Hackathon project in which students are encouraged to debate and create solutions to current global problems. At year 7, students are offered the opportunity to challenge themselves with the production of an independent research project entitled “The Headteachers Challenge Award” Additionally, careers guidance is offered to support positive next step destinations in all year groups.

Impact

Progress is monitored in all year groups throughout the academic year with our ultimate goal of ensuring success in final exams. Our assessment periods offer an opportunity to ensure that all pupils are suitably challenged and make adequate progress towards and indeed beyond their targets. Intervention, guidance and support takes place when underachievement is evident. Parents are involved in intervention meetings when necessary to ensure improved and continued success.

Subject Area Challenge