Personalised Learning and Enrichment

What do we mean by Personalised Learning?

At Croydon High School our entire teaching and learning strategy is based on the idea that every girl is embarking upon her personal learning journey. Individual, aspirational academic targets are set for each girl based on a range of indicators and adding a degree of challenge to take into account what the school will deliver.

Progress reports are given half-termly with regular target-setting combining teacher reviews and self-evaluation by the girls taking place at the end of each half term.

This ensures that our girls maximise their potential and achieve the very best grades that they can. Setting individual targets also informs our teachers about how best to adapt their teaching to meet the learning needs of all the girls in their care.

What is Academic Enrichment?

Our teaching style mirrors the ‘Every Girl, Every Day’ school ethos, with girls accessing a wonderfully varied curriculum through a range of diverse and innovative methods.

We believe the most powerful learning often happens outside the classroom, and the quality of our academic enrichment is outstanding.

Our girls are campaigners; impassioned by Human Rights issues, inspired to support charitable concerns and able to engage in meaningful debate, both in the classroom and in arenas such as the Model United Nations, where we compete at high level.

Travel broadens their minds, with trips to Europe and further afield enabling them to explore Art, Politics and History, to improve language skills, to compete in sport and to make new friends, as they grow in experience and independence.

How do we support our most able learners?

We have a number of girls who are exceptionally academically able and to ensure their full potential is always reached we provide opportunities for them to ‘stretch’ their learning in an environment where everyone is encouraged to excel.

These opportunities may include different homework tasks, grouping by ability in some cases and they will be encouraged to attend Masterclasses and workshops.

However, it is important to stress that every girl will have access to these sort of opportunities – they are not exclusive and we encourage aspiration in every area.

What does it mean to be an Academic Scholar?

Our Scholarship Programme is designed to inspire and support our Academic Scholars throughout their years in the Senior School. The philosophy behind the programme is firmly rooted in encouraging our Scholars to be independent and motivated in their learning, nurturing natural academic curiosity and instilling what we hope will become a lifelong passion for learning.

Every year Scholars take part in a programme designed to help them reflect on their academic and personal progress. Key Stage 3 and 4 Scholars complete an assessment of their own progress in the summer reports.

All scholars are asked to regularly share their ideas, specific project work and the reading which they have completed outside of the confines of the curriculum. This could be in the form of a stretch and challenge showcase, a student-led wider reading seminar or in a presentation evening to staff, families and friends.

Harnessing the power of our network

Networking opportunities are presented and actively encouraged. We are fortunate to be connected to one of the most powerful networks of inspirational women in the country through the GDST, whose 100,000 alumnae members span the world and every professional sector.

Closer to home, our own Croydon High network, the Ivy Link is a truly vibrant community of incredible role models for our pupils The Ivy Link is an integral part of Croydon High life, with alumnae offering invaluable voices of advice and experience, as well as very tangible support in the form of shadowing or work experience opportunities.

These mentoring skills are developed from a young age, as our current Year 8 Academic Scholars welcome our incoming Year 7 Scholars as part of a scholar sister/scholar family programme, much like the Big sister / Little sister programme that matches our new Year 7 pupils with older girls in the school.

Building on firm foundations for future success

Scholars enjoy a programme of events such as Scholars’ Breakfasts, trips, workshops and enrichment sessions.

Scholars are encouraged to establish their own vision of success and then to ‘map out’ their individual pathways to achieving this with support from appropriate staff when necessary.

Mentoring plays an important role firstly in helping girls set themselves ambitious and stretching targets for the future and then understanding how these can be achieved.

Many of our pupils go on to prepare applications for Oxford and Cambridge and other Russell Group universities. Some decide to study at prestigious universities abroad and others choose increasingly valuable apprenticeship routes.

Support from the hugely experienced Sixth Form team is outstanding and ensures all girls feel supported and appropriately challenged every step of the way.