SETTING & BASELINE TESTING

‘Setting’ serves to allow some subjects to provide more structured, appropriate work levels within each year group; to stretch the most able and further support others where necessary. Core subjects are not only vitally important in their own right, but as they develop the main key skills of Numeracy, Literacy and Information Technology, it is necessary and desirable to provide differentiation across the cohort. Most core subjects divide students into 5 ‘sets’ and several are run ‘in parallel’ ie: sets 1 and 2 follow almost exactly the same work as do sets 3 and 4.

It is worth mentioning that at Doha College students generally have very high attainment levels in core subjects. Students transferring from other schools may find themselves in a ‘lower set number’ than at their previous school.

The benefits of ‘setting’ in these subjects are well documented and serve to enhance the learning experience for each individual student. There is no stigma attached to the set number and any references to this amongst the student body will not be tolerated.
 

Setting, therefore takes place in the following subjects and each student’s placement within a set is regularly reviewed with movement between sets when appropriate - ENGLISH    MATHEMATICS    SCIENCE   In all other subjects, students will attend classes in their designated form group.

Baseline Testing & Data Informal baseline testing of students will take place during the first few weeks in several subjects, even if setting does not take place thereafter. This is to better gauge individual ability, to tailor appropriate tasks and aid target setting. Formal baseline data from CAT and SAT scores are used in Y7 to determine student progress and potential. These are regularly reviewed through Interim grade reports, class tests, projects and homework task, monitoring days and formal reports. Personalised Learning drives the curriculum needs of the school and students are made aware of which level they are working at, what their target for improvement is and how they will attain their target. Many subjects have ‘student-friendly’ criteria and we encourage a degree of peer and self evaluation. Learning, therefore, is very much an ‘intrinsic’ experience at Doha College.