Sets

At Avanti House we do have sets for some subjects. Having students in different sets allows us to better meet their individual needs by matching the pace of learning, as well the support offered, to the students in the class. 

Below we outline how the sets operate for each subject, including when pupils are able to move sets.

Key Stage 3

In English, Year 7 students are taught in their form groups, while Year 8 and Year 9 are taught in mixed groups without any academic setting.  To avoid the stigmas of numbered sets, Year 8 and 9 classes are named after famous writers: BL for William Blake, AN for Maya Angelou, SH for Percy Shelley, OR for George Orwell, AG for John Agard, and DU for Carol Ann Duffy. 

Key Stage 4

By Year 10 and Year 11, students are placed into sets based on the progress they have made by the end of Year 9, with decisions informed by Year 9 assessment data. 

Once a student is assigned a teacher for Year 10, they will continue with that teacher through Year 11 for continuity of learning. 

Movement between sets is rare, as it takes time for teachers to fully understand each student’s writing style, and building a strong, consistent relationship with their teacher is considered more beneficial.

Changes are not made after assessment points based solely on performance. On rare occasions, students may be moved if their attitude to learning is affecting their progress.

Year 7

In Year 7, students are taught in mixed-ability groups, fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment that eases their transition into secondary school. This approach encourages them to build strong relationships with their peers and teachers within their form groups, providing the students with a solid foundation before any set changes occur the following year.

Years 8-11

Starting in Year 8 and continuing through Year 10, students are placed into attainment-based sets, with regular opportunities to move between these sets after each PIP assessment. However, by Year 11, set changes are kept to a minimum to reduce disruption, with adjustments made only when necessary to best support students' academic progress.

This system benefits students by allowing them to learn at a pace suited to them, providing more focused teaching, and encouraging steady academic progress. It helps build confidence, as students are appropriately challenged, and the flexibility to move sets ensures their learning needs are continually met.

Key Stage 3

In Year 7, the students are taught in mixed-ability groups. For Year 8, sets are determined by the PIP3 assessment results along with teacher feedback discussed in department meetings. In Year 9, the sets are based on the average of PIP2 and PIP3 grades, alongside teacher feedback to ensure a well-rounded assessment of each pupil's progress. 

These sets can only change once every term to allow sufficient time for students to demonstrate progress in assessments before set changes are made. 

The benefits of this system are that it allows for flexible, data-driven placement of students in sets where they can receive the right level of support or challenge. By making changes only once per term, it maintains a structured learning environment where the students can build effective relationships with their teacher, while allowing for adjustments based on pupils' development.

Key Stage 4

In Triple Science, the students are all taught in mixed-ability groups throughout Year 10 and 11.

In Combined Science, the students are taught in sets. The placement of students is again decided by a combination of assessment data and feedback from the teachers.