At Redden Court School ‘HPA’ is a term used to describe a student or group or students who are high achieving students than the general population of his/her year group.

“The term ‘HPA’ is reserved for those students who achieve, or have the ability to achieve, significantly above average across the National Curriculum subjects at school”.

At Redden Court School we recognise the needs of every learner and have a programme specifically designed to target the progress and attainment of our students.

The HPA programme is overseen by a Coordinator and a focus group of experienced staff members who work closely to manage the provision within their subject areas. The focus group share good practice, resources and initiatives with one another. In recent years this meeting practice has expanded into a wider HPA Hub across educational boundaries. Therefore, as well as meeting with the focus group within school, the Coordinator also regularly meets with other HPA leads across a series of schools and series of educational authorities. This is to ensure that a very wide field of expertise is consulted, that best practice is being shared across a wide network and, indeed, that findings are being implemented for our students at Redden Court.

As with all students at Redden Court, it is of vital importance that the HPA's are stretched and challenged within the classroom and it is our priority that a culture of achievement and success is celebrated. A key feature to this is to ensure that the supportive relationship between teachers, parents and students is built upon high aspirations.

The core provision is offered within the classroom through the teaching and learning opportunities on offer. It is expected that lessons have differentiated outcomes that provide for all learners, including stretch and challenge as appropriate. Teachers are aware of the need to adjust the level of questioning and learning to facilitate this.

Regular monitoring of students’ achievement through robust data checks supports intervention strategies to ensure that the expected level of progress is being achieved.

It is widely accepted that HPA Students will display some of these GENERAL characteristics:

think quickly and accurately;

work systematically;

generate creative working solutions;

work flexibly, processing unfamiliar information and applying knowledge, experience and insight to unfamiliar situations;

communicate their thoughts and ideas well;

are determined, diligent and interested in uncovering patterns;

achieve, or show potential, in a wide range of contexts;

are particularly creative;

show great sensitivity or empathy;

make sound judgements;

are outstanding leaders or team members;

are fascinated by, or passionate about, a particular subject or aspect of the curriculum;

demonstrate high levels of attainment across a range of subjects within a particular subject, or aspects of work.

Key features of the HPA provision at Redden Court include

(this list is not exhaustive):

The HPA Passport Challenge;

University visits;

Departmental enrichment and reward visits;

Mensa, High IQ Testing;

Challenge projects;

HPA Parent/Carer Events;

Primary School Outreach;

Master Classes (the invite to master classes is extended to our main feeder primary schools);

Student Voice;

RCS University Challenge;

Junior Schools Quiz;

Case studies;

Learning Walks;

Subject audits;

Speak Out Challenge;

Debate Club;

HPA FAQs