Gifted and Talented
The Ashby School Gifted and Talented programme is called 'Da Vinci' – and is thought to be the only one of its kind in the UK. The programme includes about 235 students – about one in seven of the student population.
Many - if not all - of Ashby's students are 'gifted and talented' in some way. However, Da Vinci is concerned primarily with academic ability and those who are aiming to gain entry to top Universities.
For this reason, Da Vinci brings together the top 30 pupils in each year (as shown in performance statistics) – as well as students who continue to improve during their time at the school.
In Year 10, for instance, the top 30 children (based on their SATS results in Year 9) are typically joined by more than 25 improving students throughout the year, based on performance data collected each term.
The Da Vinci programme is designed to be both powerful and personal.
- All Da Vinci students receive a newsletter at least four times a term, full of information and interesting facts and figures (relating to the world in general);
- Ten subject newsletters are circulated every week, each catering for a different student specialism, such as Medicine or Literature. Each newsletter is up to six pages long and features leading articles from newspapers and journals.
Current subject areas include Medicine, Geography, Law, Literature, Psychology, History, Economics and Business, Science and Mathematics, Theology and Philosophy.
The aim is to keep students informed and to help them learn about the world around them, extend their subject knowledge and pass University interviews.
- A Da Vinci video library provides further resources for students interested in any of these specialisms.
- Ashby School is home to the Tip Tops. These primary school pupils from Years 5 and 6 attend an after-school club every Friday to extend their academic abilities.
There are senior and junior groups of Tip Tops. The Seniors will tackle vectors and other areas of Year 11 Mathematics. Both groups study literacy, literature, language, philosophy, logic and science.
Da Vinci pupils act as tutors for the 'Tip Tops' and are given the opportunity to teach in small groups.
- All Da Vinci pupils are given the chance to do a video interview. This is designed to help students cope with University entrance (for instance in the fields of Medicine and Law). More generally, students prepare for Oxbridge entry.
- During the year, students take part in talks, discussions and debates.
- Da Vinci students go on organised trips to universities around the country, and have the opportunity to meet visiting tutors.
- Special visits take place to Oxford. Students are encouraged to take an interest in subjects such as art criticism.
- Da Vinci pupils also take part in all the Sixth Form activities organised by Sixth Form staff. This includes visiting universities, helping disabled children at Ashby's annual statutes street fair, and encouraging reluctant readers in local primary schools.
- All Da Vinci students attend a special lunch once a year, in their year groups. Each lunch is hosted by the Headteacher.
- Certificates and prizes are awarded to Da Vinci students during the course of the year. (Special resources, such as academic books, are bought for individual pupils, where necessary.)
Malcolm Salt, who runs the Gifted and Talented programme at Ashby School, said: "This is a rich, varied and wonderful programme which runs solely for the benefit of our pupils.
"I am proud to say that the Da Vinci programme has the full support of senior staff, teaching staff and Governors. A number of staff give up their evenings to teach and lecture the pupils in our Tip Tops group. This is a wonderful comment on the spirit of our school."
Da Vinci is only one part of the school's provision. Gifted and talented students also work closely with the Year Rooms and Sixth Form Centre.
