Headteacher Gary Philips at Lilian Baylis Technology School in south London, turns his attentions to improving GCSE English results, in his push to escape National Challenge status.
The school is on the DCSF National Challenge list of schools facing the possibility of closure if they drop below 30 per cent A*-C GCSE including English and maths.
Philips monitors the English department, looking at how it is supporting the borderline C/D grade students studying English language.
The top set have already sat their English language exams and can now concentrate on taking English literature, unlike the rest of their peers.
Some staff voice their disappointment that this is a privilege for the few. Philips disagrees, believing that the borderline students need to focus all their energy into studying for their English language GCSEs.
Useful websites
The school website which includes access to its latest Ofsted Report
Information about the National Challenge which was launched in June 2008
The School Improvement and Targets Team is responsible for the development and delivery of policies and programmes to raise standards
Information and ideas to help develop successful home-school links
: Kids Company is a charity which provides practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city children and young people
Equalities, diversity and inclusion: personalised, imaginative and flexible approaches to learning
TeacherNet: Behaviour and attendance
Guidance on a whole school approach to cyberbullying
National Literacy Trust: Assessment for learning
Assessment for Learning
DCSF: Standards site - target setting
Target Setting: information, guidance and publications
TeacherNet: Sharing good practice
Butterflies School Improvement document. This contains a number of simple, initiatives, in the classroom and around the school
Achievement and Attainment tables for Lilian Baylis in 2008
