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Study Plus

Study+ Group

The Study+ Group is an option pathway in KS4.  These students do not study a humanity subject and instead have 5 hours per fortnight working on enhancing their study skills in order to be successful in their core and option subjects.  Students are placed in this group by the SENDCO in liaison with SLT and core Heads of Department.  They typically have an EHCP or have Special Educational Needs which means that they would benefit from studying a reduced number of qualifications.  Students are not placed in this group due to behaviour difficulties, but those students with medical needs may do so in order to use the time to catch up with other subjects that they have fallen behind in due to absence.

The purpose of the Study+ curriculum is to enhance the study skills of students with Special Educational Needs so that they are able to study effectively both for examinations in school and beyond the curriculum such as passing their driving test and accessing college or an apprenticeship.  Reducing the number of subjects which they are required to study prevents them from being overloaded and gives them the best opportunity to be as successful as possible in the core subjects and their option subjects which they will need to progress onto further education.   

The content which is delivered can be altered each year depending on the needs of the students in the group.  Typically, there will be a focus on literacy skills required for study purposes such as developing reading comprehension techniques, understanding the command verbs in questions, and the spelling of key words.  Students with Special Educational Needs require these skills to be repeated regularly in order to over learn them.  Revision techniques need to be taught such as the use of cue cards, memory maps, and mnemonics.  Study skills such as note taking, conducting research, and avoiding plagiarism are also taught, along with the skills required to complete a longer project as is required in many vocational courses.  Students in this group typically have access arrangements in place for their exams and as such they are taught how to use these effectively.  Additionally, the SENDCO meets with the core Heads of Department half termly and they may ask for a particular idea or concept to be focused on or re-taught.  As such the Study+ group is not about following a particular course or programme.  However, many resources are used including the HiLo Comprehension Skills Programme, RWI Study Skills module, and Multisensory Learning for SpLD’s.  Some sections of the work completed can be formally accredited through OCR Life and Living Skills, AQA Foundation Project, and ASDAN credits.