Excellence in Doncaster
The Excellence in Doncaster programme brings together all the major strategies, projects and initiatives operating across our schools (such as Aimhigher, Work Related Learning, Study Support, Student Apprenticeships, Pre-16 E2E, Gifted & Talented and Learning Mentors), to illustrate how our 14-19 curriculum is evolving to meet the real interests of our students, whilst targeting some for additional support for a variety of needs.

Aimhigher
Now in its’ 4th year, this programme continues to help raise the aspirations, motivation and attainment of students from under represented groups to stay on in learning and go onto Further & Higher Education.
Through this programme we have supported a wide range of programmes in school, with students participating in a breadth of experiences such as:
• Students from Campsmount & Ridgewood schools working with Imperial College/Exscitec, London, to design and build a robot, and to take part in the infamous FIRST robotics competition held in Washington, USA. Our “Doncaster Dreadnought” robot came 36 out of 120, not bad for a first attempt!
• Students from Trinity Academy producing their first musical performance (working with the University of Leeds).
• Students from Edlington and Ridgewood to work with a professional sport management company to plan, develop and manage a Westfield Sharks professional British Basketball League game at Sheffield Hallam FM Area. (Working with MLS).
• Over 500 students from ten of our schools were provided with a university undergraduate mentor, to help raise their confidence, self-esteem and study skills.
Aimhigher provides opportunities for Year 12 students to attend masterclasses at local universities, to provide them with direct experience of teaching and learning in a HE environment, whilst helping to inspire them to aim high in their aspirations for Progression. Year 11 students are given the opportunity to attend generic residential Summer Schools at regional universities, to provide them with first hand experiences of university life and the opportunities it can offer, to help encourage them to stay on in learning and go on to university.

Pre-16 E2E
Now in its second year, this programme has been very successful in re-engaging students who have very low or no attendance at school. The programme has seen a further improvement in its success rate for completion and progression and continues to effectively support the work of the Post-16 E2E programme. Outlined below is just one of our many success stories!

Gifted & Talented (G&T)
Gifted and Talented education is an inclusive strategy encompassing multiple abilities and utilising a range of identified criteria. Emphasis is on personalising learning to facilitate appropriate pupil challenge and independence.
Classroom strategies include Philosophy for Children (P4C), which supports enquiry based, dialogic and collaborative learning.
The Gifted and Talented strategy is underpinned by National Quality Standards for inclusive G&T education, Classroom Quality Standards and Subject Specific Quality Standards, which support whole school improvement.
G&T support networks exist in all phases of education across the borough from primary to KS4. These are a forum for collaborative school improvement, and a stage for sharing good practice.
Nationally accredited training in G&T education is available to staff in all schools.
Talent support strategies are high profile, with a national pilot project operating in Doncaster.
The Local Authority leads one day, sequential and residential enrichment events at secondary level, which continue to inspire pupils across the spectrum of abilities. Transition Summer Schools offer a range of exciting enrichment opportunities in pyramids of schools across the borough.

Work Related Learning Doncaster (WRLD)
WRLD is an extension of the pioneering Pathways to Success education project that was launched in 2000. Funded by the European social fund via Objective 1, WRLD in particular aims to increase participation of young people aged 13-16 involved in vocational training and qualifications whilst still studying GCSE subjects at secondary school. Effective partnership working between schools, colleges and training providers means there are now fourteen vocational programmes which students can access, which has led to a fantastic increase of over 3000 student entries on to vocational subjects over the last five years. Through the work experience elements of these programmes, many of our young people are now leaving education with the promise of a job and many more are aiming for higher education courses having been inspired to continue with their learning. These programmes are also successful in improving young peoples’ Key Skills with a L2 achievement rate of 100% being gained across the borough in the last academic year.

The Spotlight Event
On 5th July 2006 an event was organised to celebrate the success of the WRLD project, in providing learning that has broadened the range of opportunities available to students, regardless of their academic ability.
The event showcased the best of the WRLD project from over the past six years and involved celebrity chef James Martin who helped to host `Kids Kitchen’, a Ready Steady Cook style competition featuring GCSE Hospitality & Catering students from Don Valley School.
Students from Edlington School staged a 50’s style drama and fashion show, which featured clothes designed by Applied GCSE Art & Design students, whilst Ridgewood School’s engineering students hosted a `Robot War’ battle using hand-built cyber warriors. Students from Armthorpe School gave an outstanding performance in Tae-kwon-do. The Tae-kwon-do programme is being used to control behaviour in students who have been considered at risk of becoming disengaged from school.

The Arrow Project
This project is a new initiative, funded by Objective 1 and NRF, to establish pre-apprenticeship programmes at Level 2 for students who have the capability to study and achieve at higher levels, but working in a vocational area and through vocational qualifications alongside GCSEs. The students in KS4 will study at colleges and with training providers for part of their week, and at school for the remainder. Sectors in which courses will be available are initially Health and Social Care and Retail with intent to extend to Sport and Business Administration. These programmes will provide a springboard for the development of the new specialised diplomas. The post 16 programme is more bespoke, catering for pupils in sixth forms who want a vocational qualification alongside more academic studies. The sectors will be selected to meet individual students’ needs and aspirations. This follows a successful programme piloted through LSC funding.

Doncaster Learning Mentors
Learning Mentors work in secondary and primary schools to support vulnerable students who face barriers to success, or have social, emotional or behavioural problems; most who are under-achieving and lack confidence and self esteem. The work is highly successful, and one example of how they support learners and their families is shown below.

Mexborough School.
Last March, as part of the transition programme a Transition Technology event was organised and run jointly with adult family learning. Each child had to be accompanied by an adult.
The aim of the event was:
• To encourage parental and family involvement in school, children’s learning and transition to secondary school.
• To encourage an interest in Technology.
• To promote families working together towards a common goal.
• For each family group to build and keep a working model robot.
• To provide the opportunity for secondary schools to support their feeder schools in transition activities.
The event proved to be a great success with fifty year 6 pupils all accompanied by a family member. In some cases younger siblings attended and grandparents and the percentage of male family members was extremely high. The standard of models produced was fantastic and everyone had a great time.