Cheney School

Cheney School is committed to developing the gifts and talents of every individual student in the school. Working with students with special gifts or talents in particular academic, sporting or artistic areas is part of this wider commitment. We use a wide range of data to identify very able students - CATs tests taken in Year Seven, end of KS2 and 3 levels, and GCSE results. We also rely heavily on primary school and Cheney staff recommendations. In addition, any parent or student can recommend someone for inclusion on our 'Independence and Enquiry (Gifted and Talented) register'. Like all students, very able students are encouraged to take part in some of the more than sixty extra-curricular activities on offer. Cheney students have won national competitions in fields as diverse as girls football and competitive debating. However our primary focus is on stretching and challenging pupils in the classroom, and in encouraging independent self-motivated enquiry, so that students can push themselves to exceptional performance. A 'Competitive Universities Group' supports students applying to Russell Group Universities and Oxbridge - it regularly welcomes back Cheney students who have achieved outstanding success at university, to inspire and encourage younger students. The AQA Extended Project provides the opportunity for very able Sixth Formers to carry out university level private study.