At Benton Park School we use a system where students are allocated to different class sets / groups, primarily based on their assessment data, along with professional judgement. This ensures that all students are stretched and challenged in each of their respective subjects. Our staff use data collected from assessments to check that students are in correct groups and make adjustments where necessary. These adjustments are designed to support our students with their studies.
Staff analyse the data from assessments to make informed judgements on groups, based primarily on data but also professional judgment.
Year 7
At the start of Year 7, we group students by information we receive from primary schools. Across the first part of the school year, teachers will assess students and then we will make appropriate changes to ensure that students are in the right classes to ensure that they are able to progress as quickly as possible.
The table below shows how different subjects are grouped together, for example, students will be in the same classes for their Maths and Science lessons, but different groups for their English lessons. The table also displays whether the groups are in mixed ability groupings or based on achievement data (sets).
| Subject blocks | Setting type |
| English | Mixed* |
| Maths / Science | In sets |
| MFL | In sets |
| Humanities / Computing | Mixed |
| Arts | Mixed |
| Technology | Mixed |
*further information on the English groupings can be found further down.
Year 8 & Year 9
Years 8 and 9 are very similar to Y7, however Maths and Science and not grouped together and therefore students may find that they are in different groups for Maths and Science. Both subjects are still grouped in sets, determined by prior assessment data.
Year 10 & Year 11
In years 10 and 11, students are grouped into sets for Maths and Science. We often move students at the start of their KS4 studies in Y10 to ensure that we prepare students in the best way possible for their GCSE and vocational courses.
English classes are mixed ability.
Option subjects are not set as these are classes spread across different ‘option blocks’ (different times in the timetable) and therefore these classes do not take place at the same time. Option classes are naturally mixed ability groups.
There is some movement from Year 9 into Year 10 as students that opt to take Triple Science are required to be in the same regular Science class on the same side of the year group. These classes are 10B/Sc1 and 11B/Sc1. If a student chooses to take triple science, they will have to be on the ‘B’ side of the year group. This means that setting on the B side of the year group is just sets 2-5.
*English Groupings
The English department have moved to a largely mixed ability model for teaching groups. In Years 7-9, sets 1-4 will be mixed ability with a smaller set 5 for students requiring additional support. Sets 1-5 in Year 10 will be completely mixed ability. We have made some small adjustments to Year 11 English groups to reduce class sizes.
English is a subject which lends itself very well to mixed ability teaching, with lesson content made accessible for all students and scope for appropriate challenge at different levels. We also believe mixed ability groups offer greater equality of opportunity for all students and will give everyone a fresh start.
We will of course continue to review student groupings throughout the year and make changes where necessary.
