Case studies

Year 9 science booster within curriculum time

How the Year 9 booster linked with the school’s own priorities and agenda

Phil Lloyd, science consultant in Staffordshire LEA, describes how Walton School implemented a Year 9 booster programme within the normal science curriculum time.

Walton School in Staffordshire LEA is a high achieving school with an impressive level of achievement in science. In 2000, 82% of pupils achieved level 5 or above in science at the end of Key Stage 3. The school’s aim was to incorporate booster classes within the school timetable by creating additional Year 9 groups.

How we identified pupils for booster support 

The initial target group were those pupils who were achieving around the level 4 to 5 borderline and were in danger of not attaining a level 5. At first pupils were cautious and the teacher had to explain carefully and positively why they were being extracted into a new group. This was handled successfully by the science staff and pupils were soon competing for places in the booster groups.