BGS Study Skills

The Study Skills Curriculum 

Our Intention :

A key aspect of our Responsible Learning ethos at BGS is the development and application of study skills to enable our students to study with the brain in mind using strategies that enable them to commit learning to their long-term memory.  Our intent is for students at BGS to be equipped with a set of skills to develop their efficacy of study, work ethic and associated behaviours. Students will utilise these skills to plan and prepare for their progress to ensure they have the opportunity and scope to inform and realise their futures/ambition.

Implementing the Study Skills Curriculum

We implement our study skills curriculum to complement the Responsible Learning theme and thereby enable students to develop skill sets to complement their knowledge base and support the autonomy, habits and character of our students.

Through a balance of collective messages, opportunities for guidance and practise and the engagement of parents we enable students to Embrace Challenge and empower a sense of endeavour to fulfil the high expectations of self and effective preparation for their future. Further guidance in how parents can work with us to support our students study skills can be found in the guide below. 

BGS Parent Guide for Effective Revision 

Key messages and guidance in how to effectively study is promoted in assemblies, form time, student mentoring, PSHCE and most importantly in the day-to-day learning across subjects.

BGS Diploma

The BGS Diploma has been designed to help develop the more demanding skills required to access the highest grades in their GCSE’s and the attitudes to seek out and Embrace Challenge in order for students to fulfil their potential. Working with our staff & students, universities and the CBI we identified the skills that students need to be successful in their GCSEs, A levels and beyond. 

These form the ‘skills’ sections of the BGS Diploma and each is focused upon in each half term of Year 7. To support the induction and active participation in school life Year 7 students are set four challenges centred upon the school aims. The achievement of these challenges and evidencing their development of the six Diploma skills are tracked through departments, Academic Review Day’s and a model of self-reflection.

Psychology for Learning

Students in Years 7 and 8 have a fortnightly session dedicated to the Psychology for Learning.  These sessions are designed to address the core Diploma skills in Year 7 and build on these in Year 8.  We implement the P4L curriculum through direct guidance in developing the knowledge and understanding of skills whilst providing opportunities and learning experiences to practise these elements from the wider curriculum. By using the expertise and experience of our teaching body students are provided with opportunities to enquire and fuel their intellectual curiosity as means of preparing students to make choices based on a detailed and rich experience of KS3.

Using a model of self, peer and teacher reflection students are able to implement and review a set of skills that can be demonstrated across their subjects developing the traits of a responsible learner with a sense of confidence and resilience to pursue their passion and preparation for their future. As a result, we endeavour for our students to be empowered and equipped making informed decisions about their future whilst attaining highly allowing students to aspire and believe they can achieve more than they expected and realise the skills and techniques that enabled their achievement.

Responsible Learning at Burnham Grammar School

To find out more about Responsible Learning at Burnham Grammar School, please visit the Responsible Learning Page.