Challenge for All

At The Manor, we believe that challenge is an essential part of education. It is through challenge that our pupils feel the buzz of understanding something new. They develop curiosity, critical thinking and a lifelong love of learning. Our approach to incorporating and celebrating challenge is wide ranging, ensuring that every child is engaged, motivated and supported in their learning journey.

What is Challenge at The Manor?

The concept of challenge in our school is rooted in the belief that every child can achieve their full potential when provided with the right opportunities and support. Challenge is not about presenting pupils with insurmountable tasks, but rather about fostering a growth mindset where they feel confident to take risks, learn from mistakes and celebrate successes. We aim to create an environment where children are inspired to step out of their comfort zone and engage with new ideas and complex problems. They are encouraged to understand that the harder they think, the more they will learn.

As part of our ethos of challenge for all, we are well-equipped to meet the needs of highly and exceptionally able children. These are children identified as showing a particular strength in a subject that makes them stand out. Our culture of high expectations and aspirational goals naturally includes opportunities for such children to be challenged and inspired to make excellent progress. Within this, they may also be encouraged to complete work at pace and explore extra challenge or adaptive activities.

How do we Challenge?

To effectively deliver challenge within lessons and in our extra-curricular programme, we employ a variety of strategies that cater for the needs and abilities of all our pupils. Our teachers are skilled in working towards ambitious objectives ensuring all of the pupils achieve this through individual support with an appropriate level of difficulty for each child. This personalised approach allows us to extend the learning of every child.

Strategies include:

Supportive environment

Our teachers are committed to creating a supportive environment where pupils feel safe to express their ideas and take intellectual risks. Regular constructive feedback and praise are integral to helping children navigate challenges and build confidence in their abilities. They are given individual targets, and asked to reflect and self-assess their own work to help them take ownership of their learning.

Challenging learning opportunities

Our curriculum incorporates compelling contexts for learning with multi-solution problems and open-ended enquiry-based investigations. Children are encouraged to ask questions, conduct research, and explore topics in depth. This method empowers pupils to make their own choices and pursue areas of interest with creativity and determination.

Rich and extended talk

Through open and carefully planned questions, children are required to use higher order thinking skills to connect ideas and evaluate, analyse and compare information. They are asked to explain their thoughts and hypothesise.

Real-world context

We connect classroom learning to real-world scenarios, providing pupils with practical applications of their knowledge. This approach helps them understand the relevance of their studies and see the value in overcoming challenges to achieve real-life goals.

Collaborative learning

We promote collaborative learning experiences where pupils work in flexible groups to solve problems and complete projects. This not only fosters a sense of community but also enables children to challenge one another, build on each other’s learning and share different perspectives. Teamwork and effective communication are skills which will be in high demand as our pupils enter the workforce of the future.

At The Manor, challenging our pupils is about nurturing their potential and preparing them for their future. By embedding challenge into every aspect of our educational approach, we empower children to become resilient, independent thinkers who are ready to meet the demands of an ever-changing world. Equally importantly, the children feel excited about their learning every step of the way.

Where next?

Prep

Pastoral Care

Learning Support