SJF’s Grammar Stream is launching in September 2020 with our incoming Year 7 cohort.
A Grammar Stream is an educational arrangement whereby a group of students are educated in a mainstream school, but follow a Grammar School-style curriculum that is taught by subject specialist teachers. All pupils in the Grammar Stream have been identified as having the ability to understand the level at which work is taught, meaning that the teacher has less differentiation to address in their teaching and the group will make good progress together.
A Grammar Stream has the advantages of allowing more able students to receive teaching aimed at the top end of the ability stream while also enjoying the social mixing that comes of being educated in a comprehensive faith school setting. Unlike local grammar schools, our Grammar Stream is mixed gender. While academic results are very important in the Grammar Stream, our Catholic ethos also means that we take great pains to develop our students into good people who want to use their skills and knowledge to give back to society.
SJF is well-placed to provide a Grammar Stream for several reasons: firstly, we have successful partnerships with local grammar schools including Fort Pitt and Holcombe Grammar, enabling us to offer a wide variety of academic A Level courses. Secondly, SJF was rated a ‘Good’ by Ofsted in May 2019 in all areas. Thirdly, our pupils make great progress: our 2019 GCSE results were our best ever with our A level value added scores being the best comprehensive outcomes in Medway; our level 3 vocational outcomes were in the top 5% of the country.