On these two days the school timetable is suspended so that we can devote quality time to work with you and your child. These days will involve a 20-30 minute Learning Conversation between you, you child and their Mentor. You will book your appointment using the reply slip to the Learning Conversations, Target Setting and Parents Evening letter (10th October 2011) that your child should have brought home. We expect all students and their parents to attend. Your child must attend this meeting so they can discuss their progress and their 3 personal SMART targets for the coming year. Students will have already spent some time in with their Mentors looking at their Learning Profiles (data on their attendance, attitude to learning, behaviour, progress etc) to determine areas for improvement, set meaningful specific targets, create an Action Plan of steps to take to achieve them and identify who can support them.

(Non-attendance by the student will be marked as an Unauthorised Absence and my involve the Education Welfare Officer contacting you)

Research shows that having Learning targets significantly improves students' learning and achievement by raising their expectations, ambitions, and motivation. They provide something against which their learning progress can be measured. Targets work best if the learners are closely involved in n setting them and reviewing their own progress. There are clear benefits for target setting:-

• Learners are more successful and learn better
• Carefully planned and achievable targets motivate learners
• Targets help learners focus on what and how to improve
• Achieving one target acts as a springboard to move onto the next
• Learners take responsibility, ownership and accountability for their own learning
• Parents work alongside the school and their child to help them achieve their potential

We want students to set challenging but realistic targets so they stretch themselves to develop and fulfil their potential and achieve at a high level. Therefore Targets need to be:

• S = specific, significant, stretching
• M = measurable, meaningful, motivational
• A = agreed, attainable, achievable, action orientated
• R = realistic, relevant, rewarding, results orientated
• T = time bound, tangible, trackable

• Recognition that they own and are responsible for their learning and progress
• An understanding of why and how their Targets will benefit them
• Guidance about what and how to improve and achieve even more
• Guidance on who can support and help them reach their targets
• The skills to develop as independent learners capable of directing and reviewing their own development and progress as a learner and as an individual
• Close monitoring of their progress which will foster a productive staff - student relationship

• An overall picture of their child's progress
• An understanding of their child's strengths and areas for improvement
• A key role in helping their child achieve the steps to their Targets and to achieving their best
• A positive and productive working partnership with their child and the school

• An understanding of their Mentee's progress as a learner across the school
• An understanding of their child's strengths and areas for improvement
• A key role in helping their child achieve through the steps to achieve their targets and achieve
• A positive and productive working partnership with their Mentee and their parent
• An opportunity to celebrate students' successes.

Students

• Have worked closely with their Mentor to choose 3 SMART targets and an Action Plan to achieve these
• Made sure they have booked an appointment for their parents with their Mentor (We will try to ensure that where there are brothers/sisters in the school those appointments are close together)
• Be there in uniform
• Ring their Student Planner and a pen to record their Targets

Parents

• Make sure you have arranged an appointment through your child with the Mentor
• Have read your child's last Finham Report or Progress Check
• Have discussed with your child their possible targets
• Make sure your child has brought their Student Planner and a pen to record their targets

If you cannot make your appointment, you should contact us as soon as possible so we can be able offer this time to someone else and to rearrange your appointment. Occasionally Mentors can offer some flexibility.

Mentor

• Have guided the student towards identifying 3 SMART targets and an Action plan of steps to achieve these using past Progress and Behaviour data
• Make sure that all Mentees have made appointments
• Bring all the necessary paperwork to record and share the Targets and Action Plan

All students will finish school at 1.45 pm on 15th November. Learning Conversations can be booked from 2pm to 6 pm on 15th November and between 8am and 6pm on 16th November. Bookings will be made on a first come, first serve basis. (Lessons are as normal on 17th November)

Please arrive about 5 minutes ahead of your appointment and report to your child's mentor. If you are not sure where to go there will be someone at Reception to advise you.

Your child's Mentor will show you your child's Target Setting sheets. Your child will have already worked closely with their Mentor to identify and design 3 SMART Targets, an Action Plan of the steps to take to achieve them, the dates to achieve them by and the people who can support them. These targets may be about Attendance, Punctuality, Attitude to Learning, Behaviour, Student Leadership, homework, planning and completion of preparation for specific work such as coursework, Controlled Assessments, examinations and so on. You will be able to discuss these with the mentor and your child including how you can support them in achieving these. The student will copy their 3 SMART targets into their Student Planner and the mentor will record them on Insight so parents and staff can view them.

Refreshments will be available to purchase in the new refurbished 'restaurant'.

Your Feedback
We would welcome your comments on the Target Setting process. An evaluation form will be available on the day from your child's Mentor to return to them or to Reception.

After the Learning Conversation your child is free to return home so they can work on the specific learning tasks set by their teachers.

At regular intervals during the year your child's Mentor will review and discuss your child's progress towards their 3 targets with them and see what steps of their Action Plan they have completed. The key dates are in January/February and July 2012. Progress Checks and Reports will inform parents of students 'progress. In addition, at the Years 10 and 11 Subject Evenings parents will be able to discuss progress in detail.

Parents will be informed of areas of underperformance and asked to support school strategies to improve performance, such as their child attending 'catch up clubs', completing coursework in school or at home by a specific deadline or doing better planned and structured revision.