Skip to content

A Summary for Parents/Guardians

As parents / guardians, you play a key role in supporting not just your child’s academic progress, but also the way they approach their learning journey. A positive attitude to learning is one of the most powerful tools a young person can develop—it shapes how they respond to challenges, how resilient they are when faced with setbacks, and how motivated they remain over time.

At Ferndown Upper School, pupils are encouraged to take greater responsibility for their own learning, and the habits they build now will influence their success well beyond the classroom. The characteristics below outline the key aspects of a strong attitude to learning and how these can help your child thrive both in school and in life.

When reporting our half termly Attitude to Learning, ATL assessment teachers use the following grid to develop an overall ATL score for your child. We call this a ‘Best Fit’ model.

I am hopeful that the grid is somewhat self-explanatory but would like to clarify what we mean by a ‘managed learner’. A managed learner needs some teacher reminders, encouragement or direct instructions to enable them to be successful in this category.

As parents and carers, you continue to play an important role in supporting your young person’s success as they progress through Sixth Form. While students are expected to become increasingly independent in managing their studies, your encouragement and interest can make a significant difference to their motivation, organisation and wellbeing.

Success at Sixth Form is about much more than academic ability. A positive Attitude to Study and Learning (ATSL) is fundamental to achieving strong outcomes. It reflects how students approach their lessons, independent study, homework, wider reading, deadlines and the challenges of advanced study. Developing these habits helps students become resilient, self-motivated learners who are well prepared for university, apprenticeships and the workplace.

At Ferndown Upper School Sixth Form, students are expected to take ownership of their learning. This includes completing independent study outside of lessons, meeting deadlines, engaging actively in lessons, seeking support when needed and reflecting on feedback to improve their performance. The characteristics below outline the key behaviours that underpin successful study and lifelong learning.

Teachers report an Attitude to Study and Learning (ATSL) score each half term. This is based on a range of evidence gathered over the reporting period and uses a ‘best fit‘ model to determine the descriptor that most accurately reflects each student’s overall approach to their studies.

We hope the descriptors are largely self-explanatory. The term ‘managed learner‘ refers to a student who is capable of success but requires regular reminders, encouragement or direct guidance from teachers to maintain appropriate study habits, complete independent work, meet deadlines or engage consistently with their learning. Our aim is to help every student develop the independence, self-discipline and confidence needed to become an effective and successful independent learner.