High Attainers Programme

At the Carlton Academy, we are proud to have developed a programme to help develop the aspirations and ambitions of our students with a history of outstanding academic achievement. The programme will include a host of opportunities, such as trips, visits, external speakers, guest speakers and in school activities such as debates, book groups, public speaking workshops, and critical thinking.

The Minerva programme is for students in Key Stage 3 and 4, the aim of which is to foster the curious minds of those students who have performed at a consistently high level academically. The programme has been designed to develop in our students a greater awareness of the opportunities that life has to offer, and to give them the confidence and tools to pursue these opportunities. Their work through the year will culminate in a showpiece debate or public speaking performance during an end of year celebration event, delivered to parents and other participants of the programme.

Students to participate in the Minerva programme will leave Carlton Academy as highly capable thinkers who are able to approach their future studies and careers with an extra degree of preparedness and confidence.

This year, students took part in a residential trip to London to visit museums including the British Museum, London Dungeons and The Golden Hind, as well as seeing a West End show. Students then worked on their debating and public speaking skills to prepare a debate on the ethics of the British Museum. The Minerva groups then focussed on building their critical thinking skills, in preparation for further academia, and learnt new skills such as coding. To finish off the year, the students worked on their own project which they present at the end of the year, on a topic of their choice. For this, students learnt about how to find and understand academic research, and utilised the skills learnt throughout the Minerva project this year.

Please click here for the presentation

If you have any questions about this programme, please contact the year group lead:

Year 7 Miss K Wormald - k.wormald@theacademycarlton.org