Independent Learning at Key Stage 3
Get Ahead Tasks (GAT)
Get Ahead Tasks are independent learning activities designed to enrich and extend your child’s knowledge, skills, and understanding.
What are they?
Each subject (including Character Curriculum in Year 8 and Year 9) provide nine tasks for each year of KS3, providing every student with the opportunity to potentially undertake over 140 independent learning tasks each year. Each year group has a Get Ahead Tasks booklet (available on this page), which brings all the tasks together in one place.
The Get Ahead Tasks are different for each year group, being specifically linked to each subject’s schemes of work and Key Learning Indicators (KLIs). The wide range of tasks, and task type, enables students to choose activities that match their interests, or allow them to focus on subjects where they would benefit from further improvement.
Expectations and process
We have a clear ethos of high performance and academic excellent. Being part of the William Howard community requires students to fully engage with their learning and ‘be the best they can be. As such, students are expected to complete GAT regularly throughout the year. Students have a free choice of task and task order, which we hope will engage and enthuse them to complete independent learning at home; there really is something for everyone.
Once a student has completed a task, they should notify their subject teacher, who will check evidence (through discussion or through examination of the materials created) and log the completion on EduLink. Each completed GAT earns 5 house points, and reports will include the number of GATs completed.
We would strongly encourage parents/carers to discuss task choices with their child weekly to support engagement.
Revision Activities
Alongside GAT, every KS3 subject has revision periods built into the year (2–3 per subject). These take place at different times across the year, appropriate to the department’s scheme of work. During these revision periods teachers will teach students how to revise and then set independent learning tasks where students put this into practice outside the classroom. Our aim here is to teach students the vital study skills and habits that will help them through their secondary education and beyond.
Revision periods are linked to specific assessments and help students practise effective study strategies, consolidate their learning, and prepare for different types of tests – whether this is key word recall, extended writing, or factual tests.
Information on topics and assessments can be found in the Topics and Assessment booklet on this page. This provides a brief overview of schemes of work and shows which assessments take place over the year. Those assessments that require revision are highlighted yellow.
Revision tasks will be set through Edulink, allowing you to see when they are assigned. Students are expected to complete all revision activities and non-completion will be logged on Edulink. Information concerning non-completion of revision activities will also appear on reports.
Does my child need to revise for the KS3 Assessment Weeks?
Years 7-9 each have two Assessment Weeks, during which students complete ‘hard thinking’ assessments to test long-term knowledge and understanding. Most assessments follow a standard format (25-mark test) combining reading comprehension with questions on subject-specific knowledge and understanding. In most cases, revision is not required as we are aiming to test long-term retention and ‘hard thinking’. However, in Maths, Science and some practical subjects we do expect students to undertake revision for Assessment Week tests in these areas. Details of which Assessment Week tests students are expected to revise for can be found on the Topics and Assessments booklet below.
Supporting Your Child
Together, Get Ahead Tasks and Revision Activities help students:
- Revisit and consolidate learning
- Extend their knowledge beyond the classroom
- Build strong independent study habits
We encourage parents and carers to support their child by discussing task choices, monitoring progress through Edulink, and encouraging regular engagement.