Parents

Welcome to St Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel

We are delighted to welcome you to our school community. At St Louis, we recognise that a strong partnership between home and school is vital for the success of your child. We are a co-educational Catholic school committed to providing a broad education that nurtures the academic, physical, moral and spiritual well-being of every student.

Our ethos is built upon three core principles that guide daily life at St Louis:

Inclusivity: This reflects our commitment to maintaining a safe, nurturing and welcoming environment for all.
Excellence: We represent high academic standards alongside a dedication to personal growth for every student.
Integrity: We embody respect, kindness, trust and strong moral values in all our interactions.

Our Vision

To create a safe, nurturing, inclusive and stimulating environment in which all members of the St Louis Grammar community feel enabled personally, academically, physically, spiritually and socially, to realise their full potential and contribute fully to our school and to the wider community.

Our Values

St. Louis Grammar Kilkeel is an inclusive school for boys and girls, whose vision is to provide opportunities for all students, enabling them to develop their talents and skills so they can realise their full potential, academically, socially and personally. We provide an academic education of high standard, but above all, we strive to create an environment that encourages pupils’ physical, moral and spiritual well-being. We are a Catholic school which promotes learning and aiming as high as possible. With a child-centred approach, our core values include respect, kindness, tolerance, healthy relationships, faith, creativity, integrity, trust, honesty and discipline.

Use of Data

St Louis Grammar School tracks pupil progress from Year 8 through to Year 14 using the following methods:

Baseline Data Collection: Upon entry, the school collates Key Stage 2 data from primary schools and conducts our own testing, including GL Assessment results, CAT4, PTE11, PTM11, and reading / maths ability tests,. This information creates a "live" data booklet for staff to identify pupil needs.
Target Setting: Teachers and pupils agree on personal targets based on the “Growth Mindset” at the start of the year based on benchmarking data generated by the Assessment Manager.
Continuous Monitoring: Progress is visually assessed throughout the year using SIMS tracking sheets and summarised for parents in reports at Christmas and the summer.
Key Stage 3 Assessments: Pupils undertake PTE and PTM tests at the end of Years 8, 9, and 10 to determine their level of progress. This data is shared with parents and is also used to inform which pathway a child will progress in for the following year.
Key Stage 4 Predictions: At the end of Year 10, CAT4 and standardised tests provide predictions for GCSE success. This data helps identify pupils at risk of not achieving a Grade C in English or Maths so support strategies can be devised and a suitable pathway chosen.
Post-16 Tracking: Staff use SIMS chance predictions based on GCSE performance to set targets and identify students at risk of underachieving at A-Level.

Pathways and Learning Paced Classes

Understanding Learning Paced Classes

At St Louis, we want to ensure pupils are learning at a speed that suits them best. To do this, we place students into specific "learning paced" classes or bands, starting in Year 8.

How it works

We use information from your assessments (such as transfer results or internal tests like CAT4, PTE, and PTM) to place pupils in a class where the teaching style and speed match their ability.

The Goal

The aim is to ensure the work is challenging enough to help you improve, but not so difficult that you feel overwhelmed.

Flexibility

These groups are not permanent. We review progress every year. If a child’s grades change, they can move between bands to ensure they are always in the best environment for their learning.

Practical Subjects

In subjects that are more practical, classes are often mixed to allow everyone to work together regardless of their academic band.

Learning paced classes are linked to the “Pathways” system we have implemented.

Pathways

The "Pathways" system was introduced in 2018 throughout the key stages to cater to the diverse abilities of all pupils and ensure career choices remain open. The system consists of three distinct routes designed to match the academic potential of the student:

Purple Pathway: This is the most academic route where pupils ultimately study 10 GCSEs. This includes studying English Literature alongside English Language.
Green Pathway: Pupils on this pathway study 9 GCSEs, which includes six specific option choices which may be a mix of academic or practical subjects and qualifications.
Gold Pathway: This is the "Vocational" pathway. Pupils take up to 7 or 8 GCSEs. This route includes the option to study Occupational Studies either in-school or at the Southern Regional College (SRC) one day a week. It utilises qualifications like OCN, BTEC and other Level 2 qualifications to support students who may find a full schedule of traditional external exams too challenging.

Selection Process

Placement on a pathway is based on a mixture of data (such as CAT4, PTE, and PTM scores), achievements in internal tests, and professional teacher recommendations. This ensures that pupils are matched to the pathway where they are most likely to succeed and achieve their full potential.

We hope you find this page a useful resource in supporting your child's journey with us.

Useful Links

Curriculum Pathways
- Details on the subjects and pathways available at Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Post 16.
Policies
- We have a range of summary and full policies available for parents.
Safeguarding
- Details on the safeguarding team and our approach to Pastoral Care
Careers Guidance
- Information on careers planning including university links and work experience opportunities.
Academic Year Calendar
- Find out what events are happening this month and each term.