All pupils in every school in Northern Ireland follow by law a ‘common curriculum’ during Key Stage 3. In Year 8 (Form 1) pupils are assigned classes and enter our ‘Primary Transition Programme’. All first year pupils are taught in a special purpose-built complex in their own classroom. A single specialist teacher delivers up to 60% of the curriculum without the need for movement about the school. There is an overt focus on learning and thinking skills. This model has been enormously successful and is now much copied. In Year 9 (Form 2) pupils still receive specialist teaching in their core subjects which reduces the need for extensive movement around the school. However as pupils have successfully graduated from our ‘Transition Programme’ we gradually introduce more specialist teaching staff, while retaining the ‘feel’ of happiness and security provided during first year. In Year 10 (Form 3) pupils are fully integrated into the main body of the school. Teachers still focus on Learning and Thinking skills, and prepare students for the (optional) Key Stage 3 examinations held in the last term of year 10.