just been told DS has been put on the G&T register. What do the school have to do for him then?

[jackieOpaperLANTERN]

First, just want to make clear I am not on here to boast, but would like some advice from anyone who has some knowledge of how gifted and talented is supposed to work

DS is 5, in yr1 and school have just told me he has been put onto the gifted and talented register for reading, writing and numeracy. They gave him a yr 4 literacy assesment, which his teacher said he completed with ease.

But, when i queried what this actually meant, his teacher just said it was an official regognition that he is doing really well. She didn't actually say they were going to do anything for him.

So, what, if anything, are the school supposed to do for him? He is always telling me school is easy and i am starting to worry that he is getting bored. I don't want to go into the school and cause a fuss but would like to have some suggestions of things that have worked in other schools that i could suggest to them.

Any advice/experience would be very welcome. thanks

[jackieOpaperLANTERN]

anyone have any experience?

want to be able to go and talk to the school with some positive ideas

[mimsum]

ime it's fairly meaningless tbh ... both ds1 and ds2 were working at level 4 in KS1 and were on the G&T register - ds1 got a couple of extra trips and taken out of class to do special projects every now and then, but it didn't really change his fundamental experience of school

ds2 got taken out of class to do a completely fatuous space project last year, which was an utter waste of time and opportunity, and gets taken to maths quiz/challengey things

dd's in y2 and is out on a limb in her year ability-wise - as far as I know she's not on any register although she's further advanced than the boys were at the same age - but I was never officially told they were on the register, it just slipped out in conversations with the head

sorry not to be very positive, but our school is not very good at dealing with the top of the ability range. Dd's already asking what's the point of going to school when she already knows everything they're doing? And tbh, I'm not sure what to say in reply ...

[CheeryCherry]

G and T at my DDs school are dealt with well, one gets extra 1 to 1 work twice a week for maths, which is challenging and she loves it. She also has extension work for literacy and maths in class. The other is given extension work for literacy, pushing her all the time, so does the same work as her classmates with an additional extra. Basically they are being treated as they should be in any school - as individuals, and at their own pace.

[englishpatient]

CheeryCherry, what are of the country are you in?

[CheeryCherry]

Sorry been busy, not MNed for a bit! Am in Yorkshire, but am sure many schools are well prepared for G and T, any good teacher will deal with varying abilities. Good luck!

[DadAtLarge]

any good teacher will deal with varying abilities
The reason G&T was started was because teachers were failing the more intelligent children. Big time.

jackieopaperLANTERN, I've been through exactly what you have and for all of three years we "didn't want to make a fuss". Our DS got bored, disruptive (was previously the best behaved child in his class), was losing interest in the subject. Things are a lot, lot different now

My advice is don't lose time. Ask for a copy of the school's policy on catering for more able pupils and, specifically, ask them for their policy on the G&T program. Ask your Local Authority for their policy. Read up on G&T (and threads here) and keep pressure on the teacher. If you don't see results in a short time, go speak to the head. Don't muck about.