Confirmation

[Nesamum]

Hi
im new on here, came across this website while searching gifted and talented. I believe my 5 year old is gifted, his speech is excellent, and reading and maths skills are ahead of his age.
He started reception in September, and his teacher told me he is 'bright' want to ask about gifted and talented but don't want to sound pushy.
Also he struggles to listen and sometime doesn't want to join in. He may be just being a 5 year old but worry its because he is not interested.
His teacher told me he gets frustrated with his peers because they are not on his level.
What should I do?
Thanks

[chatworth]

I'd focus less on the G&T label and more on any specific issues there might be e.g. the social side or not being moved along academically.

The label itself doesn't really matter and not all schools seem to tell parents or even keep a register. My ds is a long way ahead of his yr1 class in some areas but I've only had the g word mentioned once in passing by his teacher - no mention of a register or him being officially labelled that. I'm more interested in what they are actually doing in class to meet his needs (which sadly isn't a lot tbh at the moment!)

[supersewer]

I think all schools have them but only some of them are published to the parents. It is just a label - I agree with Chatworth

[cory]

As he grows older, try your hardest to teach social skills- make him see that just as an older child can have lots of fun with a younger child by making allowances, he could have lots of fun with children his age if he tried to adapt a bit to them.

[RoadArt]

I think you could spend time encouraging his social skills, this is going to help him get through school because without friendships he is going to have a hard tough time at school.

Encourage him to get involved with all kinds of clubs, sports, cubs, dancing, drama, arts, whatever, but a lot of different variety (obviously not all at once) but group sessions where he has to be with other children.

A truly gifted children can struggle socially so if you can nurture this side from now he will benefit through his life, and especially whilst at school.

The academic knowledge will follow and it will depend on the school as to how much he is encouraged and developed. If he is happy then the academics will be fine.

Labelling your child as Gifted doesnt do him or you any favours and it gets peoples backs up. You know his skills and abilities but other people dont care and you risk alienating yourself if you try and talk to people about this. (Sad but harsh reality). You would need to find children similar to your own before you can have these discussions with other parents.

Also, quite often schools with give a child a G&T label in Year 1 because they can read or can do harder maths but then as they progress through the school the dont have this label any more because of the politics of the school, and then parents get anxious because their child doesnt have the label anymore.
One of my DD was labelled G&T in year 1, but we changed the school and the next school said "so what - what does it matter" (needless to say they havent stretched or accommodated her needs)

|n the early years at school, the social aspect is the most important and the academics follow in later years. It is very easy as a parent to identify your child can do/knows something and you want to extend them and help them improve, but down the line you realise it is not always the best course to have taken. He is only 5 and he needs to lean to have lots of fun and laugh a lot with other kids.