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Talk to other parents about parenting a gifted child on this forum.

Gifted and talented

Negotiating with school (G&T)

29 replies

KatyMac · 02/09/2011 15:31

DD (13 & starting GCSEs this year) is good at Dance, possibly very good.

She is doing lots of classes outside of school, plus starting her BTEC in Dance this year at school.

She will be stretched timewise.

Is there any likelihood that the school will negotiate about PE/Games classes so she could work in the library, as I am worried about her getting behind on her school work

They are going to laugh aren't they?

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mistlethrush · 02/09/2011 15:34

They should do.

I did lots of music when I was at school. I worked out at one stage that during A levels I was spending over 20 hrs a week on it one way or another.

That didn't make me unable to do the rest of my studying. Or indeed, go horseriding at the weekend. It just meant I had to use my time effectively and efficiently.

pinkytheshrinky · 02/09/2011 15:36

yes they are

KatyMac · 02/09/2011 15:41

Shame; as the level of fitness & exercise she has really negates the need for additional sport

Ah well

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blackeyedsusan · 02/09/2011 22:21

way back in the dim and distant past, one of the girls at school had to stop doing pe because she wwas off to some impressive ballet school and normal pe may cause injury.... would that work for you?

EyeOfNewtToeOfFrog · 03/09/2011 11:27

Well, I would say it depends on the school and the head. In our school there are two kids who are from a tennis champion family (or something, not sure about the details), and our head allows them to spend two afternoons a week in specialist tennis coaching as "they might have the chance to play in Wimbledon one year and at that point nobody is going to remember if they attended all their RE classes or not" - as the said head explained it to me.

What have you got to lose to ask...? :)

KatyMac · 03/09/2011 18:04

I guess the first thing to do is to get the school to agree she is G or T

Then work from there

I guess it's almost leaning towards flexi schooling

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coccyx · 03/09/2011 18:06

I think they should, not like she isn't getting any exercise

KatyMac · 03/09/2011 18:11

She will be doing 5.5 hrs of dance at school & between 7 & 15 out of school

Blimey that's a lot of exercise

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rainbowinthesky · 03/09/2011 18:12

Common sense says they should. I assume she is well behaved and wont take the pee. However, there is a good chance they'll say no even thought it seems a very good idea.

KatyMac · 03/09/2011 18:29

Yes the problem is your sentence is 'Common Sense' - y Dad says that isn't very 'common'

Very well behaved & a hard worker

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KatyMac · 10/09/2011 13:39

She got her audition

So now she is at p/t ballet school

They are sending a letter to the school to say she is officially G&T

so once I know they have this letter I think I will ask for a meeting with them

The final figures are: 15 hrs dance a week plus 2 hrs games

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KatyMac · 13/09/2011 21:52

I "fired the first shot over the barricades" today or maybe gently dipped a toe in the water

Does this email read OK (bit late if it doesn't )

"However I have concerns about allowing her to do the dance school. They will (apparently) be writing to you to put DD on the Gifted & Talented Register at school and I guess at some point we will need to talk about that.

Her work load is very hard now, never mind when the whole GCSE thing starts and I really want to make sure she has time to keep up with her academics. Do we need an early warning system for if she is slipping behind or are there any ways to make her workload easier? I am very concerned about the amount of ?exercise? she does in entirety and I am struggling to create dance/exercise free days which the dance school say are so important.

What do you think?"

Is that too confrontational or is it fairly balanced?

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Dunlurking · 14/09/2011 06:34

Sounds OK. What does the Dance school/organisation letter say?

When my ds was a junior associate of the Royal Ballet School his lessons were every 2-3 weeks on Friday and he missed the whole day at school. The RBS sent a letter to the school stating that he was G&T and that it was an educational activity. Not only that, but the RBS teacher used to tell parents of older boys who were mid associates that the boys shouldn't do rugby incase of injury. Very few parents had the nerve to go the the schools and ask for their son to be withdrawn from Games - and the boys didn't like it as it made their dance training obvious to their friends and foes - most keep it quiet. I think that it's easier for girls - but teenagers don't like being different in any way, do they!

KatyMac · 14/09/2011 08:11

Don't know yet

DD so doesn't want to do games - she is scared

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KatyMac · 17/09/2011 19:26

OK School have responded well so far

Form teacher initially said no homework in form time (last year they were allowed to do homework in form & on Fun Friday)

Wrote the dance teacher who spoke to form tutor & magically she is allowed to do homework in form time, on Fun Friday & in reading time

So this is good

I think the deputy head is next to "discuss tactics & prevention"

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KatyMac · 21/09/2011 11:06

I emailed to make an appointment with the Deputy head on Monday morning....no reply yet do I chase it up today?

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KatyMac · 26/09/2011 12:06

Still no reply so I re-emailed this am

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blackeyedsusan · 26/09/2011 18:40

ooo things have moved on a bit since I last read and posted. firstly, congratulations to your dd. try ringing the school and asking for an appointment if you do not have a reply today. emails can get lost in the mass of stuff they do daily.

could the ballet school help with school re pe as they have been so effective with school work?

KatyMac · 26/09/2011 21:17

No - it was the school dance teacher (she is doing Btec dance) that spoke to her form tutor

They have just confused everything by making her do Btec Science; which appears to mean she cant do A level sciences (which if she goes to PA college won't matter but if she wants to teach will)

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KatyMac · 03/10/2011 23:43

Squee

Her form teacher has agreed that PE is a silly idea; "it's not like she isn't getting enough exercise". So she will talk to the PE teacher about DD doing GCSE homework in the library as "I think DD can be trusted to work sensibly"

Squee

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iggly2 · 03/10/2011 23:48

That's great. Common sense wins. Congatulations to your Dd.

KatyMac · 04/10/2011 07:48

Well I haven't told her; I'm waiting until it actually happens as the PE teacher may not agree

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KatyMac · 08/10/2011 10:49

I got a reply from the head of year
"Thank you for your Email, that is wonderful news we are all so happy for DD. That certainly sounds like plenty of exercise, I am sure we can accomodate your wishes. We will make alternative arrangements for her to spend time on her other work during those PE lessons."

What

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KatyMac · 08/10/2011 10:50

Sorry I meant....

What a relief for her;Hopefully this will help her and prevent her falling behind

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iggly2 · 08/10/2011 11:17

Goodluck to your Dd, she certainly has a lot on!

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