My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

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

Gifted and talented

Am I right in thinking this doesn't make sense re G&T (or lack of) at our school

6 replies

cazorlasfoot · 09/11/2013 19:20

At our school I was told by the head that dc need to be one full level ahead of NC expectations to count as G&T. Fair enough but then the teachers say they cannot give higher levels in maths due to lack of evidence/ can only look at what has been taught and are quite rigid in not taking the dc past a pretty good but not that challenging level.
So it's surely then impossible to actually be more than 1 full NC level ahead as the teachers don't teach that far, ergo there is no evidence, ergo they can't get a level that maybe they can actually work at at home!

There is NO apparent G&T support at all in the school and the SLT don't seem keen on it (well I know from staff that they are not). I have had a number of run-ins (in the nicest way) about it. The last Ofsted mentioned not challenging the brighter ones but even then it is all fudged as the brightest children are getting lower level as their starting points than they probably should.

I know that levels have been capped and fudged as much as possible within the bounds of moderation. No idea how they get away with it. It's all about added value and lo and behold in year 6 they get decent levels but that's down to tutors and until then the top groups plod along at good levels but not comparable ones to other local schools with a similar intake!

I've had issues with this for ages but only had the comment re a full level vs the teachers saying they can't award higher levels as they are not allowed without evidence and can't get the evidence as it's not taught in class thing recently. Should I challenge this as it makes no sense!!

OP posts:
Report
clairew74 · 09/11/2013 19:50

Sounds like a load of rubbish to me. My son is yr 1 and his teacher has already made him sit a level 3 assessment in maths to try and gauge where he is currently at. It seems to me that your childs school is more concerned with how they will look on paper than actually taking the children from the level they are at.

Report
Curioushorse · 09/11/2013 19:55

So, erm, he doesn't exactly stand out at being G and T then? Do I understand it correctly? You think your child is G and T and the school do not classify him as such?

Report
lljkk · 09/11/2013 19:57

Is it a school in a posh area or 11+ area? I can't imagine an area where all the clever kids get tutored.

Report
cazorlasfoot · 09/11/2013 20:12

lljk - yes both. OK not ALL are tutored but absolutely loads. I see that in part also as a measure of the considerable dissatisfaction parents have with the school too.

Curious- dc was quietly mentioned as G&T for one subject the year before last and was 'allowed' to get a higher level that would be more than 1 full level up, no provision ever made though and still given very easy work. The subject is not maths and is easier to show a higher level in - it is particularly maths that my cart/ horse question relates to (sorry not sure I made that clear). No dc in the class are G&T in maths officially and levels are pretty mediocre given the parents' professions and a few very bright children.

DC in other years who are genuinely very bright, none are getting any provision, no mention of G&T. I don't want to go into details in case it's recognisable but this is not just hearsay and not simply over-proud parents who think their kids are smarter than they are. The SLT do not believe in G&T and claim differentiation happens in class but it is very limited (eg. two different levels of work with a nod to extension that is really simply just more of the same for early finishers).

It is all about playing the stats game at this school. Maybe the Level 6 thing will change the situation if it is in league tables now but then NC levels are getting scrapped soon anyway.

OP posts:
Report
lljkk · 09/11/2013 20:24

Ah... that sort of makes sense. I am not in an 11+ area, source of foreign fascination for me.
Other MNers report that tutoring is rife & almost compulsory for parents who care, if you live in a grammar sch area. So maybe the schools end up coasting (another evil of the system?).

Can you afford a tutor, too?

btw, no G+T programme at our school either (very satisfactory rated, high ITV-viewing area) but DD was taught L6 stuff even when they had no expectation of putting her in for the test. So some schools get it right with or without g+t programmes.

Report
cazorlasfoot · 09/11/2013 20:30

Yes think that is most likely the case round here. It's in one of those super-uber competitive 11+ areas and certain schools get to take the credit for a LOT of extra work done out of school and it all looks rosy.

It's actually very sad for those who cannot therefore afford to tutor as not only are they disadvantaged in the exams themselves, the school doesn't do the best for them.

Yes tutoring is pretty much essential - no question we wouldn't. The sad thing is dc is losing their love for maths in school due to rarely covering anything new. Seeing their books, almost everything is correct and ticked (there is the odd error - has a habit of rushing things but this is maybe 19/20 rather than 20/20 so nothing serious!)

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.