Do schools always refer to "G&T"?

[CloverCarr]

Just that, really.

DC1 is in Yr5. School prediction for end of KS2 is shown on his report as being Level 7+ (hes currently borderline 5/6 across all subjects)

He is at a school with classes of mixed year groups and throughout his time at primary has generally done the work of the year above, without any fuss being made. This has been fine, he is happy and settled for now and enjoys school, though doesn't seem to find anything particularly challenging (which isn't good for him, but that's another story!)

School have never referred to G&T, which is fine - I don't think it would have materially changed his school experience.

I think my query is: does this mean that he isn't, and is just an averagely bright kid? Decisions re secondary, though limited, are on the horizon, and I suppose I'm trying to get a feel for where his ability sits on a scale outside of my limited knowledge of his primary world.

Thank you!

[var123]

more able

HLP

High learning potential

high ability

higher ability

are all other ways of trying to describe the same group of children

[var123]

I think what it means is that your school doesn't like to label children or it doesn't like to tell parents that their child is amongst the most able in the school.

They'll probably have some sort of program for at least internally naming the more able students but often they won't tell the parents for all sorts of reasons.

G&T is such a silly name really, but it was the one that was used to describe the top 10% about 20 years ago and it stuck.

BTW the top 10% was defined as the most able at a particular subject in a particular year at a particular school - so most weren't actually gifted or talented!

[AChickenCalledKorma]

No, schools don't always refer to gifted and talented - as var123 says, there are many labels and some schools don't like to use them at all. Dd's primary didn't, but catered well for her in a similar way to your son's. Her secondary is very explicit about identifying those in the top 5% and offering extra opportunities such as external competitions, invitation-only clubs etc.

In terms of where he sits ability-wise, I know that dd1 is definitely one of the best, and probably best, in her year in a number of subjects. Her head teacher has been fairly frank about that! She's in year 9 at a decent (but not selective) secondary. She started reaching level 7 in year 8. So assuming we're talking about the same system of levels I'd say you certainly need to be asking questions about how a secondary caters for their most able students.

[green18]

Personally I hate the term "G&T" , my dd is on it at her sec school and it makes me cringe. I had to attend a meeting at the school and I had to force myself to go and it was full of smug looking parents. It's wrong. All chn should be given the same opportunities. My dd has always been v bright, her sister is less so and so I see the effect this labelling has. My other dd is aware she isn't g&t according to the school . SO WRONG!

[var123]

But if all children got the same opportunities, then they'd all go to the SEN dept. Surely, it should be based upon need?

[CloverCarr]

Thanks all for your responses. It's interesting - and helpful - to hear how other schools manage things. To clarify, I don't want school to pin a label on him or to handle things any differently, I just wondered if there was an obligation on schools to notify parents explicitly and that there was therefore a cohort at school who were considered G&T while DS wasn't.

Will definitely ask secondaries how they manage it as I can see DS not handling it awfully well.

Thanks again.

[christinarossetti]

The old 'levels' don't exist anymore and the curriculum has changed with high expectations for each year group, so being a borderline level 5/6 doesn't actually mean anything.

I would focus my attention on where your child is in relation to national expectations (which is tricky enough in the current chaos) rather than worrying about levels or labels. I think there was an obligation for schools to identify 'g&t' pupils which was a bit silly as children can be brilliant at maths and average at English, or race ahead then plateau.

Sounds like he's meeting/exceeding from what you've said. What does his teacher say?