G&T - is it basically a box ticking exercise for Ofsted?

swingofthings I did RE GCSE back in the mists of time - I went on to do medicine & used the same argument your daughter did. It was interesting, not particularly relevant tbh but I enjoyed it.

Unfortunately dd's school interpret the RE curriculum as purely the examination of Christian views on contemporary moral issues ... we have an awful lot of problems with that, especially when it is taught without a critical eye.

just thought I'd update. It is all sorted out & all concerned are happy with the outcome. She has an hour a week to do whatever interests her - which today was maths revision!

(I agree that a couple of years of compulsory RE is a great way of making atheists!)

There seem to be a lot of confusion about RE. When my DD said she wanted to take it as a GCSE options, I was gobsmacked as we are not religious at all and she never expressed an interest in it. Considering she can only take 3 options, I was overly impressed with her choice, but she explained that the curiculum is much more than just religious study. It is about debating society matters, ethics, moral standards etc... She is determined to go to Medical School and I could then see how it would fit with that choice. As a matter of fact, we went to a Medical School opening day and one presentation covered a topic that was exactly the same than what she had studied at school the week before.

As for the G&T, both my children are at the top of their year, but the label G&T has never been branded. I am grateful that teachers recognise able children regardless of their label and ensure they are given additional work in class. It has given them access to a number of events organised by the school or other organisations, but that's it.

Not private!
Local comp. They do offer it but DC can only take GCSE if they do after school lessons.

Peastalks
Private school I take it - as its illegal for a UK State school to not offer it.

RE was not even an option at my DC school, those who wanted to do it had to do it in after school classes. The RE "slot" was used for English and Maths revision.

Darling Talkin's school seem to make it very easy (almost encouraged?) to drop RE in the GCSE years. Other schools, not so much.

Pea
Lots of the kids who do RE are interested in the comparative religion and ethics side of it - not that they believe
but those who really do not want to are allowed to do something else
seems eminently sensible to me

Those kids who DO take the GCSE get really good results because they want to be there
This is true, but they are not necessarily religious. Both of my born again atheist DSs got A* at GCSE RE and thoroughly enjoyed it . I think the moral and ethical topics appeal to the teenage mind.

Darling
RE is just an option.
Only those who want to take it do so.
All others sign the opt out declaration at the bottom of the options form.
DS is not taking it either.
Those kids who DO take the GCSE get really good results because they want to be there
The school is by no means unique or exceptional.

PS
I totally support compulsory RE up to year 7 or 8 : its the best way ever invented to create atheists

If your own family view point is strong enough, surely this counteracts a small amount of teaching in school? Why fall out over something you can easily overcome through your own beliefs? . Have strength in what you believe in (and this could be nothing) and teach your children to be the same. Also, there is nothing wrong with children hearing alternative views. You might not like them, but part of growing up is sifting through what you like and what you don't like. Opting out does not aid children develop into rounded human beings.

TalkinPeace, what happened when you opted your dd out?

We've just written to school explaining we have major problems with compulsory RE as it is taught at this school & it's got the the point now where we have to withdraw her from RE lessons. I could go into detail but I'm certain I'd get a collective mn raised eyebrow & a 'really?!' so I doubt there's much point ... but so far school are just ignoring us. I'm trying to anticipate how difficult they are going to be

I received a very nice letter telling me that DD was on the G&T register for RE
Did not stop me opting her out of it at the start of year 10
She thought it was hilarious as we are all atheists

they do do something good for the academic kids though - not just the G&T. Each term they have a headmaster's breakfast where the top 10% of boys & 10% of girls (from the previous terms' test levels & reports) are given brioche, hot chocolate & a £10 Amazon* voucher. That's incredibly motivating & there's intense competition to be invited!

(*PTA funded)

yeah it's a load of crap imo/ime

dd's school define G&T/exceptionally able as CAT >122 and G&T (top 5% of year) in three or more subjects. In year 9 after being 'identified' two years ago dd finally has the chance of some extension work ... except they only have mentoring for 8 students and there are 11 G&T kids in the year (out of 180, approx 5% overall) so they will pick names out of a hat!

It's ridiculous but I strongly doubt any of the 11 are actually gifted so I've learnt to mostly ignore it. Regarding ks2 levels dd & at least one other on the list hadn't done SATs - the school CAT test in the first week of y7 ... I'm not sure how much they trust the primary school SATs.

(I love maggots though )

It may well be that the children haven't been picked/assessed by the department, in many cases they are put forward by those in an office looking at numbers on a spread sheet.

The music G&T scheme is a joke.

I recently saw a concert of the county youth orchestra ranging from aged 10 to 18, the min requirement to join is a gr5 practical exam.
The LA also do this scheme where if students show potential i.e can play more than 3 or 4 notes on an instrument through whole class music lessons they are invited to join the concert as G&T students.
The parents are told their dc are G&T and they mostly believe this, it seems very unfair on them and their dc.
It is great for the kids to participate but why tell them lies, can they not say have shown progress, or expressed an interest or something.
I'm sure there is a similar type of thing for the academic subjects too.

Sadly in a lot of state schools, through little fault of their own, most things are box-ticking for Ofsted. The pressure to fulfill their requirements is immense and leaves heads little choice other than to obsess over it.

It started as the top 5% nationally which would give children membership of NAGTY (national association of gifted and talented youth) which offered summer schools and other opportunities to meet others of the same ability level. Lots of schools didn't identify any children at this level and so the "top 5/10%" of the schools cohort was introduced to try to make sure that children weren't missing out. I think the original intention was good but has been lost along the way.

Caronaim - that's hilarious

Has anyone broken it to the parents on the G&T board that their dc are all maggots ?

In my DD's school there is extra-curricular work which develops this group in an engaging way. It is much more than an ofsted tick box approach. I guess it depends on the school and the level of interest the staff have

Maggots is the term now in vogue. (More able, gifted and talented) it is the top 10-20% in any class, in any subject, it isn't a joke, but the level does obviously vary.

OP. Pe is a strange one, because it is an academic AND a practial subject. you can be behind academically but forward practically, or viceverse. Music and Drama are the same.

A very poor performing secondary modern I know had identified g and t children in music and dance. I was at a concert at the school. There was truly no gifted or remotely talented child on show. It is a label that, sadly, appears to be a bit of a joke in some schools. A similar concert at the local selective school featured children at grade 8 on the piano etc. There does not appear to be any benchmarking of what g and t standards are.