Right, I have got used to this now, and have quickly developed a thick skin....

[Catnao]

Am I being unreasonable to have read the threads in "Education - Gifted and Talented", and think that parents on there, for the most part, have missed the point, and think "gifted and talented" means academically bright?

Nope. Not a joke. I am being serious. And there are kids on there for maths in Y6 who would have NO HOPE of getting an A at GCSE in Y6 if they took it now.

So they are kids who are bright, and need stretching, but not over and above specialist teaching - so in my opinion not G and T.

Megglevache - yep - not if you read those threads. That's my point, I guess.

Ummmm maybe we need a topic called fairly bright but not doing Kumon?

Or something.

I could lead?

G&T is just another column of data for teachers to have should Ofsted come knocking.

Or a topic called "my child can smile at us and communicate on a civil level at 2 days old - this is TRUE if biologically impossible"

i think a lot of people would lead on that if G and T is anything to go by....

Catnao....I went on there for some advice re my 6 year old who the school have marked out as "Exceptional" in writng poetry and prose....and I was roundly beaten out of there with sticks and told DD sounded like she had ADHD!

She doesn't...she is an ordinary but imaginative kid.

As DDs school is independant they don't do any register...but they're helping her to become more of a fluent writer so she can get her ideas out more effectively.

LOL at Wimple!

My son is G and T. Def. Not sure in what area yet - but he IS. I know it. As a baby, I thought he was the most beautiful, cleverest, most talented baby ever. Still do. Shame school have misunderstood him....

Oh yes - my child has been reading and writing since she was 4 months old. These people are nutters.

4 MONTHS? Are you looking into developmental delay?

I'm back, kids in bed, have a G&T myself now! I'm still not 100% sure where you are at Catnao. You've been asked to identify possible candidates for the G&T list, in my DCs school that would include art and music, although as I say once identified you might not get much out of it.

So if you have that child in your class you think is talented, can't you say so? Are you saying there is no provision at all for her or have you been asked not to consider art and music?

My kid goes to an ordinary primary in an allegedly deprived area - but you still get a 'few parents'. My DS is in year 1 and my main aim is for him to try and keep off the sad board and generally debounce himself at school. But bloody hell.. some parents.. what reading level is he? Is he in blah group.. my little blah loves fractions..you what?! It is easy to get sucked in. I have to remind myself..he is 5.. they can bugger off..
Only one G and T I am interested in..
Need a large one after talking to the hot house mums. Sure my DS could be a genious if he had a less lazy mum!

Catnao, ignore me, I think I misunderstood again. I clearly shall not be going on any lists any time soon ...!

One group of parents at my school practically lynched a KS1 teacher after one of them spread a rumour that the reading levels were all wrong. Which they weren't.

I did put that one on the register - but that is not what the G and T parents on here seem to mean....

OfftoNarnia - I'm with you - want a bit of tonic with that?

Not when they are earning £40000 a week at a premiership club, maybe?

You have to be gifted and talented to get that wage though, no?

Hence - in my view - Wayne Rooney is gifted and talented - and most kids I have taught in top sets for maths and english aren't....

Just talented.

Agree with Pixie re, top 10%, but not money buying happiness (cos I'm skint, so it wouldn't matter if money made me miserable).

I think if you have a talented child your life is easier than with an academically gifted one. Being able to draw well, dance, perform musically or excel at sport is praised by our culture(especially football) but have a child who is beyond very bright for anything and you'll be sneered at. Just because you haven't come across a child that schoolwork can't be easily differentiated for doesn't mean they don't exist Catnao.

I'm with web and pixie. It's fine for a child to be a good dancer, singer or footballer - people will smile, nod and praise but heaven help the parent who comments on their child's above average academic ability!

OK. One of my brothers (unfortunately the one I was in a school year with ) achieved 16 A grades at GCSE, four of them before he was 14, and seven A grades at A level. He then went on to achieve a first class degree in PPE from Oxford University and then his DPhil, and is now a university librarian. My mother, I can assure you, has NEVER had ANY qualms about talking about his greatness....

The kids I am told are G anT for academia have not always been EASY to differentiate for, but always POSSIBLE, and if they were not, they would require an IEP for provision "over and above" - and I have not yet met a kid that did not fall into a group in which he/she could be stretched without specialist provision.

Although some people seem to have kids at schools where their class teacher cannot cope with Y7 maths, so that might be the issue...