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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to not want 4 y/o to be in ‘gifted’ programme if it means less playtime?

137 replies

abiveve · 13/04/2018 22:39

I’m turning to Mumsnet in exasperation as Dh and I have been arguing about this for the whole school Easter holidays.

Dd is in reception at a state primary. At the end of last term, we were asked to go into school to meet with her teacher and the school’s ‘Head of Learning’. They told us that dd had been identified as ‘gifted’ and they wanted to put her in the gifted and talented programme. When I asked what this would entail, they said that two days a week, instead of playing outside after lunch, dd and 3-4 other reception children would do extra learning activities to stretch them.

Dh is thrilled by this. I am not. think that it would be fine if they were stretching her more in lesson time, but I don’t want her to have to lose out on playtime twice a week. She’s 4 ffs - I want her to have fun and play outside with her friends, not do extra maths in a stuffy classroom. Especially with summer coming.

FWIW, the school’s Ofsted report last year marked them down for failing to stretch the brightest children, so I worry that they’re taking it to the opposite extreme and dd is going to pay the price. I also think that Dh’s head is swelling rather at the thought of having a ‘gifted’ (hate that word) child - he was straight in on the phone to his parents to tell them after the meeting...

OP posts:
crunchymint · 13/04/2018 22:42

Ask your DC if she wants to stay in some playtimes and do extra work?

MuddyForestWalks · 13/04/2018 22:43

I could not agree with you more. What a dreadful idea from the school. Small children learn through play. They also learn better with proper breaks, and they need the exercise. This is a ridiculous idea that will isolate her from her peers and make her associate learning with being deprived of fun. School should be stretching her in lesson time only.

Itsallpropaganda · 13/04/2018 22:43

Bloody hell, who decides 4 year olds are gifted? They should be playing at that age, not getting hothoused 🙄

HumphreyCobblers · 13/04/2018 22:47

I would imagine that the stretching activities would be fun games etc rather than introducing long division, but I can't say that for sure.

Your DD might love it or she might prefer playtime.

I thought they had stopped using the phrase 'gifted', it is a silly thing to label a bright child as.

categed · 13/04/2018 22:47

I would be asking the school why it can't take place during lesson times. Full time school is too much for most 4 year olds as it is and a loss of outdoor free play could turn school from a fun, exciting place to a scary place with too much pressure. As a teacher I wouldn't support this with 4 year olds x

Secretbum · 13/04/2018 22:50

Yanbu.

I have 2 dc in their schools G&T programme.

It means going to the Year 6 class for maths lessons and having more advanced English literature taught separately when the rest of the class are ploughing through Biff and Chip. DURING normal lesson times, not extra at play times!

I would tell them simply that you'd be thrilled for her to take part in their G&T programme but do not agree to her missing any play times.

crunchymint · 13/04/2018 22:50

I would go with what she wants to do. Some kids love doing 'work', others would want to run around. At this age it won't matter either way as long as she is happy with what she is doing.

StraplessWonder · 13/04/2018 22:51

I thought they had stopped using the phrase 'gifted', it is a silly thing to label a bright child as

You're right (for our school). The dc's programme is actually 'able and talented' rather than gifted.

LondonJax · 13/04/2018 22:53

Our school refuses to do 'talented and gifted' lists. They did identify DS as having a reading age of 12 when he was 6 years old but, like you said, they'd give more challenging work for him and other children who were showing they needed it during lessons.

It's great that your DH is proud - he should be, she's obviously a clever girl - but he can still be proud without her having to give up her play time. I'm not totally convinced that's what Ofsted had in mind when they said the school needed to stretch the brightest children either.

Children in primary school need to be children, making friends, getting grubby and having fun during their 'down time'.

FridgeCut · 13/04/2018 22:55

Our school does this, but they go in at 8.30 three days a week to do it for half an hour instead. My son misses no break time and would usually be there by 8.40 latest and be doing morning work until 9 anyway. At 4 most of their day is play time anyway so I doubt she'd notice much TBH.

Hoppinggreen · 13/04/2018 22:56

4 year olds should be playing, they would t even be at school in many countries
I used to run language lunch clubs where I had to go into schools. I really really felt for the Reception kids who should have been outside running around instead of learning French and it was one of the reasons I stopped doing it
My dd is very very academic and always had been but in Reception I was more interested in her making friendships and having fun than anything else and I wouldn’t have wanted her missing a playtime to do extra learning even if it was “fun”

PandaPieForTea · 13/04/2018 22:58

I wouldn’t be happy with this. They have the children in class and this type of activity should be done in class time.

RBBMummy · 13/04/2018 23:02

Could you not let her try it, see if she likes it. if not take her out

LiquoriceTea · 13/04/2018 23:04

Gosh I wouldn't be happy with playtime or before school.

When ours did their phonics mine went into separate groups but that was it.

ICantCopeAnymore · 13/04/2018 23:07

Firstly, how do you know it's "extra maths"? Have you asked them what it entails. Our activities are games, computer things and fun play based extras. The curriculum at 4 is solely play based, so she won't be missing "play".

Fruitcorner123 · 13/04/2018 23:10

I have a reception child and was angry enough when I discovered they already have ability tables. This would make me furious. As you say why can't they stretch and challenge your daughter during normal lesson time?

I would say no to this but I understand your DH's concerns because she has been identified as clever and he doesn't want to think of her missing out on opportunities.

Think logically though if she lived in Scandinavia she would still have another 2 years of play. Do you really want to take away the play time she has?

Why don't you ask the school to send you a copy of the work they would be doing and you can decide if there is any you would like to look at with her in your own time. I would also request a meeting and question why they can't do the work within normal lesson time. You could even write to governors letting them know your concerns. If they offered it as an after school club this would perhaps be a compromise but socialising is the most important aspect of reception IMO. I am a secondary teacher and have high expectations of my children but I don't believe taking away their play time at a young age is the way to achieve it.

AlcoholicsUnanimous · 13/04/2018 23:10

YANBU. As others have said, they should be able to meet all children's needs during the allocated time.

What this is actually about is getting your DD to the 'exceeding' level in time for the EYFS profile assessment at the end of the school year. The school will have a target for how many children should be 'exceeding' the early learning goals.

This is about targets for the school rather than your daughter's learning.

LiquoriceTea · 13/04/2018 23:12

Icant. I'm happy with those activities but not at all when my child is supposed to be running a round playing with friends.

Original poster
abiveve · 13/04/2018 23:13

I was also slightly baffled by the things they had used to decide she was G&T material.

The teacher said that they had all made snakes out of green paper, and that she did hers in a straight line, and the majority of the class copied her, but dd insisted that snakes were wiggly and so made her snake wiggly.

According to the teacher, this was evidence of outstanding independent thinking, which seemed a bit over-the-top to me. She just likes snakes and knows that they’re wiggly.

OP posts:
Oakmaiden · 13/04/2018 23:14

Is it definitely at play time? It is just I read " instead of playing outside after lunch" and interpreted it as "After lunch break the afternoon is spent on free choice activities - many of which are outside. Instead of doing this, your child would have some more structured activities."

Because whilst I agree with you that they shouldn't miss their playtime, in essence most of reception involves playing most of the time....

DaisyDoo80 · 13/04/2018 23:15

I disagree with it. Let her be a carefree 4 year old and play with her friends.

I have a child that is bright but has problems socialising and playing. I would swap her brightness for a ability to mix well and confidently with her peers. I think building friendships and social skills are more important than pursuing the G&T option.

condepetie · 13/04/2018 23:15

Easily 20 years ago at age 7 I was considered "gifted". What this meant for me was that I took English, an hour a day at the very most, in Year 3 instead of Year 2.

What this really meant was that when I went into Year 3 I did the same English lessons again!

Taking away her playtime is not good practice and you should raise it as an issue.

StringandGlitter · 13/04/2018 23:17

Any teacher should be able to deliver differentiated lessons. And not just ‘more’ but challenges that stretch during lesson time. You can differentiate by input or output.

I agree at 4 your daughter should be outside playing during break time. Exercise and social development are just as important as academic development.

Fruitcorner123 · 13/04/2018 23:18

Hoppinggreen my reception daughter(age 5) has been nagging me to join Spanish club at lunchtime once a week. She loves pretending to speak Spanish and french and several of her friends go. I have signed her up this term and just read your post. Do you think it's a mistake? She was so keen. I now feel like a pushy parent Confused

Sorry to hijack the thread!!

StringandGlitter · 13/04/2018 23:19

Fruit corner. I think a once a week activity that kid really wants to do is fine. She’s enjoying it.