Do schools have to register a certain number of children as Gifted and Talented?

[BeckyBendyLegs]

I ask because both my DSs have been registered (ages ago, DS1 at the end of reception and DS2, bizarrely, when he was still in nursery) and to be honest, they are bright, but I wouldn't describe them as exceptionally bright. The school they attend isn't regarded as a 'good' school in terms of sats results so I was just wondering if schools are expected to register the high achievers regardless of ability compared to national averages.

Top 10% of the class/year I think and these can change each year. So your child could be 'G&T' in one school and nowhere near 'G&T' in a higher-performing school. G&T should really be called something else IMO.

What hocuspontas said. There is a thread currently asking whether a level 5 at the end of year 5 would be considered G&T; it depends entirely on the rest of that year's cohort.

The label "G&T" really winds me up: I would prefer able.

so would that make other children less able? or not bright but dim?

it's daft to label children at all imo

Can anyone point me to the actual law that says 5 - 10% of children have to be on the G&T register.....

I've just searched for it and can't find it......

The official Gifted and Talented programme was ended by this government at the beginning of April this year (for economy reasons) - so at the moment there is no obligation on schools to identify and cater for their brightest pupils whatsoever. Some schools still do it anyway. (And the fact that many schools failed completely to comply with the G&T rules, or have wildly varying ways of defining G&T, is just about irrelevant now!)

My DD's school calls it "Extended Activities (formerly Gifted and Talented)". The NAGC are currently debating whether to call it "High Learning Potential" instead of G&T. What do you think? Is it a better term?

My DS is about to move up to 'big school' and he has a particular talent for maths and is at Level 6. However he has not been on the G&T register at primary school - although we now find out that he has only nobody told either us or him. My youngest DS is on the register for drama (official recognition for being a drama queen!) but the school doesn't seem to do anything for the G&T other than write their name on a list. Is this usual? Youngest DS is about to be put on for maths as well but what should the school be doing? I am going to see the Head about the whole G&T thing but I'm not sure what to suggest to him

If your DC are happy at school and you feel they are learning enough and aren't bored - then congratulations, you don't need to do anything except count your blessings :)

However, if your DC are struggling with anything bring it up with the head and find a solution together with school. It is very common for being included on the G&T register to mean jack squat in practice. Nice to know your kids are on it though :)

The MLD (moderate learning difficulites) school I work at has a gifted and talented register which makes the whole thing a bit of a farce. However the arguement for is is that a serverely autisic child might have exceptional ablity with PCs or possibly music or sport.

Hello SpringyTigger.
My daughter was on the G and T register since year 1 or 2 but we were only told that she was on it at the end of year 6 parents evening! I had never heard of it. She has always been bright and her best subject is maths and now her levels are 7b (she is in year 7) so that is ok. Her primary school couldn't find her anything to do so she ended up helping the children in the lower ability groups to read or do maths! I wasn't impressed. Now she is at high school i don't think the G and T means anything at all. Although she is in set 1 for lessons she seems to get harder work obviously than her friends and i feel she is being punished by being bright because she gets extra homework to do! Apart from this we don't see anything different apart from some different school trips (like going to Oxford university and Houses of Parliament) but no real recognition for doing well. Heard from a parent that G and T is either no more or is going anyway. Good luck.