Gifted DSs in Cheltenham - Primary school Help!

[LurkerNoMore]

I have two gifted DSs and am having trouble deciding on the best primary school for them. My eldest is currently in Year 3 and my youngest is due to start reception September 2012. They both have trouble 'fitting in' as do most gifted children, but in particular my eldest is having trouble with being picked on in his class. Academically he is doing well but is socially very isolated, part of the teasing is jealousy as he is in a mixed year group and outperforms the year 4's on most tasks. I'm considering moving schools but to which school!! I've met with a couple of head teachers and when I ask about their policy on gifted children they look at me askance.

Does anyone here have gifted children in Cheltenham and can you recommend a primary school which 'handles' them well? Or do you have general advice on how to decide which primary school I should go for?

How do you know they are both gifted? Surely it's a bit early to say about the younger one yet.

Sorry that your older child is having problems with his classmates. :( it is awful as a parent to see your child unhsppy. What is the school doing anything to help him with his social skills? If you moved him to another school, what sort of help and support would you want the new school to provide? Maybe it would be better to ask the headteachers about support for kids who struggle socially, as this seems to be your older son's problem, rather than the giftedness iyswim.

From what you have said, it doesn't sound like the current school is struggling to cater for him academically, so it's really about what interventions the schools are prepared to take with regard to the social issues. Or have I misunderstood?

Haha yes I suppose it's early to say that! Perhaps I should say my youngest is showing early signs of being very bright :)

I'm going to make an appointment with the headteacher after half term to discuss my concerns. The school generally has social problems, my son frequently complains about the 'angry' children, which I agree has nothing to do with giftedness or otherwise. The question I think I'm getting at is whether to start my youngest son at this school which I know has social problems or should I look elsewhere which would mean moving my eldest from the school he's known for the last 2 years. Especially one which has apparently dealt well, in an academic sense, with his advanced abilities. The specific 'ability related' teasing has only begun this term and if I were only considering my eldest I would be more inclined to work through the issue with the school without resorting to the drastic change of school option.

This is perhaps more of a local question and I have posted in that area as well but I wanted to get advice from as many angles as possible. I'm feeling overwhelmed by the whole situation and I'm hoping talking about it will help me find the core of problem beyond my personal hysteria and, hopefully, the best solution!

Hi LurkerNoMore. Just read your post and saw you mentioned about not fitting in. My dd is on g and t register and is very able and all the rest of it. But she has never had any trouble with fitting in. She went straight to school at 4 without going to any type of nursery or playgroup and settled in straight away. Maybe its the school yours is at rather than your child? Many schools don't know how to manage gifted children either and you may find yours are left to do their own thing or help others just like my daughter was. When school told me that she was on g and t that was it and they didn't have any literature about it or nothing. All daughter got was extra homework and the starring roles in school plays. And asked to help other children in lower groups. But i must say that socially my dd is fine. Perhaps you would be best finding a "nicer" school for your children, although the one mine was at was not that special, but she didn't have any trouble there. In fact the other children sort of looked up to her and called her "smart", although she was one of the younger ones as she is August born, but their was no jealousy there. only by parents. But i can't really help you on which school, although we are not a million miles away from Cheltenham. But like i said in other posts, schools sometimed don't like children too advanced as it messes their teaching up. I have had all sorts of things said to me by the reception teacher but teachers after that were slightly more helpful. Good luck and best wishes.

Keep contacting schools and headteachers - sounds like you may have to get in touch with several more. They should certainly be able to tell you about how they would deal with a G&T child. I hope you find a school where this question is answered properly or at least taken seriously (they certainly shouldn't look at you askance!)

A school is not going to sort out your problems of your son not fitting in! If he is in Year 4 then he only has a couple of years left to sit for the grammar schools or independent scholarships so it would be best to wait.