Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Gifted and talented

Talk to other parents about parenting a gifted child on this forum.

Original poster

How do these school G&T lists actually work, then?

37 replies

wolvesarejustoldendaydogs · 04/05/2012 10:02

Just been told that DS1 (starting reception in Sep) will be going on the gifted & talented list (he is at pre-school there currently).

I have heard about this list but don't know much about it. AFAIK, it just means that he will get offered more challenging work when appropriate.

Is that right? Is there any more to it than that? DS1 is bright, and probably a little advanced in reading and writing, though not strikingly so. His pre-school teachers comment particularly on how articulate he is (it's certainly true that he never stops talking...)

DH is concerned about it, for some reason I can't quite fathom, and is muttering about 'labelling'.

OP posts:
Tiggles · 04/05/2012 11:42

I think it probably depends from school to school. So I can tell you for the school my DSs go to. In the school there are 4 children on the G&T list so about 4% (in some schools it is 10% so 3 in every class of 30). I am slightly Hmm that DS is on the list, as I would say he is bright but not actually gifted. Anyhow, apparently he has to be on the list as he has work differentiated specifically for him. In his case he goes to the yr1/2 lessons for literacy. He has termly targets set (on an IEP - Individual Education Plan) which I have to agree to, where they set 3 measureable targets he should achieve that term e.g. which level reading book they expect him to get to, which stage of phonics he should be secure in, what level of punctuation they expect in his writing etc.
They can be moved on and off the list yearly, depending if they are still needing specifically differentiated work, or if they were just a 'quick starter but then level out' so everybody else then catches up.

Original poster
wolvesarejustoldendaydogs · 04/05/2012 12:58

Thank you Little Miss. Yes, that makes sense about moving on and off the plan. I think my teacher at primary used to do this differentiated work without a whole scheme, but I guess it makes sure that it happens.

OP posts:
sununu · 04/05/2012 13:43

In ds' school there are 7 or 8 of them in his class of 30 on the g&t list. The programme only starts from keystage 2 though, they explained to me that before that it is hard to separate who is really brighter and those who are just at different stages, and they don't like to 'demote' people once they have put them in the group. I think of it really as like a top set, but they do have a part time teacher who only 'does' g&t, they go out of class with her about twice a week I think and have also been on a trip with her. ds loves it as it is a small group and lots of talking and challenging logic-type puzzles and problems. school is an 'outstanding' local primary in a very challenging area, very broad range of abilities and issues class.

sununu · 04/05/2012 13:45

obviously that's '..issues in the class'

ibizagirl · 05/05/2012 07:58

Challenging work OP? You will be lucky! School couldn't do anything for my dd. I was always told "look on the internet" or "get some workbooks". She was always on "top table" but the work was the same within the class. There wasn't any difference between her and children not g&t. Now in year 8 at high school and g&t still not mentioned. All set 1 children are called gifted and talented but they are not on register iyswim. Sometimes they get to go on a different school trip but as far as i can see that is it.

Original poster
wolvesarejustoldendaydogs · 05/05/2012 08:33

I suppose it is very variable from school to school - we will just have to wait and see what happens at ours. I don't think we need anything extreme, but obviously it's important that every child has work at the right level for them, challenging them a bit but not dispiriting them.

Thank you for all your replies.

OP posts:
seeker · 05/05/2012 08:43

Amused at the thought of g and t reception children going on special school trips..........

SunflowersSmile · 05/05/2012 12:41

Reception very young. I have noticed 'advanced' children in Reception just blending with other bright children who catch up as they develop.

Original poster
wolvesarejustoldendaydogs · 08/05/2012 03:18

yes, it does seem rather young. I'm not sure how much they actually do - certainly not special trips! We don't want DS to be too aware of it, because, as you say, it's quite possible he will drop off the G&T list as development evens out - wouldn't want him to feel that was some sort of failure. I think he is simply bright and academically-inclined, not anything more unusual than that.

OP posts:
ibizagirl · 08/05/2012 06:05

Sorry i meant special trips (or different trips should i say) from year 7. That is what happened to dd anyway. Top set science went on a "special" science trip. History went on one and so did re.

tantrumsandballoons · 08/05/2012 06:50

That's for top set isnt it, the different trips?
My dd had the same thing for science and history.

Her school does have a g and t program and in yr 10 they start taking different trips, to debates, and science fairs and to visit universities.

In my experience g and t did nothing to help my DCs, it depended on the teachers tbh, some of them were very good at pushing them, some of them just let them carry on as long as they were not struggling.

G and t in secondary school seems a lot better, they have different homework and extra work.
I was also told to "look on the Internet" a few times as well, it's quite frustrating tbh.

seeker · 08/05/2012 07:00

Let's hope there a special trips for middle and low ability children too!

tantrumsandballoons · 08/05/2012 07:47

So far the g and t trips have been on a weekend and one after school.

The top set go on different trips because they all do different work but every set goes on a trip at the same time IYSWIM

seeker · 08/05/2012 08:08

So top sets get more trips than middle and lower ability.

Original poster
wolvesarejustoldendaydogs · 08/05/2012 08:10

at our school, ds's teacher (nursery teacher) said that the 'extra' help the G&T children get is equivalent to the extra help the children who are struggling with get. Which is good. But as you say, seeker, perhaps the middle ability should also get something extra too!

OP posts:
tantrumsandballoons · 08/05/2012 08:15

No all sets get the same trips in school time.

There are extra curricular clubs for g&t and they do take DCs on optional trips, it's not in school time though.

seeker · 08/05/2012 09:46

Who pays for the extra trips?

glaurung · 08/05/2012 11:43

schools seem to do lots of trips for targeted groups these days: outings for those who've managed to misbehave slightly less often than usual; trips for those with good attendance; or for whoever has met their targets. G&T trips sound kind of similar, but I've not yet heard of trips for the middle ability children who don't misbehave but might not have perfect attendance or always meet their target grades yet.

FarSideOfFuckingBalloons · 08/05/2012 14:31

Seeker, the parents pay for the extra trips if they want their DCs to go, it's not free.
It's generally not what everyone would call fun either, unlike the free trip to Alton towers for the children with the best attendance.

seeker · 08/05/2012 14:33

So parents pay the full cost including the teacher's overtime?

FarSideOfFuckingBalloons · 08/05/2012 14:49

I don't know about overtime etc, my dd went to a science exhibition recently, it cost £35, 12 students went, by tube and bus on a Saturday, 2 teachers.
I only know it cost more than usual trips, especially as they were using public transport.

Whether that's right or wrong, I do not know but dd enjoyed it.

SunflowersSmile · 08/05/2012 18:49

You don't have to be G and T to enjoy a science exhibition.

Middle ability children seem to lose out all round.

FarSideOfFuckingBalloons · 08/05/2012 20:41

I know, there was a science trip a week earlier but I'm not sure if this was g&t because there was limited numbers?
I dont know how it works tbh, or whether I necessarily agree with it, it's just something they do

Ok yes I read that, I realise it sounds stupid and sitting on the fence-y

lou2321 · 08/05/2012 20:56

I do find it odd that they do these extras for G&T children. Firstly most of them are just really able and not 'gifted' and there is no need for them to get anything extra other than more challenging work and secondly all children should have the same opportunities.

In DS's class there are a few children that are working way above their but they are not on a G&T register (if he is I've never been told) but they differentiate according to their ability, none of these able children are the same level either so they just give them extra work.

There is hostility by other parents about these children getting extra work let alone if they did special G&T trips etc!

FarSideOfFuckingBalloons · 08/05/2012 21:03

I don't even know what good the whole g&t thing is anyway, other than to cause division and hostility amongst the parents.
IMHO the children on it couldn't care less.