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

[wolvesarejustoldendaydogs]

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'.

All my children are on the g&T registers at their schools and I am very glad they are.

Being exceptionally advanced academically is in need of support just as much as being much less able.

We pay for the extra trips, BTW.

We pay for the extra trips too, but as for stretching academically?
Not in primary IMHO and maybe a bit in secondary but not enough to cause all the fuss IYSWIM

"Being exceptionally advanced academically is in need of support just as much as being much less able."

I disagree. But hey ho.

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

Teachers (at least in the state system) don't get overtime. They volunteer out of the goodness of their heart because they have the children's best interests at heart and want them to be enthusiastic and do well in "their" subject! Children of all abilities will at sometime be offered a trip out of normal school hours whether it is an outdoor activities week, a day trip to France, or a trip to museum, engineering conference or whatever!

I agree with Seeker - having 2 G&T, ( I hate that term) and 2 very average DCs I think the whole thing can be very divisive. All children benefit from extra trips and outings, the G&Ts will do extremely well anyway. I Believe in a state system all oportunities should be equal.

An example of the divisions this causes is my DDs Y2 class. Head only sent letters out about an upcoming science trip to those considered academically very able, this completely left out one of the kids who would have benefited most -very average but completely science mad. Names of those interested should have gone in a hat.

I send my children to state schools because opportunities should be offered to all - I would always risk the very able perhaps not being quite as challenged, (priviledged) than children not being treated equally.

"Being exceptionally advanced academically is in need of support just as much as being much less able."

I disagree also, how could that possibly be true?
I also hate the term " much less able"

The g&t list means that parents get to feel as though their child is exceptional, and the DCs don't really care.

One of ddtwins Yr 8 is on the A G and T list for Art, the other isn't, they are both in top set for everything that is set, which is Maths, Science and MFL. dd1 did go on a special AGT trip to Tate Britain last year, which was a voluntary contribution payment. OTH they both desperately wanted to go on a science trip - Bang Goes the Theory Live - which turned out to be middle sets only as they would benefit more. So I think this particular school is getting the balance right, although the pushy parent in me still wishes they'd had the chance to go on the Science thing, it was fantastic apparently.

No funding available now so ... up to school to sort! However all my DCs on G&T list for various things which makes me slightly cross as they bloody work hard and that should be recognised not that it is some "gift".

Wolves, didn't see any extra help with dd at all. Struggling kids got help - they were in small groups with sen. Sometimes dd helped them with stuff. Great.

Ibizagirl- what you have said befor this certainly doesn't seem to have done your dd any harm academically. And helping others probably did her huge amounts of good in other ways.

fuckbu Bang goes the theory is available to anyone who can meet travel costs as the tickets are free (BBC audience) so you could maybe check out for next year. We went as a family this Easter & DS loved it and the accompanying activities (also free).

Oh and no special G&T trips, let alone dedicated time with different teachers at DS's primary. Differentiated worksheets, yes.

Hi Seeker. Understand what you are saying. Dd enjoyed helping the other children as she is that way inclined anyway. I was always thinking that not giving dd "harder" work, she may find work at high school difficult or boring. When she started high school she did say it was a bit boring because she was doing maths she had already done. Seems to have settled down a bit now she is in year 8 but the work still doesn't seem "that hard" to me. Maybe because they start gsce work in year 9?