like cod

[cod]

arf at this section

parp parp parp
where the " my kid is thick " section

Oh I love JJ :) - the other one!

Look forward to hearing from you Yoyo :)

Personally suew - I think it should be targetted to the areas it will make the most difference- as in my earlier link. So it goes to kids where the money may mean they stay on at 6th form, rather than give up pre-GCSE. That would be money well spent imo. And its there that it would make the most difference.

Joolstoo - I am who I say I am. I don't play guessing games. Like you I do have the courage of my convictions. When the archive search is up you'll be able to check this. I don't post very often. CatintheShat is nothing to do with me. I have reported the post. The MSN reference was to a matter a very very long time ago and I hoped Cod might have remembered and taken a gentle hint. Honestly? I think Cod posts are fine on many topics but not this one. Have I covered all your points? Can we leave it?

Joolstoo - I am who I say I am. I don't play guessing games. Like you I do have the courage of my convictions. When the archive search is up you'll be able to check this. I don't post very often. CatintheShat is nothing to do with me. I have reported the post. The MSN reference was to a matter a very very long time ago and I hoped Cod might have remembered and taken a gentle hint. Honestly? I think Cod posts are fine on many topics but not this one. Have I covered all your points? Can we leave it?

Said it twice, so it's true!

I agree Jimjams (again). It makes more sense to use the money like that instead of enabling children to race through the curriculum IMHO. A friend's son is doing maths 4 years ahead of his year at primary school, and from next year will be doing it at high school. He will almost certainly be sitting Higher Maths soon after starting secondary. Now, good for him, and I don't think it's any great drain on resourcesas it happens, but the problem is what do you do then? If you don't want to go down the Ruth Lawrence route then what? He's super-bright, and it would be awful to see him held back, but there are no easy answers, are there? My brother was the same, twiddled his thumbs for the last few years at school because he'd already done it all.

How is he in the rest of the curriculum? I was thinking today, I was top set for French at school and in order to stretch us we used to watch French TV. I actually think that sort of thing is great, because no matter how good you are, it will stretch you. Perhaps the mathmo geniuses could take extra languages or something once they've completed the maths course- or again- and I keep coming back to it- something broader like the IB. Mind you the changes in A levels do make it easier to take a broader range of subjects in 6th form and that has to be good.

Except that we don't have A levels....:o Mind you, there's already a broader curriculum up here really. He's pretty stonkingly intelligent across the board I would say. Yes, I agree- breadth is the key rather than a linear progression through the standard curriculum.

oh yes of course. I think breadth is the answer for mathematics whizzes who outdo their teachers by the time they are 16 or 17. Hopefully would stop them getting bored and give them some usefulf skills (especially if they did languages) for the big wide world.

Can't see how G&T would be needed at dd1's grammar school - there may very occasionally be a genius but that is a separate matter.
Dd2 changed primary schools at Christmas. Whether or not she is G&T here I don't care - she is more motivated and interested in the world around her than she ever was at her old school, simply because she has an intelligent, talented teacher who can make work appropriate for her.

Now busy looking for a pre-school with a G&T programme...

Incidentally, at my selective private school, in the 6th form you had to take some arts subjects at non exam level if you were a scientist and vice versa. Also had to do subject each term from choice of art, music, cooking etc.

Breadth is what ds (12)is doing Jimjams and it seems to be working (first thing that has to be honest)
The teacher said yes he could do gcse now and score very highly but that would spell no end of problems for him in the next couple of years, so they work in a few optional maths papers like Stats and something else I'm not quite sure about algebra type garbage with a view to sitting those the year before gcses and then sitting normal gcse maths with his peers, after gcse it is easier to specialise so hopefully this will keep him going.
He is at a grammar school which I think has helped, he was overlooked for the first G+T selection at this school, this was down to a couple of factors - broken arm for starters and getting an englosh result below their threshold. It later transpired that he should have been admitted on his maths alone but I'm not really sure that it would be of any additional benefit to be honest - summer holidays he spends with his father travelling all over Europe, I'm not sure any of us would stop him doing that to spend a couple of weeks extending himself academically, I mean he is only 12 after all.
The support I seek on mn is not about the G+T scheme per se, but more about the challenges that very able kids can present at other times. like being able to outargue you
I could air these on a general pareting board BUT in the past as soon as you mention it, because it is often the root oy the problems I have with ds, then you get a change in attitude from other posters pdq.

extra languages yes, they offer chinese mandarin to any student who feels underchallenged :) This is run with the girls grammar and the co ed high school so it's really good. It is after school too, ds loves it, which really surprised me.

hiya
just wanted to add my views/experiences. My dd1 (12yo) is in year 8, there is a group of 30 girls in her set. They have taken their yr9 SATs this year and are now starting GCSE statistics and English Language, these are to be completed in yr9. The theory is that they are allowing them to take as many exams in the secondary school time as possible, if they have taken all of them early (as is the plan) they will start AS levels in yr11. They also take Latin, as well as French and Spanish. I think it is absolutely fine as long as the individuals concerned are able to cope and are enjoying having some work to do, iyswim!

Jimjams - I have emailed you.

Some schools allow students to sit English a year early and then spend the next year studying English that isn't driven by the curriculum. Debate, discussion, cross-curricular enhancement, no coursework - a good idea I think.

Sorry, Cod, I thought you were a teacher. Were you a teacher once upon a time, or am I confusing you with someone else? (I am definitely not gifted and talented, you see!)

But if you didn't want people to "have a go" at you, why start such a provocative thread?

"Mrs s I am not a teahcer.w hat have you that idea
ayway ratehr htan just using htis as a way to have a go at me why not look att he toher peopel who have espressed hteir" interest" at this thread/topic .issue "

Not a teacher - bloody good job too I think!!

Well definitely not a typing teacher Cod

why is it provocative?

She always wants to cause trouble that is how we know

why though? It's only provocative if you let yourself get provoked by it!
I mean, it's hardly dancing around in Ann Summers gear now is it?

Just had very real vision of what I imagine Cod to look like, in Ann Summers finest, her new hairband her Fly wedges and Chanel foundation. Knowing her as founding member of the Big Kockers Club completes the image...