NAGTY membership anyone?

[snorkle]

Interested to know if any mumsnetters children are enrolled and, if so, if they think it's worthwhile and what their experiences are.

Yes, ds is enrolled but, I'm afraid to say, shows no interest in it whatsoever. They send out a worthy magazine which is supposed to be for the children. In my view, they could do with having a proper mag editor give it an overhaul to make it appeal to their market. Sorry to be so negative - I wish it was better.

They are very lovely and helpful to just ring and talk to, and they have a variety of literature (free) which can be helpful for you - and some aimed at the schools. After my son's dyslexia test, they gave me their contact number as I was a bit overwhelmed. I was interested in their saturday clubs - you could go and visit one before joining up. (held at local venues with some really cool sounding activites which are children-led - ie they may have someone in to do a workshop on, say, building stuff from junk, but if the kids take the idea and run with it, and ends up making musical instruments, than that's fine)
We ended up not joining (not strictly appropriate for our particular set of circs) but I was very grateful for their help and advice.

Thanks. I've realised ds meets one (at least) of the eligibility criteria very comfortably, although I think of him as bright rather than gifted. I'm fairly sure he wouldn't be that interested in the summer schools; suspect he wouldn't care too much about the discussion groups; one or two of the online study groups might (or might not) grab him as might some of the more maths/sciencey outreach events. In other words Fauve, he could easily end up as your ds not really getting any benefit. As I'd have to ask the school to nominate him, I'd rather not rock the boat and be seen as a pushy mum if he's not going to use it (I suspect the school which is private might see it as devisive, which in a way it is). Any more feedback about experience of actual events from parents or teachers would therefore be welcome. I'm coming to the opinion that unless I hear loads of - 'yes, it's wonderful' I shall leave it.

There are at least two organisations and evidently some confusion.
NAGTY was mentioned in \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=2408&threadid=173702&stamp=060528173008\this thread} but the link was to NAGC!

So, for clarity:
The National Acadamy for Gifted and Talented Youth - \link{http://www.nagty.ac.uk/\NAGTY}

The National Association for Gifted Children - \link{http://www.nagcbritain.org.uk/\NAGC}

I've been looking at NAGTY which appears to be a government initiative for secondary aged kids. Trefusis and possibly Fullmoonfiend I think you may be talking about NAGC (or even something else).

sorry, yes, in my enthusiasm, I didn't realise. I was talking about NAGC!

We joined NAGC, but I wasn't particularly impressed and they didn't offer us anything I couldn't get elsewhere - e.g. mumsnet. Certain aspects of their ethos puzzled me as well.

Does anyone other than SueW have first-hand experience of Chi? I've heard fairly damning stuff about Chi tbh. "Adults worshipping at the feet of child-prodigies who are destined to save the world", sort of thing.

4 local primary schools run a "Saturday Club" for G&T youngsters. It runs fortnightly for two terms a year, and is fantastic. It's nothing heavy/intellectual/super-educational, but rather is just a rare Saturday activity for 7-11s which is not sport-oriented. For example they have done sessions on photography and filming, flower arranging, archaeology, orienteering, planting in the park, Japanese, music, birds of prey, animal conservation.

I was surprised by the comment SueW, especially as I greatly respect the person who told me, and I would expect her normally to be very careful and professional about what she says.

Some of these organisations do tie themselves up in knots when trying to justify their existence and what they do. For me it is enough that certain children need some kind of additional provision because atm what they are getting is not enough to challenge and stimulate them, and enable them to fulfil their current potential, or sometimes for them to be happy.

It is absolutely not about what they may or may not achieve in the future, and whether they may or may not make some "significant contribution to the world".

Interesting what you say SueW about school not being able to 'hold' the 10-12 yo boys.

Ds is not brilliant, but is questioning. At his prep school he was viewed as being disruptive by the more traditional teachers. He is a different child at his senior school (which he joined last September aged 13), as he feels he is treated as a mature individual.

He has been put forward for NAGTY membership, and some of the courses appeal to him, but time will tell.....

Same as Fauve. Ds is a member of NAGTY but not showing any interest at all. I enjoyed the magazine, though:)

DS2 & DS3 are both in NAGTY. They have both been to an event at Cambridge Uni - "Cannibalism & the Common Law" - which they both really enjoyed (age 12 & 14 at the time) DS3 also takes part in the online reading group. We found that a lot of the Summer schools that they were interested in were too long, but some of the day events look interesting. I believe (been told) that there is a box to tick on UCAS forms from this year to indicate whether you are a member of NAGTY.

My daughter in Year 7 has just been nominated by her school for this - has anyone else had their child nominated by their school? All I know of it is what I've read on their website, her school are basing it on her Cats test (apparently). Would like to chat via Mumsnet to anyone who's childs a member to find out more

Tia

Bump

hello fimac1
What do you want to know?

Did I phrase that properly? It wasn't meant to sound funny but there are so many different aspects to NAGTY that I don't know where to start. Help me out with a specific question.

Wychbold - thanks for the reply

I am not sure where to start really - is your child in NAGTY? If so at what age did they join? I can't imagine many of the residential courses will be applicable for a while yet, but did your do many of the day long courses? Also does the school do anything with them because of their membership or is the onus on the parents to scan the website and newsletters for interesting events. We only got told on the last day of term so I will go back to the school when she is back. Does the fact the school put them forward mean they will be selected or does NAGTY do the selection (eg she may not get in).

Thanks!

Fi

DS1 was nominated by his school in Y7 - he's now in Y8. His nomination was successful and he has recently received all the bumpf they send out when you become a member. He was quite interested in all this and checked out the website for any workshops being run in our area. There were quite a few but unfortunately not for his age group. We'll keep checking periodically.

I took DS1 to a NAGC session and absolutely hated it. It was full of extremely pushy parents and some very precocious children. The louder children just took over and there was no effort made to ensure that the less forceful children got a look in. We never went back.

I'm reserving judgement about NAGTY at the moment. DS1 hasn't been a member long enough to take advantage of all it has to offer.

Thanks Freckle - the first time I have heard of NAGC was from this thread - sounds like something we would avoid with the biggest bargepole going -that is sooo not us!

Thanks for the mail - did the school say why they selected your son? Someone had told me before my daughter started her Senior school that they had a group of 15 (which equalalates to 5% of the year 7) that they were doing extension work with and I am wondering if this is it - I'll find out more after half term - not sure if they use Cats scores and Sats results combined?

Dear Fi, a quick history lecture:

My DD is in NAGTY, she joined in the summer term of 2003. It is difficult to know where to start because NAGTY 2006 is a very different organisation to NAGTY 2003!

NAGTY was set up (in 2001, I think)because the Government realised that the education system was letting down the most able students. It started off with a small number of extremely bright kids, who were being made to suffer because of their ability, and gave them very individual attention. In those days it was more like a club. (My DD isn?t one of these BTW, she just has a Pushy Mum!)

At the beginning, NAGTY tried to engage schools but, generally, with limited success. The majority of them are not keen on the idea of G&T provision and have been resisting / ignoring it. The Government has now decided to get tough and force them to engage. From the start of this academic year, they have to register their G&T (top 5%). Your DD will be one of a huge intake.

Thus NAGTY started off by being a small organisation where people joined because they wanted to. It has now become a huge organisation where you can be enrolled without even knowing about it! The target membership is about 200,000 across Years 7-13 in England. The majority will probably not do much beyond their membership but, for the interested, there are various types of engagement (outreach, online study groups, summer school, etc). Unless you are lucky enough to have an interested school, it is down to the child / parent.

That?s enough to be going on with??

DS was in NAGTY for several years, mainly because one of the teachers at his grammar school is heavily involved with it. DS never went to any of the courses, though he did do stuff at school.
The teacher in question told them it would be a question on the UCAS form (for university entry)for 2006, but according to DS it wasn't - may be next year.

TBH DS was pretty uninterested about the whole thing, but then he was at a grammar school, where he didn't have to put up with the whole 'boffins are wierdos' thing - it might be helpful for a bright child at a less academic school.

(DD btw was invited to join - I know because I found the form on her bedroom floor several months later... organisation is not her strong point)

Thanks to both replies - I will find out from the school whether they will do anything regarding the membership or whether it will be down to us as parents to research for interesting lectures etc. My dd is the most disorganised person going so its strange you mention that, RCDB!!

We really think that dd is bright not 'G&T (whatever that means)

We really think that dd is bright not 'G&T (whatever that means)

This is part of the problem. Some schools don?t like the label ?gifted? as they think that it implies elitism. They tend to be happier with ?more able? i.e. the top 20%. Others see ?gifted? as a more rarefied creature i.e. the top 1% of the cohort.

However, the Government has decided upon the definition as being 'the top 5%?. It is an easy statistical exercise to identify these students from their Year 7 CAT tests, although NAGTY always stresses that students can be identified in a multitude of different ways and at any secondary-school age.
You may be right- perhaps your DD isn't Oxbridge / Mensa material but that doesn?t mean she?s not NAGTY-eligible.

P.S. School may not do anything for the NAGTYs because of the usual reason?. ££££££

Regarding Bright/G&T - should have added that I read a thread somewhere on Mumsnet which listed traits for Bright and traits for G&T - she didn't show any of the G&T traits listed and only a few of the Bright ones.....

• am happy for her name to be submitted don't get me wrong! Esp as we dithered over Grammar/Local State school (and eventually chose the latter) at least it will extend her which was our main concern about going into a HUGE Local Comp