G & T provision - what a waste

[julienetmum]

Dh is employed by an LEA. He is supposed to be running an activity with G & T funding.

He came home today saying that it is no more than a babysitting service with all the "difficult kids"

He thought G & T was to give opportunities to those with a genuine talent, seems not. How do all of you fighting for resources for your bright children feel about this.

Sounds fascinating. I've long suspected that I have put my children at a disadvantage by encouraging them to be polite and well behaved, but I couldn't live with them any other way . Seriously, the disruptive bright kids do seem to get rather more attention from the school than those who switch off, daydream and cause no problems to others.

What is the activity, and on what grounds did your DH consider it to be babysitting, if you don't mind me asking? I'd observed that G&T activities tend to be on the overly "creative" and nebulous side, which does not do much for those children who need structure to flourish.

I'd rather not say what the specific activity is as I don't want dh to be recognised and get into trouble. Let's just say it is creative and he is very qualified in his field. He wants to work with talented children and give them opportunities that otherwise only children whose paretns can afford lessons get.

It is supposed to be working towards something but he isnot being told who he will get, it may not be the same ones eachweek and they are not necesarily the ones with an aptitude for thisd subject.

Is it possible the school is trying to find out who may have a talent for your DH's activity by giving a broad range of pupils a chance to try it out, rather than just picking the standard stereotypes? If so, that could be a good thing in the long run. But it would seem strange not to allow your DH some say after a while over who should continue with the activity.

I respect and understand your wish not to reveal the subject area, but if it's one that would require practice or benefit from continuity (and I can't think of much that wouldn't!) then I can understand your DH's concerns.

Several of the G+T students are disruptive as they have been bored shitless for several years and have learned bad classroom behaviour in the interim as they have not been stimulated.
Certainly in the G+T yr 8 kids at ds's school, many of the other kids he reports are well known as the trouble makers in class.
So maybe there is a link.
FWIW ds is not disruptive thankfully, he channels boredom via day dreaming