Education choices for "bright" children

[pocketsized]

Maybe not truly a G&T question, but hoping for some advice.

DH and I are both naturally quite academic and bookish. Did well academically at school, have 1st class degrees and post grad qualifications. However, we both had an awful time at school, we're bullied mercilessly as being clever wasn't "cool" and achieving academically garnered lots of negative attention. I don't think this was helped by attending a school with relatively low attainment. As a result we are both quite shy, and really were miserable throughout our school careers.

DD is still at nursery, but we are told is showing signs of being "naturally quite bright" - right now it doesn't really matter if that continues or not, she's loving nursery and is very happy. But it has got me wondering about schooling. There is no urgent rush I know, but our circumstances are such that we do need to start thinking about it (DH is in the military and we move every 18 months/two years and are considering whether to buy a house and have him come home just for weekends)

So, my question (finally) is this. If it does turn out that DD is "quite bright" what are the best options for schooling, to try and encourage her, but mostly to try and prevent her going through the torturous experience we both did? It would be a difficult stretch for us to afford independent schooling, but we have no strong family ties so could settle anywhere in the country. Alternatively I've considered homeschooling, and continuing to move around with DH. I could of course be over thinking the whole thing, and she might be as happy as Larry moving every couple of years and attending whichever schools have space, but I'd appreciate the views of others.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

Look for a school with an inclusive attitude, so they don't bully kids who are different, and a positive attitude towards differentiation - sometimes, at least at primary level, it's not the most academic school overall that caters the best for outliers on the ability spectrum, but the one where the teachers are good at handling a classroom of children doing different things.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

And what Purplelooby says.

[user1474361571]

I would suggest IB PYP and MYP schools if you want your kids to be inquisitive, strong in writing & research skill and have a better world awareness.

IB is a programme, not a curriculum, and its implementation varies considerably between different schools. Our experience of PYP and MYP for bright children was appalling: writing was at a very low level; the subject content of geography, history and science was far below the UK national curriculum and for all of the talk about "learning by inquiry and research" it didn't really happen much. (At MYP there was a culture of grabbing stuff from the internet without really digging into it.) Friends with children in international schools report similar issues with PYP and MYP. IB Diploma is better at developing research and inquiry skills, although still aimed more at breadth than depth.