Shitty shite: Gifted & Talented

[MamaG]

shite

ooh! very daring!

Shite

[sorry cod ]

why sorry?

ds2

Grapes anyone? Sour grapes

whats this?

It's 12.52AM. I am a bored insomniac. There are hardly any active threads. And suddenly this one pops up but I've no idea what the hell it's for?

What the hell is it for??

lol, my thoughts exactly!!!

just for people to boast about their amazingly clever kids, i guess. Yawn. Thank god my dd's school doesnt have this gifted crap there..

one of the first and best comments I read on mumsnet was on a G&T thread - loads of people were unloading thier angst about their exceptional children not getting what they need from the school. This fab woman had posted about how she always knew her chldren were bright but did not feel the urge to get all pushy and stuff with the school. Her children are older now - they did really well, uni etc and she says they are really happy and always were and she is gald she didn't do all the pushing with the schol.

Thought she was fab - shame can't remember her (or anyone else's!) name.

goodnanny it is a legal requirement now that all schools have a g and t register and offer something to the children who are. After all, everyone would be up in arms if sn children didn't get some special provision wouldn't they? It doesn't have to be 'academic' subjects. Children can be on the register because they are gifted at art, gymnastics, swimming, music etc.

AFAIK, Gifted and Talented refers to the children who are deemed to be in the top whatever percent of ability in any subject in their school.

so, a child who is G&T in one school may not be in another. It is not a 'national' thing.

Not sure that it is a legal requirement for all schools - haven't heard any of the local private ones adopting this approach.

Ladymuck. I'm sure that a lot of children in private schools would be deemed G&T in state schools

And, before anyone starts snarling, this is, I'm sure, mainly due to class sizes, parental involvement and resources.

at folks who don't understand.
Special educational needs anyone? Lack of provision etc
Works both ways.
Of course maybe we should be hiding lights under bushells for fear of other people not getting it
Sheesh

What an unnecessary thread

My DS1 is classed as G&T for literacy.

I don't think he is. I think he's at the same stage as I, and a lot of my peers were, at the same age in state junior schools in 1975.

I think the quality of teaching and learning has fallen over the last 30 odd years. I don't blame teachers, I blame the system and interference from politicians.

well my dd's c of e school does not do G and T, as there are some very clever children in her class and she is especially gifted at literacy and gymnastics! she has even been offered funding for her gymnastics and one day off school a week to train to make it to the olympic 2012 team. So her school doesnt offer it!!!!!!!!!!!!

redand blue, your school should do G+t, even if private - think you should chase them.

Bubble, you've hit the nail on the head! 20-30 years ago bright children went to grammar school. Coaching etc went on then, but there were plenty of examples of children from working class backgrounds making it good through the grammar school system (and yes, I know there were plenty who didn't!) My own family is an example of this process. Since successive governments started to improve things, the situation has gone from bad to worse. The G & T label was introduced as a sop to parents whose children are in comprehensives but would have been more challenged if they had gone to grammar schools. There are no 'national' criteria and all it does is place some responsibility on schools to differentiate for their most able...which they should have been doing anyway. It's pathetic that today's pushy parents are so 'proud' that their children have this label.

I'll have a G&T

It is also bad for children who then get too full of themselves when they're just a bit clever and at schools like my children go to would be run of the mill. Obviously you get the odd Ruth Lawrence Oxford at 12 type genuis - the true gifted onces but not the usual top 15% who used to get to Grammar school and university. They are not G&T. It's a ridiculous label.

I liked this non coachable entrance test description in today's Telegraph

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/25/nprivate126.xml

"State-educated pupils have won nearly half the scholarship places at an independent school after taking an uncoachable entrance test."
The computer-based exam, designed by the Education Department of Durham University, consists of questions to assess verbal and non-verbal ability and mathematical thinking. Candidates then take a test in maths and English to check that they have the basic grasp of the curriculum to be able to tackle lessons at Bedford. All passed and Dr Evans says it may prove unnecessary in future."