Does anyone else have a PG preschooler?

[RoboJesus]

Are you worried about them starting school? Considering a tutor? Private? Homeschool? The whole thing seems overwhelming if I'm honest. It feels like this country isn't set up to handle PG tots. The school mine has been offered does have a (i think from what they've said) HG child in reception who they've had to readjust for which is a bit of a relief though.

most people I know with children who are far ahead academically realise that they don't need academic help at such a young age. The first few years of school are fir learning basic skills that make studying possible (how to share/make friends, dressing themselves/self organisation, listening to staff, basic literacy and numeracy etc.). I just don't see what you think pushing them academically when they ate so young will achieve.

Ah Golden, how did I know you would react like that? The predictable “can dish it out but can’t take it” type. Typical of those suffering from crippling insecurities and jealousy.

A preschool child who has worked out proofs for all the circle theories, the sine and cosine rules and the formula for the internal angles of a polygon for themselves? You can count me in as one of the people not finding this credible. Next we will hear he is reading up on string theory. Oh, we already have.

Oh was all that said? This thread has been going on for so long I don’t remember. Point taken. To be fair though string theory is really fun and I think a lot of kids would be into that.

Still, there are plenty of teachers around who don’t understand giftedness. It’s really not that uncommon (PG is obviously but moderately gifted kids are in most school)s. If they need a psychologist’s report to help them understand then I guess the parent just has to jump through the (expensive) hoops if they want their child to do well.

I'm feeling sorry for the OP, she only came on here for support FGS!

I have a observant, chatty toddler and so cannot comment and have no experience in this area but I would suggest contacting the school and asking for an assessment and looking into the options you are already pursuing, if you can afford them it sounds sensible to me to tailor the education to your child's needs and interests. There are plenty of gifted adults out there, I don't see why your child couldn't become one of them and I don't understand the animosity expressed here. Continue to ignore OP, you know your child.

OhHoly, a lot of people on here are genuinely trying to help. It's op who doesn't engage and spewing insults to the one who she doesn't agree with.
Gifted board for me is nothing but helpful.

Okay, I will try asking again, the same question from a previous thread:
Are you seriously saying you have a 4 year old who has worked out proofs for the sine and cosine rule, the proof for the circle theories and the proof formula for the internal angle of a polygon by themselves or have they been shown the proofs and now understand them?

I would say a 4 year old who can reason why A2=B2+C^2-bc.cos x is unbelievably advanced. Literally unbelievably.

How is he getting on at the school OP?

Its basically a play group. Dc isn't going to learn anything there. Not sure if they will stay. Looking into other options. Already come across some prejudice

Its basically a play group.

EYFS is all about learn through play, with very little formal sit down teaching and learning, on the whole. There should be far more play then anything else in EYFS.

Is your child gifted in all areas, several areas or one or two?

How are they with other skills, including social skills? Does the school help with these areas at all?

What kind of setting would you prefer your child to be in? What would be your ideal? If you can list down key priorities you have for supporting your child in their education, you may then find it easier to make a decision on the right setting for them.

I think most schools will be the same OP, reception is all about learning through play. He will be learning stuff though, how to make friends, take turns.
He’ll also have loads of fun. My ds has been playing in sand, climbing, dancing and doing loads of play dough. He loves it. If your child knows everything up to ks4 already does he really need to learn anything this year? You can support his interests at home and just let him play in school.
What’s his writing like? Surely that will develop over the year. And gross motor skills like climbing etc

EYFS is supposed to be play based learning. Tbh in reception though my son learned about his intestines and how to hack the schools computer system.

Perhaps might be best to home school

Op, there are a couple of special primaries for gifted children in the UK one of them in London. Have you looked into them? Would you be able to move for dc? I would think moving to a primary near a good university might be be helpful, your dc could mingle with the academic staff (parents of friends) and schools might take part in university outreach activities. Most universities will let guests in for lectures. But normal school can still fun for PG kids. Friend of my dc has been best in school (up to year 8) by some margin since year 1 but he is still enjoying it now that he is in year 4; he has aced his GCSEs already but that didn't stop him from making friends at school and enjoying art, music, games etc.

Also every primary school with authorise absence for academic or musical pursuits. Lots of math and science oplympiads etc, if dc is musical they could try for national youth orchestra or theatre, lots of universities (oxbridge/ ivy league) run international essay competitions, as do some of the royal societies. Lots to keep a child busy and most schools will be happy to support child by authorising absence and celebrating and prizes won in assembly.

This thread makes me feel a bit sad for your child OP. Being very able, gifted etc is great but there's so much more to learning, growing and developing that children need to learn in order to develop properly.

The worst thing you can do to a child is make them feel that one aspect of them defines them, especially at such a young age. The pressure, expectation and ultimately the overshadowing of a child's personality in favour of valuing how well they can 'perform' is an awful lot for such young shoulders to carry,

I speak as an adult who was very gifted as a child and achieved everything a parent could hope for. I have four children now and the three older ones (no. 4 is a little baby still) are all extremely able and academically fantastic, but I'm damned if I will put them in a position where I only value them based on academic performance as if it's the most important aspect to existing in the world..

If the OP is genuine then his dc has indeed very unique needs that I agree can't be met by just letting him/her be a child in a normal school environment. PG means being more intellectually able and advanced than people like Einstein and Hawkins, who are 'only' exceptionally gifted. If OP's child belongs among the handful of dc worldwide who fall into this category they would need some extra stimulation as not to get bored stiff. I don't think OP said she would only value the dc for their academic achievement, she seems rather worried about them. But it would be for her dc like it would be for an adult doing primary school math and English each day for hours while they have the ability to work towards GCSEs and soon beyond that. There would need to be a balance between school for social development and an appropriate challenge for the child to develop motivation, good work ethic, self esteem, perseverance and to be fulfilled and happy, in the same way as a child with learning disabilities would need extra help. Chess would be another way to possibly achieve this.

The thing is though, even if you were the greatest genius to have ever walked the earth, all knowledge is built on that which has been acquired before it. To assume that an accelerated ability to learn and grasp concepts means that it is in any way beneficial to skip huge swathes of learning and enter a very young child straight into Secondary school is absurd and shows no sensitivity for their emotional well being

I don't think the OP really seems to understand much about what her child needs emotionally or otherwise in order to become a fully developed individual, regardless of academic potential.

In my experience, both as a teacher and a mum , most academically gifted children are emotionally young which is why reception is good. You can easily , I assume, engage her mind at home .

It's funny that people who don't have kids will special educational needs or a degree in child development and education love declaring that my child must not exist, that whatever I do is wrong and hurting my child, and the kid should just be left in the corner.

All kids have the right to an appropriate education... Unless they are gifted... Right?

Well the good thing about ‘gifted’ children is that they are very good at occupying themselves on investigation that others would think were boring and that enables them to learn and enjoy their early schooling. As they move up they find peers with increasing amounts in common or who catch them up. That might be working out the number of sides on all the bricks in the class wall or translating the school reading scheme into French.
It’s not healthy to let a child grow up thinking they are better or different.

Prime example

Awwww baby

Why not homeschool for a while and socialise with other homeschoolers and at interest clubs.

Putting your dc in a class with older children doesn't sound like a good idea to me as he will struggle socially and probably be left out.