School plan for possibly gifted child

[TheWildOnesRunningWithTheDogs]

First, I feel slightly fraudulent posting on this board as I'm not sure whether DD really is gifted. Her teacher has been assessing her ability over the past term and is going to update me when DD goes back. So, apologies if I am in the wrong place!

Her reading age has been assessed at 12 (she is nearly 6, so in year 1). She mostly reads non-fiction as she is not great with any narrative tension. She loves Murderous Maths, Horrible Histories and anything about science and nature. She is also pretty good at maths - knows her times tables up to 12 and can calculate others (e.g. 17 X 6) in her head, can do division with remainders and understands percentages and can convert a percentage to a fraction. She loves maths and often asks me good questions about it (e.g. she asked me apropos of nothing whether you always get a square number if you multiply 2 square numbers together. I gave her the wrong answer 😳).

Whether she is actually gifted or not, she is working ahead of the class and her teacher has indicated that she wants to put together a plan for teaching her (presumably to cover next year as well as there's only one term left). I thought people on this board would have some experience of this. What kind of thing should such a plan include? What questions should I ask the teacher? DD is at a state school and I fully appreciate that they will be more focused on the students who are struggling.

I'm quite happy to support DD's interests outside school and she does plenty of activities such as piano lessons, indoor climbing, etc. I'm really asking about what it's reasonable to expect for her in a normal state school environment.

Thank you in advance!

Two of my kids are gifted across the board and primary school tried to accommodate but I was basically told they will always learn more outside school and maybe we should treat school more as a social education. My oldest actually taught the year 6 class several lessons himself - the teachers were amazing and in our tiny primary it was easy for them to be given their own work. Lockdown meant they both got so far ahead they skipped a year in curriculum but i dont think id recommend it as it meant the youngest went to secondary at 10 and was so small.. Now the teachers just readily admit the kids know and understand more than them and they should accelerate in their own time.. at least now classes are streamed but they do spend time bored at school because they caught on ages ago and some still need explaining.. in short I wouldnt expect too much from school especially at secondary level - if you have grammars near you look st that (we dont) - anything they can do is helpful but it will be up to you to bring her on and stimulate her mind outside school.. we considered homeschooling but the kids really do love their friends and school sports - the school just cant teach them anything - they do give us masses of books though and the chance to learn other skills and let the eldest take a few GCSEs at 14 so he can take more later...

Don't give it time OP - someone mentioned till year 5. Just support her now as much as you can. Continue to read at least a book every week and challenge her - I mean proper books if she's reading at that level.

You should also do some maths at home with her - you will have to do it yourself unfortunately. Private school might help but not always

Socially - arrange lots of playdates and activities. It's on you to ensure they are well socialised. Both my DCs have lots of friends and haven't struggled. We are in a private school - it's hit and miss in terms of support.

It might help if you can go in with some suggestions of what your DD could do quietly and unobtrusively when she has finished her work that don't involve the teacher having to spend time with her. That way her extension work can be tied in to her interests and is more likely to keep her engaged and enjoying school without standing out as different. Some examples

Your daughter has a fiction book she can then get out and read. Once she's read a chapter she writes a diary entry for the main character which summarises what the character did in the chapter how they felt etc.

Other times she can have an encyclopedia to read - perhaps encourage her to work on a old fashioned style project on a particular theme - eg the Tudors or Greek gods or butterflies etc

If there's a computer in the classroom she could have a subscription to something like Mathletics where she can work at her own level.

I have said this before on other threads - my DD was on the g and t register from nursery to Year 6 (including weekly meetings / mentoring with the head)
She then started a spectacular free fall into mediocrity where all the others caught up!

My son was labelled ‘gifted and talented’ at primary school for his reading and written skills. He was also several years ahead of his age.

that evened out as he went to secondary school. I always remember the primary school teachers sayin to me that we have to be very careful because, even though he was getting top marks consistently for his ability in English, the work came so effortlessly to him that he wasn’t actually putting effort in (if that makes sense!) and that secondary school could be a problem as it all evens out and he wouldn’t necessarily have built up the skills to know how to work hard.

this all came true and at secondary school he put no effort in and his marks dropped.

he did ok with his exams and is now studying journalism at uni but the ability to put effort into his work is still lacking.

I’m hoping it will all come good once he starts a career! 🤞

Totally agree with this - I always try and praise effort over attainment. There will be a point in every childs life where coasting on natural ability no longer works, it might be when the do GCSEs, or A-level, Uni or work but if they have learnt to put the effort in they it should help see them through.

Hi all, not sure why this thread has resurrected itself a year later. Thanks for all the responses.