OK a poll, are your children on the G&T register at school

[tobeornot]

Name changers welcome Just thought I'd start a poll to see how common it is for children to be placed on this register i.e you've had the letter and its official. Yes answers will do, as I'm aware that the some posh schools dont do one and that its not always done in infants, juniors.

DS1 was on the G&T list at secondary- because he was at High school. DS2 and DS3 are probably of equal aptitude (or higher) but because they are at Grammar school the bar is considerably higher, so they don't qualify.

Dd is, ds isn't.
Tbh it hasn't made much difference to us. Dd decided she didn't want to go to G&T club (in the lunch hour), but would rather get the fresh air and have time to play with her friends regardless of whether they are G&T or not.
At home, she would read lots anyway, whether we knew she was on a register or not, it's just something she does.

DS1 is at secondary selective boys grammar and got on NAGTY through the school. They did one outside school day of...
orienteering FGS!
There is no provision in the school aside from an extended maths set which half the kids are in. He is working a year above that at least his teacher says but cannot go ahead any further.
If ds did all the subjects at GCSE the school says he is good at.
My he'd be one overloaded lad doing about 16 GCSES
Do wish left hadn would check with right sometimes before they post out this bumpf.

My daughter was told she was on the G and T register at her secondary school, but nothing ever happened to make any difference to how she was treated. I assumed this was a rational response by the school to the Government requiring you to keep a list but not actually providing any money to support activities.

When she moved to the sixth form she was told on registration that she would continue to be on the G and T register. We did not pay much attention to this (see para above) It was done by the school, we did not seek it. I have always been very dubious about its merits. If special provision for brighter children is to be made why not make it and let those who will avail of it? I am talking about secondary school of course.

Anyway she is at present in her first year at Sixth form; she heard of a meeting that was being called to discuss applications to University - not before time we thought- and she went to it to discover:-

1. It was about Oxbridge application

1. As she was told, in public, in front of some of her friends, it was for G and T students only, and she is not a G and T student.

Obviously she found this humiliating, and acutely demotivating.

When I enquired I was told that she had not been retained on the register when she entered sixth form, because the decision had been made to choose the top ten per cent as determined by a GCSE point score. The score was obtained by adding together the usual points for grades and dividing by the number of GCSEs held to get an average.

To be G and T at her school you needed an average of 7. She had an average of 6.8

This is nonsense on stilts at so many levels I dont know where to begin.

But to stick with the register without worrying about its misuse...

I would observe that using a simple average disadvantages candidates who take a lot of GCSEs as my daughter did (11). She has one a * and 9 a grades, but her average is pulled down by having two bs.

It would be quite possible for her to have more a grades than someone who is G and T! (and who took less GCSE subjects)

I am not sure what the moral of this story is.

Sorry correction: she has 1 a* and 8 a grades.

So irritated that I am becoming inummerate (and my spelling going as well

Complete nonsense please ignore this last post. I was right the first time.

I am going away now before I make any more mistakes.

yes

nlondondad - that was an awful thing to happen. I hate this G & T business. My dd is due to go into 6th form but is already sick and tired (as are many of her friends)of what they see as preferential treatment been given to the G & T's.

all very well having a register but then do b**r all about developing that gift or talent

Yes, DD1's grammar school arranged Mensa testing in Y9 for anyone who wanted to try, and the school passed on details of the successful ones to NAGTY (now called something else!).

Younger dcs have also inherited DH's high IQ (they certainly don't get it from me) and are showing signs of being just as bright imo (DD2 in Y5 is constantly having to correct her teacher's spelling and sums FGS) but no mention is ever made at their primary school of a register, and it's not really something you feel comfortable about inquiring after...however, I believe all schools are now required to identify their brightest pupils in their annual census return. I do think parents have a right to know if their children are on this list, and also to be told what provision the school is making for them. The first time we were told anything "officially" about DD1 was at her secondary school, as explained above. Not too bothered about her, though, as I know she is being stretched at a high-achieving school anyway. In lots of places, G&T is perhaps still what you have with an ice and slice at the end of the day...

LOL bigpants! Oh had forgotten about Mensa. Hope that wasn't the only way they were selecting G+T though? High IQ is one thing. Academic success is another. Look no further than me for proof of that! Mensa yep high IQ yep but all I ever wanted was to be a mother!!!!

Yes.
Have just taught same child (DS15) (for 1,000,000th time) to peel potatoes, memory like sieve for anything practical eg what day to take PE kit to school, lives in a dream, tried to go to school without his shoes on the other day, was 1/2 way down the drive before he noticed his feet felt funny.

DD(11) not G & T can cook dinner for family, and has just stripped wallpaper from room to be decorated...

On what do they base this ridiculous definition?

snap barbarian. Ds1 is a liability. Clever as you like but as stupid as anything!

NLdad: FWIW, one of NAGTY's 'definitions of Giftedness/entry criteria' was having 8 A-grades at GCSE, no mention of points-averages.
I hope that your DD wasn't put off the idea of Oxbridge (if that's what she wants).

Piffle - The school does also use adademic achievement to identify G&T, but as it's a grammar school this is very difficult as everyone achieves well by national standards and the highest achievers in that particular environment really are exceptional and DD is not in that league. I think they just wanted to provide another option and identify a few hitherto hidden brain cells . It was good for DD as it really boosted her confidence.

Barbarian, my DD sounds just like your DS. Nobody ever said that IQ is the same as good old common sense (though I'm sure you're the exception, Piffle! ) DD is one of the dippiest people I know, but can be very sensible when she WANTS to be. I think maybe she lets her brain must get too overloaded to deal with mundane practicalities...(I've seen similar tendencies in DH)...but she seems to be improving as she matures.

my dd isn't on the register - does that help the poll

do you think she should be? she is a june baby in yr1 and has to get her reading books from yr2. She likes maths and does weird sums with negative numbers for fun. Is she g and t or is that normal for yr1 - would they tell me anyway?!

Newgirl I was told off by our yr 1 teacher for telling ds about negative numbers (he understood them fine and had actually asked me about why the freezer appeared hotter than the fridge, so I think she was being precious). I don't think that level of maths comprehension is very common at year 1, but I suspect reading several years ahead is less uncommon. I doubt it makes much difference at that stage whether or not the school has 'labelled' her, but she's clearly doing very well and so long as she continues to enjoy school will most likely continue to do so.

Yes, newgirl - keep encouraging that fascination with numbers and perhaps mention it to the teacher at the next parents' evening. Negative numbering is an abstract concept and most children in Y1 have only just started getting to grips with the basics in KS1, so your dd does sound advanced for her age IMO. I've just checked with DD2 who tells me she has only recently been "officially" taught about negative numbers...in Y5!

Snorkle, we had to explain the same thing to ds when the car thermometer showed external temperature appearing to be going up when in fact the weather was getting colder! He then developed a fascination for negative numbers, much to the surprise of his Y1 teacher! So, IMO, you are right to think that the teacher was unjustified in ticking you off. A child can learn anything when they are ready. Why not make the most of their natural curiosity? Even if it does makes life difficult for the teacher.

thanks for your kind words snork and big pants - i am trying to remember where the neg numbers came from - i think it might be winter temperatures on the telly - perhaps more brit kids are aware of them than we first thought even though they dont think of them in a 'school' context

off now very pleased with my foray into g and t!

dd (y1) appears to be happily able in everything she sets her mind to! School has a g&t register, but doesn't tell parents.
ds with asd is a typical G&T underachiever, but junior school won't recognise it unless his test raw standardised scores go over the threshold for G&T. As he's also dyspraxic, he would need extra time which isn't allowed!
Am I bovvered? Not at all!!

I meant standardised scores, NOT the raw score!

Yes. All 3 were/are on g&t register at their secondary school. We were notified of this by letter. Eldest went to a different school and I have no idea whether he was or wasn't.

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