At what age are children in the UK identified as G&T?

[Strix]

And what/where/why/how is this register I hear of?

And how would one decide if a child is gifted/talented?

Thank you!

G&T means bugger all at our primary school. The designated G&T coordinator has been off sick for 10 months or so now, so they don't get any extra activities.

I was in G&T programme as a child myself and that was also pants, tbh!

JustMoon My point is that the G&T register literally means nothing to class teachers, because class teachers are already aware of children's abilities and talents and teach accordingly. Teachers have always done this and will continue to do so. The G&T register is also meaningless to children. They know who's good at what and what they enjoy, inside and outside of school. The only people it matters to are the Government so they can collect data and to competative parents who can boast that their child is on this register. Truly gifted and talented people are few and far between. Wanting the best for your child means supporting them whatever their strengths and working with their school. It does not follow that because you want the best for your child you want them on the G&T register. If they are particularly good at something the school will be aware of this. If the school have not put them on the register, it means they are not performing within the top 10% of their class in this area... It shouldn't matter. I loathe all this pushy parenting.

doubleexpresso I think you have missed my point and probably the point of some of the other posters on here.

I don't believe I said that wanting the best for your child means getting them on a G&T register? As stated by many posters, a lot of schools DONT do anything to support children who are particularly good at anything, I made it very clear in my posts that if a school sees G&T as only about numbers and paper pushing then it's not worth anything, however, if it means bright children get more out of learning then why is that not a positive?

I loathe the fact that people are labelled as pushy for wanting a good education for their child .

I don't mean a proper written on paper stamped certificate sort of qualification. I mean I am not qualified to do it because I would not be very good at it.

I believe children should learns thing from people who are passionate about them. Math is up my street. A wide variety of other things are not. And, I have not been through the same school system in which my children are enrolled. S I am in fact not at all prepared to teach them.

Not to mention it would conflict with my work schedule, which pays for extra tuition where the school is not up to my standards (which is basically in math).

I can't believe this has turned into a suggestion to home school.

Interesting juxtaposition of views by alardi and doubleexpresso.

IMHO I'd say top 2 or 3% would be better. It would still be tricky as each class and school is different but might discern between the merely bright and the genuinely gifted better.

JustMoon Children with SEN get the most resources because without them they could not access the curriculum. That's life. It sounds as if you believe that by being on the G&T register, extra resources will magically appear. A good teacher will already be extending the learning of the most able pupils. Putting their names on a list is meaningless.

.

.

I see justmoon and I were thinking the same thing. :-)

We probably were Strix but my mumsnet wasn't working!

Does it really sound like I'm saying that double? Also, I wasn't questioning why SEN get resources, absoultely they should, what do you mean 'that's life'?

Can I ask if you are a teacher? It sounds as if you are but you don't seem very happy about it.

Yes it really does sound like that. I work in education. I love my job. I think it sounds as if you don't believe that your child's school is doing their best for him. This is a shame. 'That's life' means that parents should let teachers and other education professionals get on with their jobs. They should stop being pushy and trust schools to deliver a broad curriculum to all children (whether SEN or gifted).

Where does it sound like I've said that? I have actually stated here and on another post that the school give my son extra lessons which I am pleased about. He's not on a G&T register and I've never asked for him to be and certainly haven't expected it. I've also stated that his teacher is lovely. But perhaps that secretly is a coded message about them not doing their best for him?

My other comments have been geenrally about whether G&T can be a good thing.

I speak to my sons teacher once a term at parents evening, how pushy and interfering of me.

JustMoon. Re your 1st post. Teachers should continually identify pupils who are exceeding expectations and meet their needs. My only is people who think children can be identified at G&T at 9 months and people who push to get their children on these meaningless lists. Surely we all want the best for all children?
For the vast majority of schools it is absolutely meaningless to choose 3 children from each class as G&T. As I said before truly gifted people are very rare. I think some people (not you) confuse their child with being a genius because they have been put on this register.

I agree with your post (mostly) here double.

It would be nice to think that all teachers did look out and identify children with special needs (whichever sort) but in reality does that always happen? Perhaps you are in a great school that is proactive and does all this but I suspect there are plenty that aren't. I don't think that gifted in this sense means genius just that they are above the level of working of their peers although I can see how the terminology could cause problems though. Perhaps they should call it 'quite clever and a bit sporty'

I'm liking the Clever and a bit Sporty Register! That doesn't make my hackles rise! Thanks JustMoon.

i'll do a memo to Ed Balls

"'That's life' means that parents should let teachers and other education professionals get on with their jobs. They should stop being pushy and trust schools to deliver a broad curriculum to all children (whether SEN or gifted)."

Which is why my disabled ds has got to Yr 5 without getting any of the support that his OT has recommended. Promised by the school a year ago, nothing forthcoming. His teacher has now decided he doesn't need support "because he is not doing more badly than some of the other children". Never mind that the lack of support means that ds is in too much pain to concentrate, that he risks permanent damage to his joints and that "some of the other children" include children with severe learning difficulties.

Have been trying since just after Christmas to contact the SENCO, but she is not responding to the messages I leave the school office and there is no other way I can get hold of her. But perhaps I should just stop being "pushy" and trust to the school.

cory that sucks

IMHO you can't always leave it to the school. My DSD is dyslexic (though not enough to be statemented for some reason... she barely gets by) and had extra help in junior school. She had a scribe/reader for all her SATs and because she didn't have to read or write, she did pretty well.

As a result, she went up to yr7 and because her results were too good she doesn't get any extra help! FFS!!!