My DD Is On G&T Register: Is It A Good Thing?

[WKMum]

We recently found out (much to our immense surprise) that our 8-year-old DD has been on the G&T register at her school for Literacy and Drama for the past three years.

The school have never mentioned anything about this to us, and we only found out because we had a letter home inviting her to participate in a day specially organized for the G&T kids in the school.

I have to say we were quite amazed by the fact that she was the only one on the G&T list in her class, since there seem to me to be plenty of kids that are cleverer than she is. Clearly, I have been missing these signs of genius - although she's certainly a drama queen around the house at times! Admittedly, she was reading pretty fluently aged 2.5 and could memorize things very easily, but I just thought she was at the 'bright' end of normal.

Anyway, although I don't set great store by academic achievement myself, on the whole I imagine it is probably a positive thing for her, if she gets to participate in the odd day of interesting extra-curricular activity.

I am a bit concerned, however, on a couple points and would appreciate any feedback form those that have been through this:

Firstly, now she is aware of her G&T status, I'm worried that she might start to see herself as 'cleverer' than the other kids - although, obviously, we have repeatedly warned her not to talk to the other children about this - and end up alienating herself from her friends by bragging about her G&T status. Has anyone had any experience of this happening at all and any suggestions of how to deal with it?

Conversely, I'm also concerned that she might at some point be 'dropped' from the list, which would surely be very upsetting for her. Does anyone know if that's a possibility? Children obviously learn and mature at different rates and what might seem 'gifted' or 'talented' now could easily be 'bog standard' by secondary school, couldn't it?

All thoughts and comments appreciated - thanks!

Thanks for the info Pixie,

DD was definitely the only one from her class invited to the G&T day. She is in a class of 32 in an 'outstanding' state primary in a pretty affluent area, and a lot of the kids seem pretty bright to me.

There are two classes in each year group, and two children from the other class were invited to the G&T day, but that still seems like well under 10% for her year group. Is it possible that different schools have different policies on it?

Anyway, my main concern remains that the register is something you can move on and off - how bizarre! We have consciously downplayed the whole G&T thing to DD, but it seems a rather negative thing to me if you can be 'gifted' one year and not the next!

We have never pushed DD and just encourage her in lots of extra-curricular activities to keep her busy. The main problem is finding suitable reading matter, since she can read pretty much anything, but of course a lot of the stuff she can read is too 'adult' in terms of content (IMO).

Basically, I don't care if she's gifted or not - I just want her to be happy! In the end, most kids seem to level out by the time they hit their teens.

No doubt the new government will scrap the whole G&T scheme anyway, as governments always seem to like to change things when they come to power!

Thanks again!

Different education authorities seem to do things differently.

We recently moved from an area where G&T was 'big' and most children seemed to get invited to various workshops/days at some point or other, to an area where you don't hear a thing about it. Got a bit worried at first that the DC had gone from being G&T to not being anything special but soon worked out that no one here gets to go on workshops or what have you.
Such a pity, as not only do the children get something out of it, but it can do the ego of a non-academic child an awful lot of good to be picked out as G&T. One of ours went to a 'problem solving' day which was a lovely mix of children from local schools using their brains in a non-standard way.

Both DSs have been put on the G&T list. DS1 got invited to a summer course last year and did it, but didn't get invited this year. Apparently the school can only nominate so many, and likes to share it about a bit...

And as mentioned, the scheme is having what little funding it did have withdrawn anyway.

Frankly it hasn't made any difference to DSs apart from very occasional "special days" where they do problem solving type stuff.
I wouldn't make any sort of big deal out of it. They seem not to have had their heads turned by finding out they were on the list.

Thanks for sharing your stories: glad to hear that, in the main, being on the G&T Register doesn't really change that much - just the odd day doing something a bit different/more stimulating.

I don't live in Lancashire, but I just found this by Googling, which I thought made for interesting reading - particularly the part about the Ofsted Report saying not enough schools were engaging with the G&T scheme:

Click Here

I guess it's a shame the scheme's being being scrapped, although I can't say it seems to have made much of a difference to DD: one activity day in the past three years won't exactly have had a huge impact...

Anyway, good luck with all your G&T DCs!

Wouldn't it be interesting to hear from people who were on G&T Register 10 years ago and see what they are up to now?!

Feel a tiny bit proud of DD, particularly given her genetic history!!

Thanks again x

I totally agree Pixie: no doubt all those G&T kids are now accountants, lawyers and doctors! Not to say there's anything wrong with that, of course, but you wonder whether it really is any sort of an advantage to being 'gifted' - or whether it just makes childhood harder because it's more difficult to feel 'normal'.

It's getting better now, but DD used to have terrible problems making friends with other children because I suppose really she's like a little grown up and just can't relate to other kids very well at all.

Thanks for the reading ideas. She gobbles up non-fiction and by the age of five had fully informed herself about dogs and horses - she used to regale me with details about all the various breeds, parts of the body, illnesses etc. - and latterly has moved on to how to make a career for yourself as an actress: 'getting the right agent is key, apparently'... Local history is a good idea, though: I might try her on that!

My problem really is fiction: should she be let loose on Dickens and Bronte? I'd rather that, I think, than some of the awful 'teen' fiction she tries to sneak past me in a pile of library books (e.g. 'Jinx' by Meg Cabot or - horror of horrors 'Twilight'!!).

Anyway, must dash to pack as off on hols tomorrow!

Thanks again x

I am not sure. 3 of my kids are on the schools list. My DDs were from nursery age and the eldest DD is still on it at almost 14. They have been invited to activity days etc and put in top sets at high school. I suppose it makes them feel abit proud but I try not to make a huge deal of it really due to my other kids etc.

Its a funny thing the "G&T register" - like you WKMum the first I knew about it was when DD was invited to an "Enrichment" day in year 3. So does this mean that she is on the fabled register? Dont know and dont care TBH; she is happy, popular and is motivated to learn, and lets face it it is there largely for the benefit of parents and probably wont be around for much longer anyway. And, to steal a thought from Oscar Wilde, my DD will still be happy, popular and motivated to learn when it ceases to exist.

Was told dd was on register in junior school- have no idea if she still is in Yr 8. She never chose to go to the G&T activities as they were in the lunchbreak, so it had no impact whatsoever on her life. What has had an impact has been being in top set for all subjects and reading a lot, neither of which has anything to do with register.

Quite, Pixie; I think the name antagonises people, I personally think it is ridiculous, and I would not describe my children as either gifted or talented - above average? yes.

Thanks for all the feedback! Sorry not to have replied sooner, but we were away for the half term break.

I would agree that my DD is bright and well 'above average', but I certainly wouldn't class her as 'gifted' - although perhaps it's the precise definition of the label that's the hardest thing of all...

I don't think I'd move her up a year because she has finally started to make a few friends - something that has been tough for her in the past - and, while I have the most enormous admiration for parents who HE, I work and can't really see myself being in a position to do that, so I think we will leave her where she is for now and try to give her extra 'stimulation' at home.

Pixie: your DS definitely sounds streets ahead of his peers. I would have to say 'Wow!" on the one hand, but also a big hug to you on the other, as I imagine it is a lot to cope with...

Thanks again

x

And heres me thinking she is having a Gin and Tonic in class.