A few basic questions! Please help me understand!

[Claire70]

Can anyone tell me what the minimum a state primary has to do with regard to G&T? Do they at least have to have a written policy which is available on request to parents?
Do they have to put at least one child per year into the scheme?
Do they have to ensure their are a minimum level of resources given to the scheme? ( i.e teacher time/ materials??)
Do they get additional funding for it as they would for SEN?

Is there any opt-out (e.g. if the school is church aided)?

Do I have any recourse if my children's school appears to do absolutely nothing (in practice, and potentially not in theory either)?

there, not their

My two DC started school for the first time in Sept-09 in Yrs 1 and 3. It was hard to find a school with a space in both years, but we succeeded in the end and moved to that area.

The school is only rated "satisfactory" by Ofsted but we know that the Ofsted 1-4 rating is not everything and we were convinced that this school was turning itself around (new head etc who was making a big difference).
Other parents are also transferring their DC there, so we are not the only ones who were convinced that things were/ are improving.

Since joining school, it has become clear that both DC are very bright. They are both either top, or in the top three, of the class in literacy, writing, maths and science.

However it has also become clear that the head is more about spin than reality and there are weaknesses in the teaching provision. the main one is that as far as I can see, children who have achieved minimum levels for there year are put to one side and not progressed while the teacher focuses on the children who are not meeting govt targets. I help in the school and have seen first hand evidence of this.

I had advice from a retired head whilst looking for a school to find out about the G&T provision. She knew my DC and perhaps saw what I thought was just flattery.
I did ask when touring the school, but the answer wasn't really an answer.. more an avoidance of the question. I noticed, but I did not push for an answer at the time, because I thought it was purely theoretical in my family's case and anyway, I was getting a good feeling about this school.

Now I don't know if my DC should be in a G&T scheme or not but I do know that there is no effort made to set them challenging work.

Also there was what I thought initially was a small problem with one of the teachers a few months ago. I went to see the head about it, expecting that it was just one of those things and once the head knew about it, then she would deal with it. Instead, I was met with what might best be called a defensive attack and nothing was done. Looking back, what i was pointing out as a small snag was actually linked to a much deeper problem in that classroom and I now know that their have been many complaints about that teacher and her low ability.
Since then the head has been decidedly cool towards me and now I feel that I cannot talk to her unless I am very sure of my ground.

I am trying to decide whether to keep the DC in the school next year or start looking now (today!). Really all I want to know is what will happen to my DC next year if they continue to race through the work getting 100% most fo the time?

PixieOnaLeaf - prior to an IEP being made for your son, was there an acknowledgement that your son was able?
DS2's teacher tells me all this verbally but DS1's teacher tells me nothing about how he is doing. I am hoping this will change when I receive the yearly report in a few weeks time, but meanwhile the clock is ticking on finding a new school.

PixieOnaLeaf - thanks. I know you are right. Mow the problem is to find one!

Wow! That is something! My DC are able to work about two years ahead, but your son is like one of those children who get a maths degree from Oxford at 16!

Do you feel that you have the ability to home school him? I home schooled DS1 for two years (because there were no schools where we were living). I found it really difficult - not to teach because it was all elementary stuff - but to put together a teaching program and to obtain materials.
However, in your shoes, I'd be concerned too about having sufficient knowledge to be able to challenge your son.

Its two years because at this age, it still about arithmetic, reading and writing short stories, so I can see what DS1 does "for fun" at home and it is way ahead of what he does at school.
DS2 has surprised me because he has started to memorise his times tables, can compute in thousands, reads books for much older children etc. He isn't getting this at school and I haven't been teaching him at home... he's just been picking it up at home from seeing DS1's things lying around.

I will let you know but I have a horrible feeling that the better schools are all full with a waiting list.

Claire70, DD1 (9) sounds just like your children and the school the same as ours. Her maths group was told before christmas that they had achieved all the 4b targets so would not be taken further this year. Think it also has alot to do with 'value added' points with offsted. A governor told me if they hold the brighter children back they will be seen to have improved so much next year.
A few months ago we started DD with a tutor for 11+ tuition. Best thing we ever did. Finally she has an hour a week (shared with 2 other bright children) with a fantastic tutor who excites and challenges her. She learns more in that hour than she gains from a week at school, best of all it has excited her again.
I now wish I had found her a tutor years ago. DD2 is only 4 in reception but I will not hesitate finding her a tutor when she begins year3. A very sad state of affairs when parents have to supplement a state education.

drivinmecrazy - that describes the situation well and I think you are right: it is about playing the ofsted system, rather than about teaching. Our school has a long way to go though to even come up to national averages so I can see why it has little time or interest in helping the brighter children to achieve their potential, but it doesn't help my children that i can empathise with the HT's position.

I've been doing some analysis on this school's league table today as DH's view is that the next school would have to be a substantial improvement to merit the disruption a move would cause. It is not good: looking at their 2009 results they are never above the median for the county and often in the bottom quartile. It looks like the school has been failing the less able children too.

I also started calling around asking schools if they have availability, so far without any success.