DCs starting a new school after half term...what do I take? Should I mention G&T?

[FishfingersAreOK]

Due to a move my DC (YR & Y2) are starting at a new primary school on Monday. When we left their old school on Friday I was given all of their work/folders/old reading records etc.

Not so worried about YR stuff but should I take Y2 literacy/numeracy/handwriting stuff in with us for the first day for the new school. Or would that look...er....I don't know...unnecessary? Would it be useful or just a pain?

Also, Y2 is on the Gifted and Talented register for her reading. Not sure how this has actually benefitted her tbh. She doesn't know she is on the register. We are not that bothered in many ways. We were happy she was being stretched at her old school - and she was happy and thriving. So again, is there any need to mention it? The new school is bigger, and one of the appeals of it is there will be more peers for DD (Y2) of a similar academic ability - rather than her being pulled into Y3/Y4 classes. If I don't mention it will it seem odd? If I do will I seem pushy? Does the G&T transfer to a new school IYSWIM or will it just be dependent on the others in her year.

These are probably all questions I should have asked the school(s) last week but we only found out they had places on Thursday and everyone agreed beginning of the half term was the sensible time to start....but has left me with very little time to get my head around it!

Not sure if posting in correct area....Oh....blasted half term

Especially as the OP said the new school is bigger.

Too true, yes it was, and Marinarik's books as well, however, as in Haiku poetry, minimalism doesn't always equal stupidity.

Just pointing out that the approach that you described CAN arrive at a genuinely memorable story. The Julia Donaldson phonics series are also examples of how even 'scheme' books can be original and often funny.

Well, yes. I agree. But the school have given us very few good books, Ginn Zoon Set Es accepted, which seem to be rationed because they're in short supply and are old. The fact that some (justly celebrated authors) can do much with so little doesn't mean that reading schemes will have good minimalist books. And from what I've heard Little Bear is at stage nine of some reading systems. If it's at stage nine of ours my daughter might not get those books for a year or two. But she read them all more than a year ago.

So what books does she get from school then? (Being nosy) Is it the dreaded Biff etc?

Hopefully yr1 will be better...

I'd send the work folders in. They will be useful for the teacher to see, especially as some schools are really bad at passing on information to new schools - can take weeks, if not longer, of chasing to get any info on new children. I would not mention G&T at this point and let school make their mind up and see how she fits in with their own cohort of children.

It depends on which teacher is in. The main teacher gets Zoom Set Es from Y1, which is great. They're simple books but at least they're clever and imaginative. If the other regular staff teacher is in then it's Boff & Kopper which gets ignored by us.

learnandsay don't use Aesop as an example of a high quality author - he was allegedly illiterate but a gifted oral storyteller, I'm not denying the interest of the tales but versions vary greatly as there was no original written down!

I can't see how G&T can ever be irrelevant regardless of how inadequate the old cohort was and how amazingly bright the new one is. Presumably G&T reading always involves reading something more difficult than almost all of the mindless books we've been given so far."

No you presume wrongly all it means is being one of the best readers in the class (top 10% gov. criteria) even if that means you are reading pink level Biff, Chip et al and the rest of the class are still on wordless books.

Can anyone give me an example of a G&T child on pink Boff & Kopper books?

Yes L&S we had one arrive in reception a few years ago previous school followed DCSF guidance to the letter and registered top 10% of every class as G&T in their data parents were very upset when we said sorry but she isn't G&T.

I mean now. Can anyone please post,

"yes. My child is G&T and reads pink Boff & Kopper books."

I doubt anyone on MN has a child on pink level ORT

DCSF guidance L&S

Are we expected to identify our gifted and talented pupils against national expectations?

There are gifted and talented learners in every year group in every school. In identifying gifted and talented learners, DCSF guidance encourages schools to focus on:
? learners who are gifted and talented relative to their peers in their own year group and school;
? a range of abilities including talent in the arts and sport;
? ability rather than achievement, so that underachievers are amongst those identified.

Should we identify a specific percentage of the school population as gifted and talented?

Recent DCSF guidance assumes a norm of around 10% of the school population. The proportion of pupils identified may vary across year groups and in small rural schools it may be more appropriate to identify the gifted and talented population within a key stage as opposed to a year group. However, it is important to remember that gifted and talented pupils will not always show this through current high levels of achievement, so that even a year group showing generally low levels of achievement may still include gifted and talented pupils.

and unfortunately some schools took this quite literally and identified theor top 10% regardless.

their

Many things are possible in life but the risks of something as stupid as a G&T on pink ORT don't seem high based on current responses.

also from the guidance ... and not always made clear to parents

Once identified do pupils remain on our gifted and talented register permanently?

No necessarily. Since relative ability changes over time, learners should move on and off the register when appropriate.

Although a school?s gifted and talented pupils are identified on the school census three times a year, it is currently recommended that schools review and update gifted and talented registers on an annual basis. Where parents are informed that pupils are on gifted and talented registers, it is recommended that information makes it clear that pupils are included on the register for a specific period of time, for example a school year.

I'm sure there are some people on mumsnet who have children on pink ORT, just not G&T as well.

I've taught children who were G&T in art, music and sport but I can honestly say I have never taught a child who I considered truly G&T academically some highly able children but the concept of 10% of every school population being G&T is questionable

I think the argument about pink ORT is a bit of a red herring, if you'll pardon the expression. I think your valid point was technically a G&T child could be at a very low reading level if 90% of her classmates were even lower. And no doubt technically that's true. But how big is the risk that G&T is being used generally in such a stupid fashion?

I'm sure 10% across the board is questionable and I'm not sure how often it's used. I don't know if our school uses G&T at all. But regardless, I would expect this far through the year any such discussion, or even a normal discussion about reading proper stories, (never mind G&T) to involve much better written material than the dross we're getting.

"Generally" G&T was widely used in such a fashion and policed by LEA advisors during termly census returns L&S.

"was", in the recent past, (effectively meaning still is) or was in the past and is not generally being used or policed in that stupid fashion today?

was as in still happening in some places

LandS - but the bit mrz links to says "it is important to remember that gifted and talented pupils will not always show this through current high levels of achievement.."

This to me suggests that a G&T child is not necessarily top of the class.