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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

Genius child

110 replies

snowolf64 · 26/10/2015 20:55

I have been possibly lucky to have born as my son a HPL child (high potential learning ) at not even 2 and a half he can read and spell many 9 letter words name all the planets in order and just so much more, when you got a child and sits there and spells rectangle and hexagon and stuff like that it;s just weird. so how do i get him a sponsor to get him to private school because sending him anywhere else feels a bit like getting your hands on Einstein and sending him to work in Mc Donalds... help rich people

OP posts:
GloriaHotcakes · 26/10/2015 20:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hazeyjane · 26/10/2015 21:03

Gosh I wish I were rich enough to sponsor him. It would be a crime for a brain like that to be wasted in a state school.

If you can get him into an a Genius preschool programme (craft activities include making perpetual motion machines) that would be a start

ReallyTired · 26/10/2015 21:04

I assume that English is not the op first language.

Two and half years old is too young to think about scholarships. You will get 15 hours free funding for the term after your son is three. If you like you can choose to send him to a nursery attached to a private school. Bare in mind the funding will stop sometime in reception. If you choose for your child to attend a state school for reception you must give a term's notice or you will be charged a term's fees in Lieu of notice.

Lots of able children do well in state schools. Most private schools do not have much more to offer in the early years other than smaller classes. State school play dough is much like private school play dough. The difference between state and private shows up in juniors.

lougle · 26/10/2015 21:05

You can learn a lot from working in McDonald's. In fact books have been written about it and the use of marketing and colour to influence human behaviour is fascinating.

ReallyTired · 26/10/2015 21:06

There is a gifted and talented section of mumsnet if the op wants less scornful replies.

Racundra · 26/10/2015 21:10

Who assessed him as HPL?

(is that even a thing then?)

IguanaTail · 26/10/2015 21:13

OP - nearly everyone on mumsnet has a child who is exceptionally bright, so you are in great company. Slope on over to gifted and talented, but brace yourself because there are kids out there who are fluent in 6 languages, can multiply and divide 6 figure numbers and can rewire plugs before they turn 8 weeks.

hazeyjane · 26/10/2015 21:15

I apologise for my sarcastic post, if this is a genuine appeal for advice - but the comments about going to state school being like sending Einstein to work in McDonalds, and the plea for help from 'rich people ' led me to believe otherwise.

Original poster
snowolf64 · 26/10/2015 21:48

this is a genuine appeal... im not cleaver at all and did not expect this in life at all, im very working class, I have done a lot of reading about this im not making a political attack on state schools only that they are governed by rigid rules and cannot put my kid in the older class so he don;t get bored. my son is the real deal and i wanted some help... sorry I posted...

OP posts:
titchy · 26/10/2015 21:52

Einstein was a lowly clerk in a patent office. Didn't do him any harm.

Only1scoop · 26/10/2015 22:00

Blimey Confused

IguanaTail · 26/10/2015 22:04

OP - there is plenty of advice. G and T is your best bet. My comments were exaggerated but not wrong; you will don there are a lot of competitive parents out there and they will be keen to show how much brighter their child is than yours.

rosesarered9 · 26/10/2015 22:20

2.5 yo is WAY too young to be thinking about scholarships. Why do you say that being working class means that you can't be knowledgeable? Why do you assume that your DS would not be able to fulfil his potential at a state-funded school? "im not making a political attack on state schools only that they are governed by rigid rules" If any school was to be "governed" by "rigid rules" it would be public schools (aka private schools outside the UK), not state schools!

IrenetheQuaint · 26/10/2015 22:25

There are loads of children who seem extraordinarily advanced at 2 or 3 but in the longer term turn out to be intelligent but not exceptional.

Give him access to as many opportunities as you can and bear in mind that his social and emotional development is equally if not more important.

S999 · 27/10/2015 03:30

Private schools aren't always any better in supporting them. Super advanced children are a bit of a pain in the neck for many teachers. They get intimidated and defensive.

Axekick · 27/10/2015 07:23

OP it's far to early to be worrying about this.

What you need is a scholarship if you really want him in private school. So you need to research the private schools near you and what they offer.

Quite honestly though, dd was very early at reading writing, spelling etc.

She has done fantastically without private education. She is now in secondary and excelling.

I don't really post about her as some mners can be snippy of you say your child is very intelligent.

You also need to take into account the emotional well being of your child. I am not convince that private school is the best place when you are the poorest kids in the class. I am sure some private schools are brilliant and it's not like that. But how will you pay for all the extras?

What you need to do is research your local schools and visit them. Some will do the 15 hours early years.

Both dd and ds have gone/going through the same primary and it's fantastic.

Don't write off schools without doing your research and visit the schools. Honestly, if your son is gifted it does automatically mean he needs a private education.

NerrSnerr · 27/10/2015 07:26

Just keep doing what you're doing. 2.5 is too young to determine if he's a genius, it can even out and he might just end up run of the mill bright.

While we're here my 14 month old has just learnt to build towers and can say Mummy (every 5 minutes when she wants milk). Any offers of any money from anyone?

Slugonthewindow · 27/10/2015 07:32

He's 2 - let him enjoy his little life without pushing him. Explore and wonder at the world, play, laugh, develop motor skills - can he ride a bike and use scissors too? Let him be a toddler. What's the rush? Read with him, visit farms, go swimming. He's a child, not an adult. When he's four or five then look at education. And move over to gifted and talented for practical advice.

Axekick · 27/10/2015 07:35

There are loads of children who seem extraordinarily advanced at 2 or 3 but in the longer term turn out to be intelligent but not exceptional.

Totally agree with this. My mum wanted us to spend fortunes on tutors because she was so convinced dd needed her potential fulfilling. I said no for many reasons.

I wanted her to have time to be a child, not studying after school 5 nights a week.

I always wanted her to just do her best, that's all. I didn't want her brought up being told 'oh wow you are so special better than everyone else etc' which my mum was doing.

And I wanted her to not be under any pressure to always be advanced. I wanted her to find her own level. Where she as comfortable but being challenged a little, but also happy and not under undue stress.

They are children.

BertrandRussell · 27/10/2015 07:41

OP- I suggest you start again with a new name and think a bit more carefully about the impact your post might have on the people reading it. I guarantee that even if there are helpful answers out there, you won't get them in response to either hour initial post or the following one..........

Groovee · 27/10/2015 07:43

I worked with a child who was exceptionally bright. He was tested in P1 as being P7 maths level and P6 English. But emotionally very immature. They kept him with his peers age wise and brought in the specialists to work with him in the class!

multivac · 27/10/2015 07:43

It sounds like your son has an excellent memory; that is certainly likely to be useful to him within the education system, state or otherwise.

zen1 · 27/10/2015 07:49

Remember to think about his social needs as well as his academic needs.

fatowl · 27/10/2015 08:21

My Dh has a PhD and he worked in MacDs when he was a student.
Just saying

SummerNights1986 · 27/10/2015 08:54

Super advanced children are a bit of a pain in the neck for many teachers

This.

Ds1 isn't 'generally' gifted - his English, reading and so on are advanced for his age but only in the realm of 'normal intelligent kid doing well' iyswim.

He's 'officially' gifted mathematically. Currently in Year 3 and going to Year 6 for his maths lessons which are no longer stretching him enough (he's been with the Year 6 class since the beginning of Year 2). The school are doing their best but are now floundering a bit and don't really know what to do with him.

It's a pain. He's frustrated with the 'boring maths' they make him do, i'm frustrated for him, the school are frustrated. I'm glad it's 'just' maths and that for all other academics and socially etc he fits well with his class. Having a true 'across the board' gifted child must be a bloody nightmare IMO.

Ds2, who is very good at maths but not to the same degree as ds1 is much, much easier to deal with.

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