Starting school gifted?

[BabiesDontNeedDaddies]

I got told that to be classed as gifted going in to reception all the kid has to be able to do is read a simple sentence, ie "a cat sat on a mat", and do simple addition/subtraction, like 7+2 or 4-3. That seems quite basic to me for gifted. Is that right? Or is it like a local thing since I don't live in an affluent area

Also OP, and please don’t take this the wrong way - punctuation is our friend! It makes your posts easier to read and helps the reader understand the point you’re making. Without punctuation it’s just a lot of disjointed words

Speak to the school and they will explain it.
I would assume that the class is split into smaller groups to work on thingslike phonics, maths etc and preschool have told you your ds will be in the 'gifted' group. Although it obviously won't be labelled as that for the children.
The rest of the time they will all be mixed and working on social skills and the rest of the curriculum together in more of a fluid nature - so it looks like, or sounds like when they tell you - that they have been' playing'. Eg they have played in water - they've been learning about volume, quantities, marine animals, working as a team
Although I would query any school or preschool which allows a 4yr old to read the colour of magic

I have never heard of a 'gifted group' in school. Children that are more able in certain areas may get taken out for extra or different lessons in those areas or work at a higher level.
Nobody can possibly tell you how many children this will be. My son did one on one maths and English was in a group of 4. Everything else was done with the whole class.
Is there a particular area your son gifted in?

The gifted group doesn’t necessarily work separately. They do everything with the class. And then they are given extension work. He won’t be separated from his classmates in any way or made to feel different.

In our school there is no 'gifted group'.
In the early years provision the emphasis is on learning through play and the activities on offer can be varied for all class members to suit all abilities while still interacting and learning from their peers.

If you want your DC to sit and read a novel or do his algebra while the others are completing the tasks that meet the demands of the curriculum then you're deluded. He needs to learn to interact and engage with his peers as well as the less obvious skills such as changing for PE, good toilet habit and hygiene, look after his belongings etc.

School is about far more than maths and reading. If your child truly is one of the more able then I'm sure his school will be able to cater for that (no doubt you've chosen the school very carefully).

From what I see at my DS1's class, the children have absolutely no idea who is better or worse at reading, writing, maths etc. They form their friendships purely on common interest in toys, cartoons and games they like playing. It was the same in Pre reception class. The children varied so much on their abilities in different areas of learning. DS's school also does not split children into ability groups until year 2 (age 7). Currently children all do the same activities and they work individually or in mixed groups. It's only in reading that you notice the children are on different readings bands and get given books for their own reading ability each day. Other than that, the children have absolutely no idea who is top/bottom for he class.

He is going into reception- he will spend the majority of his time playing. He will learn through play. The academics will come later.

Even if he is in a gifted group I would’ve thought, if the criteria is only what’s in the OP, that he would only be in the gifted groups for maths and reading. That’s really a very small part of their day especially in reception. He isn’t going to be isolated anymore than any other kid. Also I don’t think people make friends based on IQ. For example, ds has friends from all groups in his class as does dd. They don’t base friendships on which reading group they’re in, it’s about who plays the games they like or laughs at their jokes or who told them a cool story or lives in their street.

Schools don't focus much on G&T any more (gifted and talented) The main focus is disadvantaged and showing progress for all. PP (pupil premium) and FSM (free school meals) are what schools are interested in.
I don't think you should worry before they start - even if they are bright they will still have plenty to learn in reception class that will keep them busy. Try and enjoy rather than go with negative pre-conceptions.

If the school your ds is going clearly says there is gifted group, then he is one of the lucky ones. Most of the school have given up on G&T things years ago.

In reception, it's quite easy for more able children to be catered for, since academics are really small part of the day, and it's not really formal. You can built on that evidence he shows during reception to ask school so he will be stretched in more formal ks1.

If your ds is a true outlier, as some of MN parents have experienced, it may not be enough.Or some are totally happy how the school deal with this situation.
Personally, my ds's school is crap on stretching outlier, but great for everything else. So over all, I am happy with school. He hasn't learned any maths at school since he started school, but he has learned plenty of other stuff.

It's really up to each school and each teacher, and you just need to keep an eye on it. Some teacher/school will go above and beyond. Some have no interest. But since your school still have G&T group, there is a hope.

I think the word gifted needs to stop being used as it doesn’t really mean what is described.....and sounds a bit ridiculous when describing a child’s reading.

I think you can stretch a bright child at home too though.

'Got told my kid will go into the gifted group'

Eh

Your dc will not be excluded from the class they join. I think you've had some strange ideas put in your head TBH.

My youngest could read fairly well and add/ subtract when he entered reception but isn’t considered officially ‘gifted’. I think he’s the highest stream of work that they do but I don’t the children are aware that they are doing different things and I think that’s right. As long as he’s progressing and happy then I’m happy!

What will the other kids be like in the gifted group in junior school.
As other posters have said there won't be a gifted group. Children learn in a class with differentiated work for some subjects (but not all as many lessons are self differentiating). You can't tell if a child is gifted just because they can read a bit and do some maths. It all unfolds over the next few years as they continue to learn.

Fwiw my ds started school unable to read because as a primary teacher I knew that wasn't the most important thing. He had a great general knowledge and curiosity about the world. He then was labelled G and T by the school (when they still did that) and is now predicted mostly 9s in his gcses. He spent his primary years mostly in mixed groups with mixed friends and has done very well. Schools don't segregate children off just because they're quite bright. Thankfully.

So if you're wondering what kind of kids your child will be with in class take a look at the general intake and you will see.

The curriculum will be differentiated for him and he may (with others) do some small group work with higher targets. That's it isn't it?

He will still mix with the rest of his class for a lot of lesson time and he'll make friends with whoever he gets on best with (and this may change daily for the first couple of years!).

Relax a bit - my kids have wildly different academic abilities but they loved reception and year 1 and found their way.

There is relatively little formal teaching on the timetable in Reception, most will be play based activities with short literacy and numeracy sessions usually in the mornings. You may find a small group are already beyond basic phonics and are taken aside for guided reading with a TA for example, as well as reading to teacher , ta or parent volunteer. However having a child who is "gifted" across the board is unusual so it will never be as cut and dried as x, y and z always being taught separately (nor will there be resources to do so) . I would also manage your expectations as ime the "bright" children in Reception are not necessarily those who are demonstrably far ahead by 11 or gcses. Children develop at different rates and some will not have had the same early advantages. Indeed those who are earmarked early can later display social and emotional issues, and find it harder to deal with the challenges life may present.

Op, you asked what gifted kids could do at reception age?
I could use the toilet, wipe my nose, eat my food slowly. I did not know my alphabet but recogined the digits 0 to 9. All I could do was running around playing football with older kids. The school thought I was the dumbest kid they ever had to accept :))
By the age of seven, they were considering moving me up a couple of year groups at least. Kids all develop at different rate and a lot of kids with early signs of potential achieve very little.

I agree with PP about ability at reception not being necessarily indicative of ability later on. My eldest child is at a selective secondary school doing incredibly well and couldn’t read at all when he started reception. They also started walking and talking the latest out of all my children and now doing very well (above average) academically and musically.
As I said above, my youngest appears very bright/ advanced in comparison at a young age but I’m not assuming this means he’ll be the highest achieving and I certainly wouldn’t use the word gifted (and my 5yo can also read music!)

Like someone said earlier, let 4/5 year olds be 4/5 year olds. Let them play, them socialise, let them explore.

We are shockingly obsessed in this country with incessant streaming, testing, comparing etc, kids from a young age. And the majority of so called “gifted” kids have been coached at home, obviously, from a very young age. Let children be children.

Like someone said earlier, let 4/5 year olds be 4/5 year olds. Let them play, them socialise, let them explore. We are shockingly obsessed in this country with incessant streaming, testing, comparing etc, kids from a young age.

YY

And for a 4/5 year old who's bliss is books or maths workbooks?

I do agree this is a same OP who posted similar thread in the past under different UN, but here is my opinion.

Tbh, I can see the point of what OP's ds might be like.
Mine was obsessed with number, only thing he talked about was number related.
I think it was a lot to do with environment. At pre-school/ nursery level, interaction with other children are quite limited. And as a parent, we naturally want to encourage what their children is interested. I did, I gave him access to what he wanted.

My view has changed much over the years, some from what I've seen daily, or from what I've read on the internet.
It might depend on each child, some may wants to pursue what they love most , and some of them wants to try out all the different things, like my ds.

Anyways, I really don't think you really need to worry too much during reception. You should use those time to evaluate if the school is good for your child? Any other ways to work with school and make it better for your child? Any possibility for getting into selective private? All the possibility. He is still really young. There are so many path he can take.

They are all different and enjoy different things. Mine loves to read and is learning the piano (NOT pushed by me but because he wants to be like his much older musical siblings!) As I said in my first post, if he is developing, progressing at school as required and above all happy then at this age I feel that’s enough.
Looking ahead I think I do hope he’ll go to the selective school (independent) where the older ones go but at 4/5 it’s far too early to be thinking about that.

My DS3 met your criteria in reception. He could read, could do maths, was in the most able group academically. He was the youngest boy in the year. He wasn't very able physically, gross or fine motor skills, unreliable at toileting.

His friends were the other boys who weren't obsessed with playing football. They ranged from a very bright October born boy to a June born lad with some SEN and a few in between. They had a lovely time playing imaginative games and generally running about in the playground and had lots of play dates. He did not just play with the children on his table.

Does that answer your question?

I wouldn’t worry, if he is going into the gifted group based on THAT criteria I would imagine there’ll be a few of them as that’s on the clever side of normal (not necessarily gifted). If that’s the stage he’s at he’ll be fine. For what it’s worth my dd went into school recognising letters (but not reading) and now at 13 she is probably what you would class as gifted. Predicted 9s and 8s at gcse and just knowing everything without being taught. She hasn’t had it easy socially though as she’s always been different. She just gets on with it herself. It has got easier for her in secondary though and has met a few like minded older friends who are on the same page as her.