Gifted & Talented policy

Blandford St Mary Primary School Policy for Gifted and Talented pupils In Blandford St Mary Primary school we aim to enable every learner to reach and achieve their full potential. We believe that we should provide a teaching and learning curriculum that is appropriate to the needs and abilities of all the children.

We seek to ensure every child can experience excellence and enjoyment at their level. We endeavour to help learners develop their skills and abilities academically, physically, artistically and creatively.

We aim to identify gifted and talented learners and provide opportunities to develop specific skills and talents as well as ensuring that we develop the whole child and not just one aspect of their abilities. This policy helps to ensure that we recognise and support the needs of those children in our school who have been identified as Gifted or Talented according to national guidelines and illustrates our commitment to providng for them.

Gifted and Talented Definitions In this policy the term ‘gifted’ refers to a child who is academically high achieving or shows potential to be high achieving. They may have abroad range of areas in which they are very able or a specific strength in one subject area. Gifted children often have well developed thinking and learning skills.

The term ‘talented’ often refers to a child who shows a more specific ability/talent or potenital in sport, music, art or design. A talented child might not be highly achieving across all area of learning.

Able learners can also be:  Good all rounders  High achievers in one area  Of high ability but of low motivataion  Of good verbal ability but have poor writing skills  Very able but with short attention span  Very able but with poor social skills  Very able but with specific or significant special needs  Keen to disguise their abilities.

Identification There are a variety of ways and strategies that we employ to identify Gifted and Talented children. The identification process begins as a child joins Blandford St Mary Primary School is ongoing throughout the child’s time at the school.

Identified children are placed on the Gifted and Talented register and reviewed

annually. We do not discriminate against any group of children and include learners who join the school after Reception or are late developers.

Assessment In Blandford St Mary School children are regularly assessed to ensure they are making good progress.

In the Foundation Stage the assessment that is under taken gives information about the children’s developing skills and aptitudes across several areas of learning.

As a child progresses through the school assessment becomes more subject specific. Children are formally and informally assessed against National Curriculum level descriptors in all National Curriculum subjects through teacher assessment and Statutory Assessment Tasks in Years 2 & 6. This information can help with the identification of Gifted and Talented children when children achieve high levels of attainment across the curriculum, or in particular skills or aspects of subjects.

Teacher and Peer Identification and Nomination.

In addition to the assessment evidence for identifying a Gifted or Talented child, teacher and peer identification can play an important role in identifying the more able child as well. Teachers and Peers often have a more rounded and in depth understanding and knowledge of a child and although may not be able to provide such concrete evidence as assessment their identification can be equally as valid.

Where attainment is not high but there are indications of potential high ability, the school strives to identify that potential and nurture it. Over the year there will be times within staff meetings allocated to discussing and reviewing children on the G&T register. This will support staff in their identification and ensure consistency across the school. In this policy we aim to highlight ways in which the Gifted and Talented child can be recognised.

Children who show some or all of these qualities are showing signs of being a Gifted or Talented child:  Demonstrates a particular flair or strength in one or more areas.  Shows a particular interest in one or more subjects.  Has ideas or achievements that are beyond their age.  Sees things in an alternative way.  Is willing to question.  Has multiple intelligences  Will work in a logical or systematic way and seek patterns or evidence.  Is self-driven and motivated, showing an ability to self- extend.  Shows a greater of understanding and will pick up on subtlety, draws inferences.  Has a wider use and understanding of vocabulary and concepts.  Can apply multiple skills.

More Able, Gifted or Talented children in Literacy can be identified when they;  Demonstrate high levels of fluency and originality in their conversation.

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Use research skills effectively to synthesise information.

Enjoy reading and respond to a range of texts at an advanced level.

Use a wide vocabulary and enjoy working with words.

See issues from a range of perspectives.

Possess a creative and productive mind and use advanced skills when engaged in discussion.

More Able, Gifted or Talented children in Numeracy can be identified when they;  Explore a range of strategies for solving a problem.  Are naturally curious when working with numbers and investigating problems.  See solutions quickly without needing to try a range of options.  Look beyond the question in order to hypothesise and explain.  Enjoy manipulating numbers in a variety of ways.  Work flexibly and establish their own strategies.

Our aim is to build a comprehensive picture of each child’s ablity. We will seek to keep careful records or evidence of work and achievements, work collaboratively with parents and colleagues to develop a detailed picture of a learner’s abilities.

Once a child is identifed as Gifted or Talented they will be placed on the school’s gifted and talented register.

Provision In Blandford St Mary Primary School we believe that encouraging and modelling high achievement within the classroom has a positive effect for the whole class and therefore aim to provide much classroom based provision for the very able, gifted and talented child.

Model of Provision:

Whole class group

Identified 10% through teacher or assessment identification Classroom based provision via groupings, differentiation and enrichment materials Identification of top 2% children – additional provision sought /IEP written.

Whole class knock on effect of class provision- high expectations and examples of high achievement = everyone improving and standards raised.

At Blandford St Mary School all teachers plan carefully to meet the learning needs of all their children. Teachers plan work that can be differentiated to suit the level of the child and additional extension or enrichment tasks can be set. Teachers work with children to establish what they already know and what they want to find out to avoid repetition and engage children in their learning.

In Numeracy and Literacy children are ability grouped to allow for focussed group work with the teacher or TA and allow the teacher to set work to appropriately challenge to the group. These groupings are reviewed regularly to ensure children are making progress and are working at a level suited to their achievements.

Teachers are encouraged to use a range of teaching styles and methods of questioning to develop children’s awareness of their own learning, broaden children’s think skills and help children become more independent learners.

Teachers will consider their methods of questioning whilst planning the ensure children are given opportunities to apply higher order thinking skills.

Children will be given opportunities to further extend their learning or broaden their learning through a range of activities. These activities can be in class through individual topics and research tasks, homework activities (particulalry in Key Stage 2), educational visits and visitors. Learners may be encouraged to work with other children in an instructive role or be placed in groupings to work with other more able learners from other age groups.

In addition to this children are given opportunities to attend extra- curricular clubs such as sporting and musical clubs. Where appropriate and available volunteers, specialist teachers and links with nearby schools will be made to support children with particular academic needs. If a teacher identifies a child as having a talent that would be further supported through attending an out of school club the teacher can recommend this to the parent of the child.

Monitoring and Tracking Classroom teachers assess the progress of gifted and talented learners through normal classroom practice.

A teacher will be nominated as the Gifted and Talented Aspect Leader to coordinate the provision and practice within the school. The Aspect Leader’s role includes;  Ensuring that the Able, Gifted and Talented register is up to date.  Review and update Gifted and Talented policy.  Supporting staff in the identification of more able and very able children.  Provide advice and support to staff on teaching and learning strategies for more able and vary able children.  Monitor planning to ensure suitable tasks and activities are planned for the more able children.

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Regularly review teaching arrangements for the more able and very able children.

Work with assessment leader and class teachers to monitor the progress of the more able and very able children.

Ensure, when appropriate, that children receive an IEP. Liaise with parents, governors and LA advisors on issues related to Able, Gifted and Talented children.

Keep up to date with Gifted and Talented initiatives and issues locally and nationally.

The Gifted and Talented Leader will need to monitor and review the Gifted and Talented register regularly working with class teachers to ensure children are appropriately placed on the register. They will also need to review the impact and progress of children being placed on the register.

A school governor is idenitifed as responsible for gifted and talented pupils and will carry out their responsibilities in this role working with the Gifted and Talented Leader.

S. Harris October 2008 Date adopted by Governors December 08 To be reviewed October 2010

Further Information and Resources www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/giftedandtalented Folens Publishers Pimary Professional Development: Able and Gifted Children (FA541X) London Gifted and Talented www.londongt.org National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) 0845 450 0295 www.nagcbritain.org.uk National Association for Able Children in Education Tel: 01865 861879 www.nace.co.uk DFES Homework: Guidelines for Primary and Secondary Schools 1998

DFES Extending Opportunity: A National Framework for Study Support 1998