Gifted & Talented

Judd School Policy on Able, Gifted and Talented children

The purpose of this policy is to:

• clarify for governors, staff, pupils and parents a shared understanding of what higher ability is in Judd School
• express the school's aim for 'more able' pupils
• outline how the school will help support these pupils

Background

Over recent years there has been an increased emphasis on the need for schools to challenge and provide for their most able students - generally, the top 5-10% of each school's cohort. This has been emphasised by the government's creation of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY), based at the University of Warwick, whose aim is to support the brightest 5-10% of students in the country. Schools need to report on their provision in their SEF forms and Ofsted may be focusing on how schools meet the needs of their most able learners. There is an expectation from the DfES that schools should have a G&T policy.

The role of Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator

• Maintain and update annually the G&T register
• Work with colleagues to promote the learning experiences and opportunities for (students on the G&T register) all students, both within the curriculum and in extra-curricular activities, looking all the time for extension and enrichment opportunities e.g. competitions, partnership work, subject clubs, summer schools etc.
• Make students on the G&T register and others as appropriate aware of local and national opportunities.
• Foster an attitude within the school which seeks to include more students in the G&T programme.
• Work in liaison with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust group of local schools. This group is specialist led and is seeking to extend and diversify learning experiences for able children, particularly in the classroom.

Definition of Gifted and Talented pupils

DfES and Ofsted define gifted pupils as those with academic ability which 'places them significantly above the average for their year group'. Talented pupils are defined as those with practical abilities 'significantly above average' in art, music, dance or sport. DfES guidelines suggest that schools identify 5-10% of pupils as 'gifted and talented' in each year group.
The very notion of the term 'gifted and talented' is of course controversial. At Judd, we have agreed to use term 'more able.' It is a catch-all descriptor, which refers to students who achieve, or have the ability to achieve, above average in one or more subject areas or domains, including areas outside the main curriculum.

Gifted and Talented action plan : The four stage process for Judd School:

1) Audit:
In September, all departments complete a G&T Subject Audit. The purpose of this audit is to establish the extension and enrichment opportunities currently being offered to pupils both within and beyond lessons:

• through the taught curriculum, both in class and in 'extra' classes;
• through enrichment activities (clubs, teams, assemblies, fieldtrips, visits etc);
• through the structuring of curriculum delivery (extension work, suggested reading and follow-up);

The result of this audit to be displayed in the Staff Quiet room and any gaps that exist addressed.

2) Identification:
Judd is a selective school and, as such, almost all pupils fall into the bracket of Gifted and Talented in some way or another. Therefore it has been suggested by the Specialist Schools Trust that two groups be identified:

• Group 1): The top 5-10% of each year group will be identified by Subject Leaders and Teachers. These are students who are significantly higher than their year group peers in a subject/area in any of the following: CAT scores, SATs/GCSE grades, MidYis, Yellis/ALIS, teacher identification, parental recommendation, primary school recommendation, evidence of day to day performance in lessons/activities, performance in activities beyond school e.g. sport/drama, evidence of creative thinking etc. Approximately 10-15 pupils per year group for each subject/area will be selected for formal G&T Opportunity Workshops. We will call these 'Challenge Groups.' This is primarily the group at whom any enrichment opportunities or curriculum modification are targeted. The 'Challenge Groups' are to be facilitated by selected sixth formers.
  
  
• Group 2): The majority of the rest. Any student who meets NAGTY's eligibility criteria. This will involve a much larger group than the top 10%, but all of these students could take advantage of national provision for the very bright. All opportunities available to be advertised generally and made informally to students as appropriate.

Identified pupils are collated into a G&T database that clearly shows what subject(s)/area(s) the student is gifted or talented in - they may be brilliant at everything, or just an amazing mathematician or cricketer. This info to go in hard copy form to Subject Leaders to disseminate, with students in their particular area highlighted for class teachers to use and transfer to mark books. It will also go to Form Tutors and Year Heads. It will also exist as a read only document on the network under 'staff shared area.' There will be a copy in the staff work area, in the SEF, and in the G&T coordinator's possession.

3) Provision : Judd School's role in supporting its gifted and talented students

The Judd School aims to support its gifted and talented students in three ways:

Schoolwide enrichment which puts learning at the centre of all school improvement and is a practical plan for talent development. This is reflected in a challenging curriculum, curriculum extension tasks, appropriate grouping, display, the CPD programme, assemblies, ethos etc.

• Enrichment Triad Model
  
  Type 1: stimulation - activities and experiences which bring the student in touch with different kinds of topics or areas. This could include speakers or visits.
  
  Type 2: creative or critical thinking - open-ended activities which allow students to escalate their thinking processes and introduce students to more advanced kinds of study.
  
  Type 3: investigation and enquiry - depends on interest and task commitment of individual students. Students become involved in actual investigation of real problems.
  
  
• Curriculum Modification involves departures from traditional use of time and space - fast tracking, vertical grouping, mentoring, enrichment clusters, cross school partnering, working offsite, summer schools, master classes, extension classes etc.

Students identified as being in the top 5-10% of each year group to attend a regular 'Challeng Group' workshop and any other appropriate/interested students invited, to be informed about potential 'take-up' opportunities. These 'Challenge Groups' will be organised on a regular basis by the Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator and facilitated by 'Subject Representatives' from the Sixth form.
Recommendations are made to parents that the pupil be registered with NAGTY.

4) Monitoring and impact assessment

The outcomes of effective identification and provision for the G&T students are likely to be qualitative, not quantitative, and long term. However at Judd School the following methods will be used to measure the effectiveness of the work e.g.

• Improved exam results for identified students (results v prediction)
• Attendance at summer schools/enrichment opportunities - registers can monitor these, as can take-up statistics
• Improved skills levels - pupils and staff evaluations
• Greater independence of students in learning and research - teacher evaluation/parental comment
• Higher self-esteem for G&T student - student evaluation
• Increased staff motivation - staff survey
• Improved teaching - lesson observation forms.
  

If you wish to contact me regarding 'Gifted and Talented' at Judd e-mail: paul.thompson@judd.kent.sch.uk

Updated: 05 October 2006