The Gifted and Talented Policy

Mission statement

An ever evolving experience for ever evolving learners.

At GEMS Jumeirah Primary School we recognise the uniqueness of each child through a programme of learning
that promotes challenge and personalised education at all levels. Through this, we encourage creative and critical
thinking alongside stimulating and meaningful experiences.

We continually aim to provide an inclusive, enabling environment which empowers all children to achieve.

Our curriculum celebrates the diversity within our school and equips our children with the skills and attributes
required to become active citizens in our international community.

Our school strives to create a nurturing environment with strong, open and positive partnerships between adults,
children and the wider community that ensures the well-being of all.


1. Introduction

All children need encouragement and support. All pupils should receive the education they need and if they need
specialised or personalised help because of a potential gift or talent they possess, they should have the same
entitlement as have pupils who find learning difficult.

All children are individuals with their own special needs and requirements. Potentially gifted and talented children
should be identified, targeted, supported and challenged. Strategies need to be devised and implemented, and
student progress needs to be monitored in much the same way as students with SEN. This is not to say that
these students are more worthy than other students- rather that, within a framework of equal opportunity, they are
entitled to have their needs recognised and addressed.

We acknowledge that HMI research indicates that where successful provision is made for Gifted and Talented
pupils, there is an increase in the standards and level of achievement of all pupils.

This policy is designed to enable Jumeirah Primary School to improve our Institutional Quality Standards and
Classroom Quality Standards for G&T provision.

At JPS the top 5-10 % of children are identified as highly able Gifted and Talented pupils and the top 1-2 % of
the schools population are identified as potentially Gifted and Talented. JPS use the following definitions to define
Gifted and Talented

Gifted: Having exceptional natural ability
Talented: Having a natural aptitude or skill for something


2. Purpose of policy

This policy describes the way we meet the needs of children who demonstrate exceptional performances and who
are working well beyond their age related expectations in any area of the curriculum, whether it is displaying a
special creative talent or showing significant aptitude in other areas.

This policy describes the way JPS caters for the Potentially Gifted and Talented child, who has the potential to
learn in a broader or deeper manner, or at an accelerated pace. Numbers will be finalised through assessment by
the Gifted and Talented Leader keeping within the1-3 % guideline for the potentially gifted and the 5% to 10%
guideline for the highly able above.

This policy also explains the identification process, register that is kept and effective learning and teaching styles
for the Gifted and Talented child.




3. Aims and objectives

Jumeirah Primary School is committed to the development of excellence in an environment that has high
expectations of students. We recognise that Gifted and Talented pupils have particular educational needs and,
just like pupils with other special needs, these need to be met in order that they realise their full potential. We aim
to improve provision for Gifted and Talented pupils through the development of an ethos where academic and
creative achievement is expected and celebrated. Pupils will be encouraged to achieve their full potential through
a variety of strategies:

To offer children opportunities to develop their specific skills and talents through the provision of a differentiated,
broadened curriculum through guidance that is sensitive to their ways of learning and allows potential to be
achieved;

To identify and support pupils with the potential to excel;

To provide pastoral care for those pupils with recognised talents or gifts where support is necessary or
appropriate;

To ensure that additional provision and monitoring is regularly reviewed on an individual basis;

For pupils to be aware of their individual skills and talents, and through their participation in assessment for
learning in the classroom, to be able to contribute to target setting and review of their personal development ;

To signpost parents to outside agencies that may provide additional expert tuition to cater for outstanding gifts
and talents.

4. Definition

Gifted: Having exceptional talent or natural ability
Talented: Having a natural aptitude or skill for something




The children identified as potentially Gifted and Talented will be entered on the school register for Gifted &
Talented. This record will be reviewed and updated on Target Tracker. The progress of all our children is tracked
through Target and Objective Tracker.


5. Learning and Teaching style

5.1 Effective learning
Gifted and talented learners:
Are responsible for their own learning and are self-motivated .
Demonstrate resilience and become absorbed in their learning, manage distractions, make keen
observations and persevere in the face of difficulties.
Are encouraged to use their initiative, make wise choices, make links, build patterns, imagine, reason and
draw on a range of experiences and resources, including ICT to further their learning.
Understand how current learning relates to previous learning and through student voice arrangements,
are able to direct future learning.
Evaluate their own work and make realistic judgements about it and offer comments and explanations.
Are able to question, summarise and recap. Effective reflectiveness is part of the culture.

5.2 Effective teaching

The development of enquiry and critical thinking skills is the norm.
Learners influence learning intentions.
Teaching demonstrates elements of positive risk taking to benefit the childrens learning.



Gifted and Talented learners are challenged because learning intentions are clear and personalised
through use of specific and measureable success criteria.
Teaching is stimulating, enthusiastic, innovative and consistently challenging, stemming from the class
teachers expert knowledge of the curriculum, how to teach it and how these children learn.
The teaching methods for Gifted and Talented children are well-selected and time is used very efficiently
to ensure activities and demands are matched sensitively to their needs.
The Teacher has very high expectations and uses enquiry and critical thinking skills to enhance all
learning.

6. Gifted and Talented curriculum provision

Gifted and Talented children are provided for in all areas of the curriculum within the planning.

Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 stream Mathematics across classes, so that children of a similar ability can be given the
opportunity to work with like-minded peers. This provides challenge and stimulus for all the children in
Mathematics. Planning for Gifted students can be accelerated to ensure coverage but also allow for withdrawal
gifted groups.
On planning, there are clearly differentiated tasks to provide extension and enrichment in the top attaining group
for each year group. These include strategies that include HOTs (Higher order Thinking Skills)
Creative Curriculum: Use of independent, open ended projects and differentiation

Arabic Language lessons are provided for all Arabic speaking children but also for children from non-Arabic
nations who excel in both written and spoken Arabic.

The Gifted and Talented Leader takes withdrawal groups at various times of the year to provide opportunities for
Potentially Gifted and Talented children to participate in Gifted and/or Talented activities through:

In school withdrawal groups

Leaders of these groups may also include:

Class Teachers
Heads of department
Enrichment TAs
Parents

Opportunities are provided for Gifted and Talented students to showcase their abilities through:
School projects and competitions
Productions, performances, exhibits

Children who are identified as Potentially Gifted and or Talented may be signposted to outside agencies should
any be on offer if parents wish for further provision.

7. Equal Opportunities

The school recognises the value of, and seeks to achieve, a diverse school community which includes people
from differing backgrounds, with different skills and abilities. This commitment extends to the whole school
community and others connected with it. The school is committed to the elimination of unlawful discrimination
and to the promotion of good relations between all.

8. Assessment and recording

Children are continually tested by means of National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments throughout the
school year. Monitoring of progress is also provided by partnership between the pupil, teacher and parent by
completion of the targets passport document.

. Registers are kept for all areas of giftedness and talent. Specialist departments and class teachers refer
children displaying potential to the Gifted and talented Leader




Registers for the Gifted and Talented students are maintained by the Gifted and Talented Leader using many
criteria, including, but not limited to: teacher referral; data from termly assessments; end of year optional SATs,
evidence from childrens learning.

9. Roles and responsibilities

Gifted and Talented Leader
To update and review all registers on termly basis
To share information of current practice for Gifted and Talented children with Subject leaders and
teachers.
To collect evidence for a selection of those children
To develop resources
To oversee Gifted and Talented provision to ensure coverage and equal opportunity
To share information of current practice for Gifted and Talented children with Subject leaders and
teachers


Heads of Year
To monitor planning in all subject areas to ensure G&T provisions are being met

Subject leaders
To register children identified as gifted and talented in their subject area and to collect evidence for those
children.
To actively encourage the promotion of their subject for the children who have been identified as Gifted
and Talented.

Teachers
To provide differentiated lessons in all subject lessons and ensure that planning is clearly differentiated
for Gifted and Talented where they have a child meeting the criteria
To promote challenge within their lessons

Head of Inclusion
To overview all of the above

10. Monitoring and review

This policy has been discussed and agreed by the JPS teaching staff and leadership teams for
implementation.

Signed....................... date....................
Subject Leader

Signed.........................date.................
Principal / CEO

Policy review date....................................

Appendix:
1. Gifted and Talented Registers
2. Identification and provision flow chart