POLICY FOR GIFTED, TALENTED AND ABLE CHILDREN

Our Values and Commitment:

At Medstead Primary School, we believe that all children are entitled to a broad, balanced
and relevant curriculum and should have the opportunity to develop and realise their true
potential.
We are committed in our belief that the abilities of our most able children should not only
be recognised and celebrated, but that as individuals they are also given the support,
guidance and encouragement they need in order to excel. In striving to enable each child to
reach for the highest level of personal achievement, we aim consistently to provide learning
opportunities for our high attaining pupils that offer appropriate challenge.
At Medstead School our focus and approach is not about trying to find and label these
children. It is about trying to create and nurture them.
AIMS
To provide enjoyable, challenge-rich lessons in which pupils are presented with
opportunities to excel.
To celebrate and nurture the abilities, personal qualities and talents of all children.
To ensure that all children receive an education appropriate to their abilities to
personalise the educational experience for all.
To encourage higher order thinking and questioning skills.
To employ a wide variety of methods of recognition of potential.
To recognise under-achievement and to seek to remove it.
Care for the whole child, both socially and spiritually, as well as intellectually
To stimulate children through extra-curricular activities and through curriculum
enrichment.
To have the expectation that the curriculum for all will be extended by realising the
needs of the most able.
To train staff and to provide for these aims to be achieved.
To compile a Gifted and Talented Register
To monitor the progress of all children with use of APP, formative and summative
assessment
To work in partnership with parents/carers to help them promote children's
learning and development
Liaise with local secondary schools and local cluster groups of primary schools to
maximise the opportunities and achievements of our children.
To work with the new primary curriculum to develop high quality learning for all
children in the 21st century.

Definitions:
Gifted pupils are those who have exceptional abilities in one or more subjects in the statutory school
curriculum other than art, design and technology, the performing arts, P.E. and in sport. These children will be
performing (*or have the potential to perform) at least 3 profile points above the average for EYFS children and 2
sublevels above the average expected sublevel for years 1 through to 6.
Talented pupils are those who have exceptional abilities in art, design and technology, the performing arts, P.E,
or in sport.
*Gifted / Able underachievers: A group of children who, as a result of other factors (attitude, family issues, peer
group/friendship difficulties, maturity for example), are currently not achieving levels significantly higher than
their peers but have the potential and ability to be included within those levels.
Children with DME (dual or multiple exceptionalities): Children who are highly able but who also have a
disability, sensory impairment or learning problem. These children are often on the G&T register and the SEN or
vulnerable children register.
Able Children: A group of children (top 30%) who demonstrate high levels of attainment in their general
intellectual ability, creative thinking, technical ability or interpersonal skills.

Identification:
At Medstead School we use a variety of strategies to identify gifted, talented and able children. The identification
is on-going and used to ensure appropriate and effective provision. These strategies include:

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On-going observations and subsequent nomination by teachers

A focus on effort, interest and commitment (signs of intrinsic learning motivation)
Professional judgements
Background knowledge of a child
Testing
Identification checklists which consider metacognitive skills, higher order learning skills, achievements,
work habits and social skills (with references from the Hampshire Able and Talented Child Project)
Curriculum-led assessment, using the National Curriculum levels
Parental observations / information and discussions
Information from previous teachers / schools

Our priority is to provide challenge-rich lessons in which all pupils are presented with opportunities to excel. It is
through this enriched curriculum that we are able to identify the most able. This follows the principle of:
PROVIDE IDENTIFY PROVIDE
with the school then seeking to provide further provision as necessary.

Gifted, Talented and Able Pupil Register

Medstead School has established a Gifted, Talented and Able Pupil Register for each year group. This is a
working document that is regularly monitored and updated. The register identifies the highest performing pupils
in numeracy, literacy and science as well as listing the talented children in each class.
The parents of those children who have been identified as either gifted or talented in a particular subject area
are informed of their childs inclusion on the register. These parents are regularly invited to discuss their childs
education with the GATCO and are informed of the ways in which we are committed to providing for the needs
of our Gifted and Talented pupils at Medstead School.

Organisation:
At this school, able and talented children are supported by a range of organisational methods and strategies.
Extension materials and differentiated work are built into schemes of work and made explicit in lesson plans.
In-class approaches will include:
Incorporating high expectations within a TOP-DOWN approach to planning. This reflects the understanding
that good practice for the more able is embedded in good practice for all.
Differentiation offered through the tasks set and the support given as well as through the outcomes achieved
Provision of enrichment tasks/workshops which broaden the childrens skills and understanding
Extension work to increase depth of study in a particular area
Helping children to formulate questions and access higher order thinking skills
Providing challenging opportunities for problem solving
Using open ended questions to develop pupils ability to consider alternative answers
Working both co-operatively and independently
Allowing children to use their initiative, ask questions and follow their own paths of interest
Experiencing success in order to gain self-confidence
Encouragement to take risks and experience setbacks (learning from failure as well as success)
Discussions between teachers and children communicating high expectations and standards
Responsive teacher / pupil interactions within lessons involving high quality questioning and dialogue
between adult and child.
Opportunities to work in small groups with others of like ability
Employing a range of questioning techniques to move the thinking of the children on effectively.
Planned involvement of parents and use of non-teaching adults in group work
Use of the TASC wheel to focus on the development of problem-solving and thinking skills.
Philosophy for Children emphasising quality dialogue, careful deliberation, good judgement and the growth
of a community of enquiry.
Use of Brain Academy resources and activities from specialist websites such as nrich.
Organising cut away groups thus ensuring that the able children dont remain seated listening to lengthy
explanations they dont need.
Providing opportunities for the children to make meaningful evaluations of their learning.
Effective use of ICT
Incorporate challenge through the quality rather than the quantity of the work set.

Out-of-class approaches will include:

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Key Stage organisation of plays, musical performances etc

Organisation of science, art and literacy weeks
Withdrawal of small groups of more able mathematicians for weekly challenges
Focussed reading workshops for small groups of very able readers in KS2
Clubs/extra-curricular activities provided by the school

Out-of-school activities will include:

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Enrichment day trips or residential visits

Working with local secondary schools which provide themed days for G&T pupils
Musical and sporting activities
Activities / enrichment opportunities organised within the cluster of local primary schools.

Leadership and Management:

Mrs Houghton acts as co-ordinator for gifted and talented children at the school and is responsible for:

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Maintaining the GAT register in consultation with other staff

Supporting staff in the identification of these children;
Informing parents that their child has been included on the school register, and
providing opportunities for them to attend individual consultations to discuss their
childs progress and outline the schools provision for children with exceptional
abilities.
Monitoring teachers planning and the provision of challenging opportunities which
enable the identification and continued stimulation of G&T children.
Monitoring progress of pupils identified as being gifted and/or talented
Analysing this tracking data to ensure that all G&T children, (regardless of gender,
year group or whether they are included on the Vulnerable Children Register, or
have multiple exceptionalities), are making maximum progress
Identifying and ensuring adequate support is given to able children who may be
underachieving.
Keeping informed of national updates and informing staff of any changes
Disseminating good practice in providing for able, gifted and talented children
across the school
Acting as mentor to children on the register
Establishing opportunities for G&T children to attend events hosted by local
primary and feeder schools
Liaising with parents, governors and LA officers on related issues.
Collecting samples of work from the higher achievers, in order to monitor and
demonstrate the standards that they are achieving.

Monitoring and review

There is a named governor responsible for monitoring the schools provision for gifted and
talented pupils.
He/she will work with the school's gifted and talented coordinator in support of the school's efforts to
help these pupils to reach their full potential.
The coordinator for our provision for gifted and talented pupils provides feedback to the governing
body on an annual basis.
The monitoring includes feedback from parents and children, as well as regular classroom
observations of teaching and learning.

This policy will be reviewed every three years or earlier if necessary.

Signed:

Date: