Bramley School Policy for Able, Gifted and Talented Pupils

Rationale

At Bramley School we believe that all children within our school community have equal rights to the opportunities offered by education.

This includes the right

• To access high quality educational experience
• To participate in a broad and balanced curriculum which challenges, motivates and rewards them
• To be part of the social life of school.

In our school we aim that children should fulfil their potential in their academic, physical and creative achievements.

Statement of Intention

In order to support our able, gifted and talented pupil we will;

• Seek the participation of all pupils in learning which leads to the highest possible level of achievement and personal fulfilment
• Develop inclusive practice which will benefit all pupils and the staff working within schools
• Have high expectations that are supportive of academic success
• Ensure effective inclusive practice3 which will lead to school improvement.

Definitions

The terminology Bramley School will use to define our higher achieving pupils will be

• Able
• More able (gifted)
• Talented

We have identified our able, gifted and talented pupils in each year group.  These are pupils who achieve or who have the ability to achieve, at a level significantly in advance of their age related expectations.

We have identified pupils with academic ability (defined as ability in one or more subjects in the statutory curriculum other than art music and PE) and pupils with talent (defined as those with ability in art, music, PE or in any sport or creative art) and ‘all-rounders.

We will strive to identify those gifted and talented pupils who have the potential to achieve, but do not regularly demonstrate high achievement and we will seek to identify barriers to that achievement and help the pupil overcome them.

Identification

Our identification strategy will make use of hard data and also draw on a wider range of qualitative evidence eg.

• Teacher observations and assessment
• Check lists of characteristics
• Testing such as sats etc
• Pupil profiles
• Background knowledge from parents
• Other tests
• Curriculum opportunities

The names of pupils identified as able, gifted, and talented in our school will be recorded on a high ability register so that their progress can be specifically tracked.

Pupils may be identified at any time.  We expect class teachers and gifted and talented co-ordinator (the Headteacher) to be fully involved in discussing individual pupils.

Once identified, pupils will remain on the register unless they cease to meet the criteria for nomination.

Organisation

We have appointed a member of staff responsible for co-ordinating the work of able, gifted and talented pupils.

Their role is to

• Set up and maintain a register in the school of those pupils identified as being able, gifted or talented.
• Liaise with class/subject teachers to support provision of those pupils
• Research suitable resources and generally support staff in providing for those pupils
• Develop a resources base as funds allow
• Keep themselves up to date with developments in the field through school membership of NACE (National Association for Able Children in Education), Aspire (periodical)
• Attend training as appropriate
• Manage CPD for school staff in this area of practice.
• Deploy outside experts, specialists, mentors and other members of the community as appropriate
• Track pupil progress and report to Governors annually.

Provision

This will depend on the individual learning needs of the pupil and be in accordance with our Learning and Teaching policy.

We will consider a range of strategies:

Organisational

• Differentiated planning to include a minimum of support, core and extension
• Working with older pupils
• Withdrawal groups
• Mentoring
• Opportunities for children to work in a variety of grouping situations eg whole class, group, paired, independent study
• Homework
• Enrichment activities
• Facilitate opportunities to participate in activities outside school
• Opportunities to celebrate achievements from both school and outside school activities eg. Achievement assembly
• Early admission
• Acceleration

Teaching

• The effective use of ICT
• Provide for a range of different learning styles
• Provide opportunities to develop thinking skills, problem solving, higher order skills and communication skills.

Partnerships with Parents

The involvement of parents and pupils in a partnership to support learning is crucial in determining educational outcomes.  Where parents and pupils are actively involved with schools in the development and planning of the pupil's education, inclusion is more likely to prove successful.

To this end we will

• Discuss their child's inclusion on the school's able, gifted and talented register with parents
• Liaise with parents at parents evenings (as a minimum)
• Communicate external opportunities for extension activities relevant to able, gifted and talented pupils both locally and nationally
• Discuss pupil participation in relevant activities outside school
• Communicate school's provision on our website

Named Co-ordinator

The co-ordinator is Paula Burgess

Our named Governor is Anne Morrell

Monitoring and Evaluation

Provision for able, gifted and talented pupils will be a regular part of the school's monitoring of learning and teaching

The able, gifted and talented co-ordinator will review the progress of pupils identified on the high ability register termly

The able, gifted and talented co-ordinator will provide the governors with a report on progress of gifted and talented provision annually to contribute to the school's annual Review and School Development Plan.

Process for Development and Review

This policy will be reviewed in accordance with our programme of policy review and as part of our annual review for the school Development Plan.

Policy Written September 2009 P. Burgess

Review September 2010