Gifted & Talented Policy:

To provide an environment in which all pupils are enabled to realise their potential.
Definitions:
“The phrase “Gifted and Talented” used to define the pupils with whom the strategy is concerned. “Gifted” refers to those with high ability or potential in academic subjects and “talented” to those with high ability or potential in creative or expressive arts or sports.”
The term ‘gifted and talented’ is not to be understood as referring to the most able children in the national population. The term should be seen as relative and refers to the top 5% to 10% of any school, regardless of the ability profile of pupils at the school.
This is essential as it ensures that every school recognizes the educational needs of its learners not those on an Island-wide or National scale.
Within the school it is recognized that gifted and talented pupils can be:
 Good all rounders.
 High achievers in one area.
 Of high ability but have poor writing or presentational skills.
We also recognize that those pupils who are gifted and talented do not always show their ability. Such pupils are gifted and talented even though their abilities may be hidden or remain as potential. This should not exclude them from being recognized and provided for.
Aims
The policy is intended to support the following aims:
 To raise the aspirations of all pupils.
 To promote high expectations of achievement for all students.
 To foster greater enterprise, self-reliance and independence for all students.
In order to achieve these aims, Social Model Senior Secondary School must ensure that all students have opportunities to develop their specific skills or talents.
Identification
Gifted and talented students are identified by making a judgment based on an analysis of various sources of information including:
 Test scores (end of key stage levels; CAT scores; NVRQ scores).
 Teacher nomination (based on classroom observation, discussions with pupils, work scrutiny).
 Peer or self-nomination.
 Parental nomination.
 Predicted test/ examination results.
 Reading ages.
No single area in these options is a definite method of identification and wherever possible multiple assessments should be made. This information should be collated by the gifted and talented co-Coordinator and made available to all staff. The gifted and talented register must be regularly reviewed and updated.
Organizational and in-class approaches
Important strategies include:
 The sensitive management of pupil groupings (whether in mixed ability groups or ability streams/sets) and recognition that whilst there may be a higher concentration of gifted and talented pupils in some groups there will be pupils who have gifts and talents in all groups.
 The provision of opportunities for gifted and talented pupils to work with pupils of similar ability. This could mean that it may be appropriate for learners to work with older pupils occasionally.
 Mentoring and additional provision for pupils of exceptional ability.
 The provision of enrichment/extension activities and tasks; both academic focused and sporting/creative.
 Differentiation within subject areas to meet the specific needs of learners of all abilities.
 The development of independent learning by allowing pupils to organize their own work, to carry out tasks unaided, evaluate their work and become self-critical; conceivably through the varied use of the Critical Skills Program.
 The Gifted and Talented Co-coordinator should be a resource from whom teaching staff can seek information or direction towards further resources to aid them in providing for identified pupils.
Out of class activities
The following suggestions should be offered on a regular basis and, although these benefit all pupils, they are particularly apt for ensuring that pupils who have potential in these areas experience opportunities to practice and extend their skills.
 Enrichment days.
 School clubs; both academic and non-academic focused.
 Musical, creative, artistic and sporting activities.
Co-ordination and monitoring
The gifted and talented co-coordinator has overall responsibility for
 Ensuring that the policy is implemented.
 Co-coordinating the monitoring of progress.
 Ensuring that the professional development program includes relevant aspects of gifted and talented provision.
The “Gifted and Talented Policy” should be reviewed regularly to ensure it is still applicable and in order to assess how fully it is being implemented within the school.