DfE Gifted and Talented Education material has been archived or removed from their site but I have left links here to help anyone looking for what has been.
As educators I believe we should also be able to justify this in terms of the educational value to the children and young people.
There are Institutional Quality Standards
(IQS)
There are Classroom Quality Standards (CQS) which are intended to support and amplify Element 2 of the IQS ('Effective Provision in the Classroom'). CQS as an A5 flyer is available to order by quoting Ref: 00166-2009FLY-EN from the DSCF publications order line on 0845 602 2260 or emailing dcsf@prolog.uk.com.
'The CQS are built around seven key features of effective teaching and learning. The seven features are:
- Conditions for Learning
- Knowledge of the Development of Learning
- Knowledge of Subject and Themes
- Understanding Learners' Needs
- Planning
- Engagement with Learners and Learning
- Links Beyond the Classroom.'
There are three levels:
'The CQS has been designed as a 3-Layer Model:
'Layer 1 is a tool for undertaking an initial review across key features essential to providing challenge for all learners.
Layer 2 amplifies these features in relation to Gifted & Talented learners specifically.
Layer 3 will provide a resource pool to illustrate what good provision looks like in practice, together with the results of action research.' (p.3 Classroom Quality Standards User Guide)
The latest (July 2008) principles and values G&T stategy from the DCSF
Interesting material on Youth Sport Talent site
Advised as useful for SIPS
The National Strategies have produced a series of booklets addressing support and provision for 'gifted and talented' pupils who are either underachieving or at risk of underachieving. Some of the content can be useful with a little care given to the intent rather than the details.
Guidance on preventing underachievement: a focus on exceptionally able pupils - This booklet highlights the main issues to be discussed and addressed in preventing the underachievement of pupils with exceptional abilities Download from here on DCSF Standards Site
'Any definition of the exceptionally able should be inclusive, flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of pupils known and unknown.' (p.4)
'Do teachers know of and nurture exceptional abilities demonstrated in an out-of-school context?' (p.9)
'School leaders are responsible for creating an ethos of high achievement where exceptional ability is celebrated and where no assumptions are made about the likelihood of exceptional ability among the school population.' (p.15)
- Guidance on preventing underachievement: a focus on dual or multiple exceptionality - The focus of this guidance is the discussion of underachievement due to dual or multiple exceptionalities.
- Helping to find and support children with dual or multiple exceptionalities - Following on from the DfES publication ‘Guidance on preventing underachievement
- Guidance on preventing underachievement: a focus on children and young people in care.
'In summary the PEP is expected to, recognise, record and celebrate gifts and talents...' (p.10)
These are a few resources from other strategies you may find helpful.
DCSF has a new website. Gifted and Talented found under inclusion together with with personalisation of learning and SEAL. This is the CPD area
Being the best for our children: Releasing talent for teaching and learning. DCSF-00246-2008
'Our children and young people need a higher level of skills than ever before in order to deal with the social, cultural and technological changes that they will face throughout their lives. The 21st Century School has an essential part to play in fostering the talent and aspirations of today’s young people and equipping them to meet these challenges successfully and to enjoy a better quality of life.
The Children’s Plan sets out a vision for the 21st Century School which is a place of excellent teaching and learning and contributes to all aspects of a child’s life – health and wellbeing, safety and developing the wider experiences and skills that characterise a good childhood and set a young person up for success in adulthood.' (p.5)
Extended Schools access from teachernet lots of details
Personalisation of Learning - A practical guide downloadable from teachernet
National CPD strategy
Learning Outside the Classroom. How far should you go? A summary of the OFSTED report - Ref No: 07219, October 2008 and Learning outside the classroom manifiesto (DFES-04232-2006), 2006
‘Recently, the Government has placed increased emphasis on such activities with the publication of the Learning outside the classroom manifesto and the training and guidance associated with it –' (Learning Outside The Classroom. How far should you go? A Summary of the Ofsted Report – Ref No: 070219, October 2008)
• Continue to develop the evidence base to support and guide the development of learning outside the classroom and to spread best practice nationally and internationally.
• Support Action Research that encourages teaching and non-teaching staff and all those who support young people between the ages of 0-19, to explore differing approaches.
• Develop communication tools for a range of audiences to promote the benefits of learning outside the classroom and highlight the contribution it can make to raising achievement. (p.11 Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto DfES 2006)
Curriculum innovation in schools. A Summary of the OFSTED Report - Ref No: 070097, October 2008. and the Curriculum Innovation in Schools Report (DCSF 070097)
Implementation of 14 – 19 Reforms. An evaluation of progress A Summary of the Ofsted Report – Ref No: 070258, September 2008 and the Implementation of 14-19 Reforms Report (DCSF 070258)
Mathematics: Understanding the Score A Summary of the Ofsted Report – Ref No: 070063, September 2008 and the Mathematics: Understanding the Score Report DCSF (070063)
Information for school governors on GovernorNet - although it needs updating on gifted and talented strategy.
All Our Futures: Creative and Cultural Education (1999) is a good read downloaded from the Creative Parnership site
Both Feuerstein and Lipman, though from very different starting-points, hold a similar belief in children's abilities. They consider that through thinking exercises and activities learners can exceed the predicted level of competence which psychometric or school-based tests may have suggested is their limit.'
Northern Ireland has some interesting material on Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities Framework and have a look at Thinking around the corner and The Skills and Capabilities Framework
Government response to Paul Roberts’s report on nurturing creativity in young people A Summary of the DfES/DCMS publication, January 2007 . The response, and the report it relates to, continue the work towards a national strategy for creative and cultural education initiated in the major report published in May 1999, All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education. The full document (and the report to which it is a response) can be viewed/downloaded at: http://www.culture.gov.uk/ > entering Nurturing Creativity in the Search field
MAKING GREAT PROGRESS: Schools with outstanding rates of progression in Key Stage 2
On 20 May 2003, the Secretary of State launched Excellence and Enjoyment - A Strategy for Primary Schools which set out the vision for the future of primary education built on what we have already achieved. This vision is for a sector where high standards are obtained through a rich, varied and exciting curriculum which develops children in a range of ways.
The key to making this vision a reality lies in:
- Empowering primary schools to take control of their curriculum, and to be more innovative and to develop their own character.
- Schools setting their own targets for level 4 and 5 at key stage 2, based on challenging but realistic targets for the progress of each child in the school, with LEA targets being set afterwards.
- Trialling a new approach of supported teacher assessment at KS1, where tests underpin teacher assessment rather than being reported separately.
- Encouraging schools to network together and learning from others in sharing and developing good practice. Partnership with parents, which is vital in helping children to do as well as they can, and making wider links with the community.
- Government acting more and more as an enabler with schools increasingly in control of the support they get to:
1. strengthen leadership, particularly leadership of teaching, and professional development to help teachers embed the principles of effective teaching and learning both in literacy and numeracy and across the curriculum
2. help schools design broad and rich curricula which make the most of links between different areas and provide opportunities for children to have a wide range of learning experiences
The new early years foundation stage document highlights the importance of relationships that we hold as practitioners. It is in four sections. The one on positive relationships is a good one to start with.
The report says that:
‘The single most effective thing all the schools were doing was to track the progress of their pupils regularly, vigorously and individually. In spite of differences in philosophy, style and organisation, this finding was the strongest in the survey. Tracking leads to success.’
Seems to be a good example of we are good at doing what we set out to do - if we set out to increase a score that is what we manage to do. We may increase the 'scores' but does that actually reflect into something of worth in someones life? There is a saying 'we value what we measure, which is not the same as measuring what we value'.