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Gifted and Talented Children and Young People
Wirral Implementation of the National Primary and Secondary Strategies’ Training Programme for Leading Teachers for Gifted and Talented Education.
In July 2007 the National Strategies produced professional development materials to support leading teachers for Gifted and Talented Education. The materials were designed for local authorities to use with leading teachers for gifted and talented education. Schools have been asked by the DCSF to identify leading teachers for gifted and talented and have been given guidance on the role and associated responsibilities.
Wirral LA has encouraged all Primary and Secondary schools to identify a leading teacher for Gifted and Talented Education in preference to the establishment of one primary leading teacher per cluster, since this is considered a more effective method of promoting access for all schools to a leading teacher for gifted and talented education.
Wirral agrees with the overall aims of the National Strategies which is ‘to encourage schools to take a more strategic approach to identifying their gifted and talented pupils, to improve gifted and talented education in schools and settings, and so improve the attainment, aspirations, motivation and self-esteem of gifted and talented pupils, especially those who are underachieving. ‘
The current focus on gifted and talented arose from the 2005 White Paper ‘Higher Standards, Better Schools for All’ which set support for gifted and talented pupils clearly in the context of personalisation and provided the opportunity for the National Strategies to develop a programme focused on higher attaining, more able and gifted and talented pupils. Wirral LA has responsibility for delivering the training for leading teachers of G and T in Wirral schools.
The training materials include the following key principles for Gifted and Talented Education:
A clear focus is needed because:-
- Education should meet the needs of all pupils
- Gifted pupils today may be the leaders of tomorrow
- Raising the challenge for gifted and talented pupils can help raise standards overall.
The programme complements the National Strategies’ support for pupils achieving at or below expected levels at each key stage and recognises that ‘A tailored education means addressing the needs of the most gifted and talented, just as much as those who are struggling.’ (White Paper, paragraph 4.21)
It sets as a priority the need to tackle underachievement, especially where this is a consequence of social disadvantage and recognises the need to identify and respond to those children who may be working above national expectations but still underachieving.
The Key Principles include:
- Personalising learning for all pupils including gifted and talented pupils
- Recognising that all schools have gifted and talented learners
- Making classroom teaching and learning central
- Preventing underachievement – countering disadvantage
- Building on local expertise, knowledge and partnerships.
The Key Messages of the Programme include:
- the leading teacher for G and T role has the dual aspects of pedagogy and school improvement
- Mainstreaming Gifted and talented provision is the priority of all teachers.
- Preventing underachievement through personalised learning and a focus on the five outcomes of ‘Every Child Matters’
- Building capacity through distributed leadership, collective responsibility and continuing professional development.
Wirral Children and Young People’s Plan, 2008 – 2011, includes the following key objectives:
- To raise the aspirations of young people.
- To reduce the gap in attainment and prospects for children.
- To Raise overall educational attainment, particularly in lower achieving young people.
Implementation of the National Strategy programme for Gifted and Talented Education will support Wirral’s work towards the above objectives.