Gifted and Talented
at The Downs School
KS3
30 September 14
Welcome!
Mr Hartley:
Head of Sixth Form
Mrs Seath:
Able Pupil Co-ordinator
Why were you invited?
Open to all parents
Year 7 : high CAT4 results - or high KS2
results
Year 8 : either of the above, or / and
on G&T register
What is intelligence?
Growth mindset
Nature of intelligence
• Innate or acquired?
• Fixed or flexible?
How we define intelligence will make a
difference to how we provide for it.
Theories about intelligence
Late 19th to early 20th century:
• Galton, Spearman, Burt
• Intelligence is general, fixed, and can be
measured through standardised tests
• Used to reinforce social, racial, sexual
prejudices
Theories about intelligence
1960s and 1970s:
• Intelligence can be general or specific to a
particular domain
• Questioned idea of fixed intelligence
Theories about intelligence
Theories about multiple intelligences:
• Eg Fisher and Gardner
• Tried to define different kinds of intelligences
• Includes types not measured by schools, eg
personal, social, existential
• Implications? What kinds of intelligences do
we value/ measure/ provide for in school?
Theories about intelligence
Sternberg:
• Practical
• Personal
• Intellectual
• IQ not a good predictor of success. Social skills
also important.
• Can’t divorce intelligence from social
existence.
Theories about intelligence
Vygotsky:
‘All the higher functions originate as actual
relations between human individuals.’
‘With assistance every child can do more than
he can by himself.’
(Social nature of learning)
Current research suggests that
intelligence
can be acquired
and is flexible.
What implications does this have for
the teaching, learning and assessment
of the ability of pupils?
Teachers should be constantly
aware of the need to look out for
the emergence of new abilities in
students.
So…
Register should be a working
document that should be regularly
updated:
used to be every reporting time
-now once a year
Most provision for able pupils
must be inside the classroom
rather than extra-curricular.
Provision should be inclusive.
‘
Diagnose and treat’
• Definition of Gifts and Talents
• Identification of relevant children
• Provision to meet their needs
THE DIP/PIP CYCLE
define
provide
identify
Teaching of AGT students
is about good teaching for all.
All pupils will benefit, not simply
the most able.
The Downs School
Gifted and Talented Policy
- inclusive
- NOT exclusive
What are the principles of the G&T
policy at The Downs School?
Flexible intelligence – we can learn to
be brighter – the growth mind-set
Inclusion – not exclusive opportunities
for some
Nurturing of latent / emergent ability
Prevention of underachievement
What are the principles of the G&T
policy at The Downs School?
Continuous cycle of provision –
identification – provision
Flexible register – updated on a
yearly basis
Register is one of the tools used by
teachers to help them provide
appropriate challenge for their
students
What are the principles of the G&T
policy at The Downs School?
Provide for the most able in lessons
Extra curricular provision open to all
students
All lessons should seek to challenge
and inspire all students, including the
most able, and should be
differentiated to allow for all
students to achieve their best
What are the principles of the G&T
policy at The Downs School?
Connections between subjects
Departmental responsibility for
identification and provision
Value and nurture different types
of intelligences and skills
What we believe about learners
can affect their performance
How do we define G&T
at The Downs School?
-in general
-in specific subjects
- school website
An able pupil is one who has the potential
to achieve highly in one or more areas,
significantly beyond their age and peers
• Gifted – academic subjects eg English,
Maths
• Talented – practical subjects eg Dance,
PE, Art, Cookery
• Able – high achievement in several
subjects
Renzulli’s Three Ring Model
Task
commitment
Above-average
ability
Creativity
Domain
Specific Ability
Tannenbaum’s Starfish
model
General
Cognitive Ability
Chance/Opportunity
eg. access, experience
Other Dispositional
Factors
eg. persistence,
self-esteem
Environmental Factors
eg. learning experiences,
expectations
Downs School G&T categories
Sliding scale of G&T nominations designed to
help teachers consider emerging intelligences,
not just who’s getting the best marks
EA
Exceptionally Able
AA
Able Achiever
AU
Able Underachiever
SA
Specific Aspect
SE
Soft Evidence
Decisions about what constitutes
these G&T categories in a subject
have been discussed and agreed
upon within departments:
these categories are only useful if
they are a commonly understood
code between teachers.
Creative motivated initiator (G&T):
Decision about whether to nominate as AA or EA
would depend on how many of these qualities are
shown, and to what degree / intensity / consistency
Asks questions
Is highly curious
Has wild silly ideas
Plays around but tests well
Discusses in detail;
elaborates
Beyond the group
Shows strong feelings/
opinions
Already knows
Prefers adults
Draws inferences
Initiates projects
Is intense
Creates a new design
Enjoys learning
Manipulates information
Inventor
Good guesser
Thrives on complexity
Is keenly observant
Is highly self-critical
Competent hard worker (not G&T):
Probably not a candidate for AA unless they have elements
which go beyond this into the other column –
don’t put them on the G&T register!
Knows the answer
Is interested
Has good ideas
Works hard
Answers the questions
Top Group
Listens with interest
Learns with ease
Enjoys peers
Grasps the meaning
Completes assignments
Is receptive
Copies accurately
Enjoys school
Absorbs information
Technician
Good memoriser
Enjoys straightforward, sequential
presentation
Is alert
Is pleased with own learning
AU : Able Underachievers
Can do better in tests than class work
Often get their sense of achievement from areas
outside academic prowess
Often know how they could improve their work
but do not consider it worth the effort
Are self aware and articulate
Often do not take personal responsibility for
their own progress
Intervention required if not already in place –
teacher / departmental responsibility
SA: Specific Aspect
Shows ability in a specific aspect of the
subject but not across the whole subject.
This might be indicative of latent or
emerging ability.
Recognition of high ability in a specific
aspect of the subject might lead to
setting work which would encourage
development in other areas, or to
increased confidence in the child leading
to higher motivation
SE: Soft Evidence
A mismatch between the qualitative
(soft) evidence and the quantitative
(hard) evidence, eg a child might
show high level thinking in
discussion which is not matched by
their written work.
(If there are SEN the teacher would
have to discern whether this was
the cause of the mismatch.)
Definitions of what each subject
would define as showing high
ability (EA, AA) to be on school
website
What to expect from The Downs:
classroom provision
Challenge and Inspire
Our goals for the students
• Students take responsibility for their own learning:
• they devise their own questions;
• they organise themselves effectively in groups; they
construct tasks themselves to meet learning
outcomes;
• they respond to feedback so that their work
improves; their work is well organised;
• they can explain their level or grade and what they
need to do to improve;
• they can explain the purpose of their work; they can
talk about how they are learning (learning habits and
skills).
Challenge and Inspire
Targets for the classroom
• Students are challenged at their different
levels and work matches ability:
• questioning is informed by an understanding
of the hierarchy of thinking skills;
• opportunities to support reading, writing and
communication are taken in order to develop
literacy, especially with weaker students;
• there is opportunity for creativity, deepthinking, choice and extension within tasks;
• all students are involved and contribute.
Choice
• Choice puts students at the centre of their
own learning.
• It creates ownership and engagement which
leads to motivation and success.
• Clear parameters are needed: explicit
purpose, the learning objective, the level
students should be learning at and how this
will be assessed.
• Some students and classes will cope better
with choice than others; level of choice will be
varied.
Ability and the GROWTH MINDSET
• Ability is the result of learning.
• Focus on students’ ability to grow.
• Through effort, motivation, hard work,
perseverance, challenge and support, students
can become more able.
• Students who believe in the growth mindset
are more likely to progress
• Students who have fixed mindset will not
value effort and will make less progress.
For ability not by ability
• Encourage a growth mindset in our students
• Be vigilant for those whose ability emerges
late and who can progress rapidly
• Ensure all students progress to their full
potential, ensuring that at times they struggle
and have to tackle obstacles
• Ensure that challenge is always provided and
that those who are motivated and ready to do
so can access more demanding work
What to expect from The Downs School:
-and what you can support at home...
We seek to develop learning
character:
motivation
self esteem
resilience
learning to learn
thinking skills
Praise and encouragement
‘Motivation is the key to the development of
talent….the degree of motivation in young
people is deeply bound up with their social
environment, including cultural influences and
their relationships…Students must feel that
they have something unique to contribute…’
Csikszentmihalyi et al (1997)
Help them develop self esteem
• I’m not good enough so why should I bother?
• ‘The efficient use of intelligence also depends
on feelings of self esteem. These are shaped
by emotional security and by protection from
stress, since adventures into new ways of
thought call for confidence.’
• Freeman (2001)
Help them develop resilience
Interaction of cognitive (brain functions) and affective
(emotions):
‘Many able children lack the emotional resilience to
the extent that it profoundly affects their capacity
to demonstrate high levels of achievement’.
Hampshire Primary Project
Resilience - Van Leer
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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•
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unconditional love from at least one person
count on family
has a role model
optimistic
does endearing things
believes in a power greater than seen
willing to try new things
likes to achieve
believes they have an effect on the outcome
likes him/herself
can focus and persevere at a task
makes plans to do things
Strategies to help students with low
self esteem
• Montgomery: catch them being clever comment positively on pupils’ learning
processes.
• Dweck – praise effort and strategy rather
than intelligence – resilience and
motivation would then not be bound up
in self image. Success to do with effort
rather than personal qualities.
Personal Learning
and Thinking Skills
•
•
•
•
•
•
Independent inquirers
Creative thinkers
Reflective learners
Team workers
Self managers
Effective participators
Bloom’s hierarchy
of skills
Remembering: recall or remember information - knowledge
Understanding: explain ideas or concepts – comprehension
Applying: use the information in a new way - application
Analyzing: distinguish between the different parts - analysis
Evaluating: justify a stand or decision - evaluation
Creating: create new product or point of view? - synthesis
Other aspects of the school’s
provision for G&T
NACE - National Association for Able
Children in Education
Whole school commitment to G&T
Identification of high ability / talent
School self evaluation and targets
Provision: teaching and learning, curriculum, pastoral
care
Support for underachieving / disadvantaged students
Staff training
Support for exceptionally able students
Effective use of resources inc ICT
Student voice and responsibility
Links with parents and stakeholders
Monitoring and evaluation of provision for G&T
Examples of current practices
Exceptional Education Plans – being further developed
across this year
Celebrate Success! assemblies for all years
G&T challenge days led by students
Increased links between subjects
Student voice – interviews and council
G&T page on website
Links with other agencies eg IGGY, Children’s University,
MENSA, Potential Plus
Information for parents
Faculty G&T rep teachers
Learning walks to audit different aspects of classroom
practice, eg extension opportunities , adequate challenge
Support for underachievers
Developing practices…
• Develop support given to specific groups of students: EA, AU, less
advantaged
• Students to be more involved in planning enrichment activities
• Explore how to use enrichment for identification of untapped
potential in all students
• Developing further opportunities for student leadership: in lessons and across the school, eg School Development Plan
• Peer mentoring: between older and younger students; within depts.;
links to Compton Primary?
• Using student expertise in creating subject specific websites
• Students to be involved in action research
• Other aspects of ability on register: leadership, entrepreneurship
• Trial self / peer nomination for G&T register - with one year group
only initially
• ‘G&T community’ to have higher profile
• Earlier links to Oxbridge – KS4
G&T page on school website:
• How G&T is defined by subject teachers
• How specific subjects provide for their
most able students
• Websites recommended by subject
teachers
• Parent site / General Info / scroll down to
Gifted and Talented.
International Global and Gifted
Youth
Connecting and challenging the
world’s brightest young minds
https://iggy.net
Children’s University
7-14 yr olds
opportunities outside school
http://www.childrensuniversity.co.
uk/
MENSA
-provide a stimulating intellectual and social
environment for its members
-identify and foster human intelligence for the
benefit of humanity
-encourage research into the nature,
characteristics, and uses of intelligence
http://www.mensa.org.uk/
Potential Plus
An independent charity which works with the
whole family to support children with high
learning potential.
Works with parents and carers to
DISCOVER the child's potential
NURTURE their gifts and talents
Work with parents and also with professionals
to help children SUCCEED
http://www.potentialplusuk.org/
AG&T in the Sixth Form
Mr A Hartley
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
FUTURE
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FOR
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FOR
AG&T and university
 What does it take to turn the
latent ability into a place at a top
university?
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
FUTURE
A BRIGHTER
FOR
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Curiosity
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Joining societies
Reading journals
Newspapers
Discussion group
Radio 4
Going to lectures/events
Going beyond the syllabus
Learning doesn’t stop at 3.15
Participation
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
FUTURE
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Determination
 “I tell players that hard work is a talent, too.They
need to work harder than anyone else. And if they
can no longer bring the discipline that we ask for
here at United, they are out. I am only interested in
players who really want to play for United, and who,
like me, are bad losers.
 ~Sir Alex Ferguson
 Too many bright students I have taught or been through
school have regarded a place at a top university as a birth
right.
 These universities have the pick of the global crop and will
expect you to work at a very rapid pace when in college
therefore they need evidence of commitment during
school
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
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FOR
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Academic qualifications to
match the potential
 Cambridge -93% in AS examinations is the average
mark for successful candidates
 Less than 89% as an average makes it unlikely you
will get in!
 7A*s at GCSE
 Entrance test scores at Oxford count very highly
in their selection process
 Russell Group varies but an A average at GCSE
followed up by AAA/AAB would be fairly typical
although this is course dependent
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
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Student W
 Strong GCSE profile ( A average)
 Out of school- county runner, St John’s Ambulance,
amateur dramatics
 Deputy Head boy
 Always helped at every school event
 Decent AS results but not specatacular
 Decided to drop Chemistry at A2 to do a double
Level 3 BTEC in Production Arts- persuaded Mrs
Bailey to support him.
 Got in to RADA on their Technical Theatre course
and is now working at The Old Vic
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
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FOR
Student X
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Political opinions
Broad range of ‘facilitating subjects’- did 5 A-Levels
West Berkshire Youth Parliament
Fencing
Go-Karting
10 A*s at GCSE
Law at Brasenose College , Oxford
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
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Student Y
 Geography at Oxford
 95% average in AS examinations
 50/50 in an Extended Project on the Icelandic
volcano
 Wrote beautiful prose!
 Designed, made and sold jewellery on the internet
 9A* at GCSE
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
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Student Z
 Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge
 Perfect reports all through school
 Worked very hard in Sixth Form staying late most
evenings
 Huge amounts of personally sourced work
experience- safari parks, Flamingo World, dairy
farms, small animal work
 Amateur dramatics
 Enthusiasm knew no bounds
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
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Sports-related Courses
 3 As at A Level (including at least one of Biology, Maths,
Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, History, English
Language or Literature)
 Performance level in one sport at preferably County
National level would illustrate quality of involvement
 Assisting in coaching and/or officiating younger students at
school or external sports clubs and competitions would
illustrate depth of involvement
 Work Experience in a sporting environment would show
wider interest in a potential area of study
excellence
pursuing
pursuing excellence
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What will the school do?
 Oxford trip
 Coaching and advice from the beginning of Sixth
Form for ‘top 25’ students
 Summer school applications support
 West Berkshire Oxbridge/Durham evening
 West Berkshire Oxbridge master classes
 Support from teaching staff
 Interview practice with Downe House
Q&A
Suggestions
– please use forms provided