Best Practice ForumBest Practice Forum

June 2010June 2010

AgendaAgenda

• Update Update – G&T in the Early YearsG&T in the Early Years– Model policy and LA Guidance for MAG&TModel policy and LA Guidance for MAG&T– Additional materialsAdditional materials– WebsiteWebsite

• Case studiesCase studies

• Action PlanningAction Planning

G&T in the Early YearsG&T in the Early Years

1.1. What does it mean to be gifted and talented in the What does it mean to be gifted and talented in the Early Years?Early Years?

2.2. Gifted and talented children and creativity.Gifted and talented children and creativity.3.3. The importance of early language and The importance of early language and

communication.communication.EYFS Themes:EYFS Themes:4.4. A unique child.A unique child.5.5. Positive relationships.Positive relationships.6.6. Enabling Environments.Enabling Environments.7.7. Learning and Development.Learning and Development.8.8. Moving into Key Stage 1Moving into Key Stage 1

Key MessagesKey Messages

• Mindsets - Carol DweckMindsets - Carol Dweck

• Beliefs you hold about yourselfBeliefs you hold about yourself

• Inhibit or enhance our learningInhibit or enhance our learning

• True of learners at any age.True of learners at any age.

Key MessagesKey Messages• In the EY gifts and talents are more likely to be In the EY gifts and talents are more likely to be

revealed when practitioners and parents work in revealed when practitioners and parents work in close partnership.close partnership.

• Children are developing more rapidly at this Children are developing more rapidly at this stage than any other time, gifts and talents may stage than any other time, gifts and talents may be transient at this stage.be transient at this stage.

• Some children in the early years have gifts and Some children in the early years have gifts and talents masked by developmental and cultural talents masked by developmental and cultural differences.differences.

Key MessagesKey Messages

• Easy to confuse ‘advanced development’ Easy to confuse ‘advanced development’ such as a child who has mastered a skill such as a child who has mastered a skill early with those who have a specific early with those who have a specific aptitude or ability.aptitude or ability.

• Ongoing observation across a range of Ongoing observation across a range of contexts is the key approach to identifying contexts is the key approach to identifying in the Early Years.in the Early Years.

EY Practitioners should be mindful EY Practitioners should be mindful to:to:

– Address barriers to development;Address barriers to development;

– Provide access to an environment that will Provide access to an environment that will engage the children;engage the children;

– Provide opportunities to extend their Provide opportunities to extend their learning.learning.

The importance of:The importance of:

• Recognition that all children have strengths to Recognition that all children have strengths to build on;build on;

• Recognition that the development of abilities Recognition that the development of abilities and talents may be uneven and evolving;and talents may be uneven and evolving;

• Provision which offers children very broad Provision which offers children very broad experiences rather than narrow pathways;experiences rather than narrow pathways;

• The role of the practitioner as a facilitator of The role of the practitioner as a facilitator of children’s learning.children’s learning.

Abilities are most likely to be accurately Abilities are most likely to be accurately recognised through careful observations, recognised through careful observations, including learning journeys.including learning journeys.Carers should look for:Carers should look for:

• Unexpected and surprising Unexpected and surprising responsesresponses

• Persistence and precision Persistence and precision in playin play

• The ability of a child to The ability of a child to reflectreflect

• Children who interpret Children who interpret clues and codes in the clues and codes in the world around them easily world around them easily e.g. signs/ written worde.g. signs/ written word

• Children who are curious Children who are curious and motivated to find and motivated to find information and learning information and learning new skills.new skills.

• Practitioners should Practitioners should bear in mind that bear in mind that children with particular children with particular abilities:abilities:

• May sometimes become May sometimes become easily bored and easily bored and frustratedfrustrated

• May not have well-May not have well-developed emotional and developed emotional and social skillssocial skills

• May prefer the company May prefer the company of adults to other childrenof adults to other children

G&T in the Early YearsG&T in the Early Years

TASKTASK

• Consider the implications of this Consider the implications of this document in relation to your own document in relation to your own knowledge of MAG&T and the Early knowledge of MAG&T and the Early Years curriculum.Years curriculum.

• What are your next steps?What are your next steps?

• Who needs to see this?Who needs to see this?

LA Guidance on G&TLA Guidance on G&T

LA Guidance on G&TLA Guidance on G&T

• Updated guidance, outlining South Updated guidance, outlining South Gloucestershire's recommended Gloucestershire's recommended approach to provision for more able, approach to provision for more able, gifted and talented pupils.gifted and talented pupils.

• Model policies distributed to schools Model policies distributed to schools match LA guidance. match LA guidance.

Overview of guidanceOverview of guidance1.1. IntroductionIntroduction

– VisionVision– Key PrioritiesKey Priorities– RationaleRationale

2.2. The South Gloucestershire ApproachThe South Gloucestershire Approach– Definition of more able, gifted and talented Definition of more able, gifted and talented – IdentificationIdentification– Register Register – ProvisionProvision– Self-Evaluation and Action PlanningSelf-Evaluation and Action Planning

3. Roles and Responsibilities in MAG&T Provision 3. Roles and Responsibilities in MAG&T Provision – Learning and School Effectiveness ServiceLearning and School Effectiveness Service– GovernorsGovernors– Headteacher/ Senior Leadership Headteacher/ Senior Leadership – G&T Coordinator/ Leading TeachersG&T Coordinator/ Leading Teachers– Class teachers / subject leaders / support staffClass teachers / subject leaders / support staff– SENCO/ Inclusion LeadersSENCO/ Inclusion Leaders– Parents and carersParents and carers– Children and young peopleChildren and young people

4.4. AppendicesAppendices

Model Policies Model Policies

• Sent to all schools attending best Sent to all schools attending best practice.practice.

• Two versions: one including More Able, Two versions: one including More Able, the other not.the other not.

• Matches the LA Guidance published.Matches the LA Guidance published.• Now uploaded to the website in word Now uploaded to the website in word

format so you can adapt to suit your format so you can adapt to suit your school.school.

Possible Provision map for identified Possible Provision map for identified pupilspupils

G&T Self Evaluation ToolkitPossible contents:• More able, gifted and talented: definitions and policy• Self Evaluation: Principles – aims of self evaluation and how toolkit

can help• Identification and the G&T register (process and analysis of make

up)• Provision Mapping (approaches and map example)• Individual Pupil Planning (proforma already designed with

explanation of use)• Pupil Voice (pupil questionnaire and feedback form)• Parent Voice (parent questionnaire and feedback form)• Pupil performance (ways of gathering teacher feedback, work

sampling and data tracking)• Institutional Quality Standards (include IQS and rationale for use)• Classroom Quality Standards (include CQS and rationale for use)• Contributing to the SEF (use booklet already created)

Working groupWorking group

• Develop the tools that support Develop the tools that support evaluation and provision mapping of evaluation and provision mapping of G&T through three supported meetings G&T through three supported meetings over the academic year.over the academic year.

• If interested, let me know at coffee time!If interested, let me know at coffee time!

Updated Website!Updated Website!

Website HeadingsWebsite Headings

• LA Guidance Materials LA Guidance Materials • Quality StandardsQuality Standards• Best Practice Forum - PrimaryBest Practice Forum - Primary• Best Practice Forum - SecondaryBest Practice Forum - Secondary• OFSTED and National Strategy MaterialsOFSTED and National Strategy Materials• NACE Challenge AwardNACE Challenge Award• LEAP (Secondary)LEAP (Secondary)• Additional InformationAdditional Information

Case StudiesCase Studies

• An opportunity to share case studies An opportunity to share case studies and the impact on pupils.and the impact on pupils.

CoffeeCoffee

Evaluation and Action PlanningEvaluation and Action Planning

Use this time to:Use this time to:

• Review you action plan and evaluate Review you action plan and evaluate impact on pupils.impact on pupils.

• Present evidence to support your views Present evidence to support your views to a critical friend.to a critical friend.

• Agree priorities for the next academic Agree priorities for the next academic year and outline plan. year and outline plan.

Priorities and developments next Priorities and developments next year…year…

NACE Challenge AwardNACE Challenge Award

Institutional Quality StandardsInstitutional Quality Standards

Action ResearchAction Research

Classroom Quality StandardsClassroom Quality Standards

Meetings next year…Meetings next year…

• Wednesday 13Wednesday 13thth October 2010 October 2010

• Tuesday 8Tuesday 8thth February 2011 February 2011

• Wednesday 8Wednesday 8thth June 2011 June 2011

• At Severnside Training CentreAt Severnside Training Centre

• Evaluations! Course code: GT005Evaluations! Course code: GT005