provision for able, gifted and talented pupils agt... · audit document - primary ... evaluating...

PROVISION FOR ABLE, GIFTED AND TALENTED PUPILS

Guidelines for Schools

Education and Cultural Services

CONTENTS

Introduction......................................................................................................................................2

Provision for Able, Gifted & Talented pupils “in a nutshell”.............................................................3

Self evaluation document................................................................................................................4

Audit document - primary ...............................................................................................................9

Audit document - secondary.........................................................................................................14

Key questions ................................................................................................................................21

Guidance on Target - Setting ........................................................................................................23

Model policy ..................................................................................................................................25

Case Studies .................................................................................................................................26

LGfL website information ...............................................................................................................30

Useful websites .............................................................................................................................31

Useful books..................................................................................................................................33

Contacts within the county ............................................................................................................34

This guidance has been compiled by the county’s Able, Gifted & Talented team.

1

INTRODUCTION

It gives me great pleasure to introduce these guidelines for meeting the needs of more able,gifted and talented pupils.

There is a national strategy to meet the needs of these youngsters because research showsthat, whilst they have often reached satisfactory levels of attainment against national norms, theyhave not necessarily achieved their true potential.

Lancashire County Council is committed to supporting schools in addressing the needs of thesepupils in a thorough and creative way. We hope you will find these guidelines useful as youevaluate your current provision and plan for the future. We are confident that together, schoolsand the LEA can help these youngsters to gain more from their time at school as they becomemore effective learners, fully engaged and committed to life-long learning.

The guidelines are intended to help everyone understand the kinds of children we are talkingabout and their levels of ability, why there is a need to focus on provision for them and how youmight go about doing this. The self evaluation and audit documents will help you take stock ofyour current position, plan areas for development, monitor the progress and evaluate the impactof that development.

We hope that you will find them helpful.

Graham DunnHead of School Effectiveness ServiceLancashire Education and Cultural Services Directorate

2

PROVISION FOR ABLE, GIFTED & TALENTED PUPILS “IN A NUTSHELL”

Which pupils are we talking about?• pupils in your school.• up to a third of your intake.• children who may have ability within one or

more areas of the curriculum but notnecessarily in all.

• children with a particular ability in art,music, sport or the performing arts (thesewe describe as “talented”).

• children with the potential to achieve at ahigher level than the majority of their peersin the academic subjects (these wedescribe as “able”)

• children with the potential for exceptionalperformance representing around 0.5% ofthe population nationally and capable ofPIPs scores >70 or CATs scores >135(these we describe as “gifted”).

Why focus on provision for able/talentedpupils?• Inclusion - most able/talented pupils are

educated in mainstream schools and thereis an increasing awareness that many arenot achieving their potential.

• National strategy - this has been takingshape since the late 1990’s, featuring in thewhite papers “Excellence in Schools”(1997) and “Schools - Achieving Success”(2001), informed by the Select Committeereport “Highly Able Children” (1999) anddetailed in the current National Curriculuminclusion requirements. Many nationaldevelopments are now including a focus onable/talented pupils.

• Inspection findings - locally and nationallyOFSTED findings suggest that the needs ofable/talented pupils are not alwaysadequately addressed.

What needs to be done?• Identify the able, talented and gifted pupils

in school.• Establish a whole-school policy to drive

forward development.• Consider the Continuing Professional

Development needs of staff.• Identify key roles and responsibilities.• Ensure that teachers provide challenging

activities for all these children.• Ensure that teachers are equipping these

pupils to be effective learners.• Explore opportunities for broadening

learning experiences in class, out of classand out of school.

• Ensure pastoral systems are in place tosupport individual development.

• Strengthen parental involvement.• Monitor provision and evaluate its

effectiveness in meeting pupil needs. Lookat levels of attainment and analyse theresults of your able and talented sub-groupas you would other gender, ethnic orspecial needs groups.

What next?• Use the enclosed self-evaluation framework

to identify what is already in place.• Use the enclosed audit tool to look in more

detail at the effectiveness of currentprovision and to identify areas fordevelopment.

• Use the outcomes of the audit and self-evaluation processes, supported by theenclosed list of Key Questions, to agreedevelopment priorities.

Where can we find further advice andguidance?• See the enclosed lists of contacts and

resources.

3

EVALUATING PROVISION FOR ABLE, GIFTED AND TALENTED PUPILS

SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION AREA: Able, Gifted & Talented PupilsFOCUS: SYSTEMS & STRUCTURES

SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION - THE LANCASHIRE MODEL

When systems andstructures are likely to bemost effective:

• the school has an A, G & Tpolicy, guidelines for staffmembers, a co-ordinator, anamed governor and aregister of its A, G & T pupils.

• the A, G & T pupils areevident as recognisedgroups with particularneeds in all schooldocumentation includingthe prospectus, planningdocuments and self-evaluation processes.

• there is an evidentcommitment to theprofessional developmentof all staff in recognisingand meeting the needs ofA, G & T pupils.

• parents are involved inprocedures for identificationand target setting andcontribute to support andreview.

When systems andstructures are likely to have satisfactory >>> lessthan satisfactory impact:

• the school has some of thesuggested systems andstructures in place, but notall.

• the A, G & T pupils areevident as recognisedgroups in parts of the schooldocumentation but not all.

• professional development ofstaff has not beensystematic but has relied onthe interest of individual staffmembers.

• though parents are keptinformed they have no activerole in developing theprogramme provided by theschool.

When systems andstructures are likely to beleast effective:

• the school demonstratesvery limited awareness ofthe needs of A, G & Tpupils.

• the A, G & T pupils are notidentified by the school.

• professional developmenthas not taken place.

• information on A, G & Tpupils is regarded asconfidential to the school.

• parents are not involved inany decisions regardingprovision.

4

SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION AREA: Able, Gifted & Talented PupilsFOCUS: IDENTIFICATION


Identification is likely to bemost effective when:

• the school uses a widerange of indicators ofability both quantitative(e.g. data) and qualitative(e.g. teacherrecommendation) toidentify both academicallyable and talented pupils;the views of pupils andparents are taken intoaccount.

• the school has effectiveprocedures for theidentification of potentialA, G & T pupils, includingpupils who are currentlyunder-achieving,understanding that pupilsmay have ability in one ormore areas.

• subject teachers recognisewhat constitutes highability in their subject.

• the school monitors thesocio-economic, ethnicand gender balance ofidentified groups andregularly reviewscomposition and progressof individual members.

When identification is likelyto be satisfactory >>> lessthan satisfactory:

• the school relies upon alimited range of indicators(e.g. solely quantitative orqualitative).

• there is some attempt toidentify underachievementbut factors such as poorbehaviour, attitude andmotivation may lead topupils being omitted fromthe identified group.

• subject teachers have someunderstanding of whatconstitutes high ability intheir subject.

• the composition andprogress of the identifiedgroups are reviewedannually or less frequently.

When identification islikely to be least effective:

• identification of pupils ishaphazard and partial.

• identification reliesexclusively upon thecurrent academicperformance of pupils.

• subject teachers have littleor no understanding ofwhat constitutes highability in their subject.

• the composition ofidentified groups is fixedon entry to the school.

5

SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION AREA: Able, Gifted & Talented PupilsFOCUS: TEACHING & LEARNING


Teaching and learning islikely to be most effectivewhen:

• teachers have highexpectations of A, G & Tpupils, providing clearguidance on where to gonext and settingappropriate individualisedtargets.

• good relationshipsbetween teachers and A, G & T pupils impactpositively on learning;A, G & T pupils haveaccess to an appropriateshare of the teacher’stime.

• teachers provideappropriately wide-ranging and challengingactivities for their A, G & Tpupils both in-school andthrough externalproviders.

When teaching andlearning is likely to besatisfactory >>> less thansatisfactory:

• teachers are sometimestoo easily satisfied with thework of A, G & T pupils.

• teachers praise A, G & Tpupils but do not makeclear the next steps.

• there is evidence ofrelationships betweensome teachers and A, G &T pupils impactingnegatively on learning.

• examples of appropriatechallenge exist, but this isinconsistent across theschool.

When teaching andlearning is likely to be least effective:

• teachers are content ifpupils are working abovethe class average andkeep busy.

• teachers have difficulty inestablishing positive,productive relationshipswith their more able pupils.

• teachers prepare tasks tofit the available time andearly finishers get more ofthe same.

• there is an over-emphasison written work.

6


SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION AREA: Able, Gifted & Talented PupilsFOCUS: PASTORAL SUPPORT

Pastoral support is likelyto be most effective when:

• A, G &T pupils haveaccess to support inareas identified for furtherdevelopment such as self-esteem, behaviour, socialskills or presentationalskills.

• pupils and parents areconsulted about pupilstrengths, developmentneeds, ambitions andpreferred learning styles.

• regular opportunities areprovided for A, G & Tpupils to meet and towork with pupils of similarability perhaps from otheryear-groups or from otherschools.

When pastoral support islikely to be satisfactory >>>less than satisfactory:

• the school recognises thatsome A, G & T pupils needaccess to specific support,but does not alwaysprovide this effectively.

• consultation is cursory andsometimes not acted upon.

• occasional opportunitiesare provided for A, G & Tpupils to meet and to workwith pupils of similar ability.

When pastoral support islikely to be least effective:

• pastoral support systemsin school are not seen asrelevant to the needs of A,G & T pupils.

• pupils and/or parents arenot consulted.

• there are no plannedopportunities for A, G & Tpupils to meet and to workwith pupils of similar ability.

7

SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION AREA: Able, Gifted & Talented PupilsFOCUS: STUDY SUPPORT


Study support is likely tobe most effective when:

• pupils are systematicallyequipped with skills tomake them more effectivelearners.

• many open-endedlearning opportunities areprovided to use theseskills.

• the school provides a verygood range ofopportunities (includingafter-school and outsideschool) to enrich, motivateand inspire its A, G & Tpupils.

• the school providesaccess to facilities (suchas study centres,homework clubs) outsidethe normal school dayand encourages A, G & Tpupils to accessopportunities for furtherstudy.

When study support islikely to be satisfactory >>>less than satisfactory:

• teachers are aware of theimportance of developingskills but uncertain of howto facilitate this.

• teachers find it hard to findtime to teach skillsappropriately.

• the school provides alimited range ofopportunities which meetthe needs of some pupils(e.g. restricted to sport).

• though facilities exist,uptake is patchy as staffdo not actively encourageA, G & T pupils and theirparents to use themindependently.

When study support islikely to be least effective:

• teachers feel that theiremphasis should be onensuring coverage ofcurriculum content andincreasing knowledge.

• the school fails to provideout of school enrichmentactivities for pupils.

• no facilities are availableout of hours.

8

9

Ed

ucati

on

an

d C

ult

ura

l S

erv

ices D

irecto

rate

PR

OV

ISIO

N F

OR

AB

LE

,G

IFT

ED

& T

AL

EN

TE

D P

UP

ILS

- A

UD

IT D

OC

UM

EN

T (

PR

IMA

RY

/SP

EC

IAL

)

Sch

ool:

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

...P

erso

n C

omp

letin

g A

udit:

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

.....

Dat

e:...

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

..

Pu

rpo

se o

fth

e A

ud

it :

The

gro

ups

ofst

atem

ents

con

tain

ed in

thi

s au

dit

take

com

pre

hens

ive

acco

unt

ofth

e g

ood

pra

ctic

e w

e ha

ve s

een

and

dev

elop

men

t p

riorit

ies

iden

tifie

d

by

DfE

S.

The

aud

it p

roce

dur

e sh

ould

ena

ble

you

to

iden

tify

wha

t yo

u ar

e d

oing

wel

l and

to

pla

n yo

ur a

reas

for

dev

elop

men

t b

y se

lect

ing

the

sta

tem

ents

whi

ch li

nk b

est

to w

hat

you

wis

h to

ach

ieve

.

Usi

ng

th

e A

ud

it :

For

your

sch

ool,

dec

ide

whe

ther

eac

h st

atem

ent

des

crib

es w

hat

is a

lread

y fir

mly

in p

lace

,w

hat

is p

artly

in p

lace

o

r w

hat

has

not

yet

bee

n

dev

elop

ed/im

ple

men

ted

/atte

mp

ted

to

any

sig

nific

ant

deg

ree

an

d p

lace

a t

ick

in t

he a

pp

rop

riate

col

umn.

Do

not

be

dis

hear

tene

d if

smile

y fa

ces

are

few

in n

umb

er n

ow:

use

the

info

rmat

ion

to in

form

you

r ow

n d

evel

opm

ent

pla

nnin

g in

sch

ool.

Sp

ace

is p

rovi

ded

for

“N

otes

”.U

se t

his

to e

xpla

in,

exem

plif

y or

am

plif

y a

resp

onse

for

fut

ure

refe

renc

e,or

to

ind

icat

e p

riorit

ies

and

idea

s fo

r fu

ture

dev

elop

men

t.

In t

he f

ollo

win

g d

ocum

ent

the

wor

d A

ble

has

bee

n us

ed t

o re

pla

ce A

ble

,G

ifte

d &

Tale

nte

d p

up

ilsin

the

inte

rest

of

savi

ng s

pac

e.

SY

ST

EM

S /

ST

RU

CT

UR

ES

No

tes

1.Th

ere

is a

nam

ed c

o-or

din

ator

for

ab

le p

upils

.

2.Th

ere

is a

nam

ed g

over

nor

for

able

pup

ils.

3.A

who

le s

choo

l pol

icy

for

able

pup

ils e

xist

s.

4.Th

e p

olic

y ha

s b

een

adop

ted

by

the

Gov

erni

ng B

ody.

5.A

ble

pro

visi

on is

men

tione

d in

the

sch

ool p

rosp

ectu

s.

6.A

ll st

aff

are

awar

e of

the

able

pup

il p

olic

y,its

aim

s,p

lans

for

im

ple

men

tatio

n an

d t

heir

asso

ciat

ed r

oles

/res

pon

sib

ilitie

s w

ithin

it.

7.If

the

abov

e el

emen

ts a

re n

ot in

pla

ce,

the

need

s of

able

pup

ils a

re

spec

ifica

lly a

dd

ress

ed in

the

Sch

ool D

evel

opm

ent/I

mp

rove

men

t P

lan.

8.A

ble

pup

il is

sues

are

reg

ular

ly in

clud

ed o

n th

e ag

end

a of

staf

fan

d S

MT

mee

ting

s.

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

L D

EV

ELO

PM

EN

TN

ote

s

9.Th

e co

-ord

inat

or h

as a

ttend

ed s

ome

trai

ning

re:

able

pup

ils.

10.

Cla

ss t

each

ers

are

conf

iden

t in

rec

ogni

sing

un

der

achi

evem

ent.

11.

Teac

hers

and

cur

ricul

um c

o-or

din

ator

s ar

e aw

are

ofw

hat

cons

titut

es h

igh

leve

l res

pon

ses

in t

heir

clas

ses

and

sub

ject

are

as.

12.

All

staf

fha

ve r

ecei

ved

tra

inin

g o

n th

e ed

ucat

ion

ofab

le p

upils

.

13.

All

gov

erno

rs h

ave

rece

ived

info

rmat

ion

re:

the

educ

atio

n of

able

p

upils

.

14.

Less

on o

bse

rvat

ions

foc

us in

par

t on

diff

eren

tiatio

n fo

r th

e m

ore

able

.

15.

Op

por

tuni

ties

exis

t fo

r st

aff

to s

hare

goo

d p

ract

ice

re:

able

pup

ils.

16.

Mee

ting

the

nee

ds

ofab

le p

upils

is in

clud

ed in

the

NQ

T in

duc

tion

pro

gra

mm

e.

10

IDE

NT

IFIC

AT

ION

No

tes

17.

Sys

tem

s ex

ist

for

the

iden

tific

atio

n of

able

pup

ils.

18.

The

scho

ol h

as a

n ag

reed

wor

king

def

initi

on f

or “

able

pup

ils”.

19.

Eac

h su

bje

ct a

rea

has

dev

elop

ed c

lear

crit

eria

for

iden

tifyi

ng a

ble

p

upils

(p

erha

ps

usin

g N

C g

uid

elin

es).

20.

Sys

tem

s fo

r id

entif

icat

ion

mak

e us

e of

a ra

nge

ofd

ata

(qua

ntita

tive

and

qua

litat

ive)

.

21.

Par

enta

l/sel

f/pee

r no

min

atio

n ha

ve b

een

used

in id

entif

icat

ion.

22.

Teac

hers

can

iden

tify

able

und

erac

hiev

ers

in a

ll su

bje

ct a

reas

.

23.

Sch

ool h

as id

entif

ied

a r

egis

ter

ofab

le p

upils

(fr

om 1

0% t

o 30

%).

24.

All

staf

far

e aw

are

whi

ch p

upils

hav

e b

een

iden

tifie

d a

s ab

le.

25.

Com

pos

ition

of

the

able

coh

ort

is r

epre

sent

ativ

e of

the

scho

ol’s

in

take

(g

end

er,

ethn

icity

,FS

M e

tc.)

26.

The

able

reg

iste

r/co

hort

is r

evie

wed

reg

ular

ly.

27.

Pup

ils id

entif

ied

as

able

hav

e b

een

info

rmed

of

this

.

28.

Par

ents

/car

ers

ofid

entif

ied

chi

ldre

n ha

ve b

een

info

rmed

.

29.

Pup

ils in

the

coh

ort

have

bee

n in

volv

ed in

iden

tifyi

ng p

erso

nal

stre

ngth

s,d

evel

opm

ent

need

s an

d p

erso

nal l

earn

ing

st

yles

/pre

fere

nces

.

30.

Teac

hers

are

aw

are

ofp

upils

’lea

rnin

g s

tyle

s an

d id

entif

ied

nee

ds.

31.

Sys

tem

s ex

ist

for

the

effe

ctiv

e tr

ansf

er o

fin

form

atio

n ab

out

able

p

upils

at

KS

1/K

S2

and

KS

2/K

S3

tran

sitio

n.

11

PR

OV

ISIO

NN

ote

s

32.

Who

le-s

choo

l cur

ricul

um r

evie

w/d

evel

opm

ent

take

s ac

coun

t of

pro

visi

on f

or a

ble

pup

ils.

33.

Stu

dy

sup

por

t op

por

tuni

ties

exis

t to

enr

ich

& e

xten

d a

ble

pup

ils

(e.g

.vi

sits

,IC

T ac

cess

,vi

sito

rs,

hom

ewor

k cl

ub e

tc.)

.

34.

Pup

ils a

re in

volv

ed in

man

agin

g t

heir

own

lear

ning

.

35.

Ab

le p

upils

rec

eive

ad

diti

onal

sup

por

t fo

r ar

eas

ofid

entif

ied

w

eakn

ess

(e.g

.sp

ellin

g,

pre

sent

atio

n,b

ehav

iour

).

36.

Gui

del

ines

exi

st t

o su

pp

ort

staf

fin

pro

vid

ing

for

ab

le p

upils

.

37.

Ap

pro

pria

te e

xten

sion

act

iviti

es e

xist

with

in s

chem

es o

fw

ork/

less

on

pla

ns in

all

sub

ject

are

as.

38.

All

teac

hers

diff

eren

tiate

less

ons

to e

xten

d/c

halle

nge

able

pup

ilsth

roug

h hi

gh

qua

lity

thin

king

-ski

lls t

asks

(as

op

pos

ed t

o in

crea

sed

am

ount

s of

wor

k at

the

bas

ic le

vel).

39.

All

staf

fem

plo

y ap

pro

pria

te p

edag

ogic

ap

pro

ache

s to

dev

elop

p

upils

’ind

epen

den

t le

arni

ng s

kills

.

40.

Hom

ewor

k is

diff

eren

tiate

d f

or a

ble

pup

ils.

41.

Ab

le p

upils

are

act

ivel

y en

cour

aged

to

ente

r lo

cal,

natio

nal a

nd

inte

rnat

iona

l com

pet

ition

s.

42.

Pup

ils a

re a

lert

ed t

o ou

t of

scho

ol o

pp

ortu

nitie

s (e

.g.

Loca

l Eve

nts)

.

43.

Ab

le p

upils

hav

e th

e op

por

tuni

ty t

o co

mm

unic

ate

with

a v

arie

ty o

fg

roup

s an

d in

div

idua

ls.

PAS

TOR

AL

SU

PP

OR

TN

ote

s

44.

The

Ab

le P

upil

Co-

ord

inat

or a

nd S

upp

ort

Sta

fflia

ise

reg

ular

ly.

45.

The

scho

ol s

eeks

to

pro

vid

e in

spiri

ng r

ole

mod

els.

46.

All

able

pup

ils h

ave

acce

ss t

o su

pp

ort

whe

n ap

pro

pria

te a

nd t

his

is d

iscu

ssed

with

the

m.

47.

Par

ents

/car

ers

are

awar

e of

thei

r ch

ild’s

tar

get

s &

how

to

sup

por

t th

em.

48.

Ab

le p

upils

hav

e op

por

tuni

ties

to a

ssoc

iate

with

oth

er a

ble

in

div

idua

ls f

rom

diff

eren

t sc

hool

s/ye

ar g

roup

s.

12

MO

NIT

OR

ING

& E

VA

LUA

TIO

NN

ote

s

49.

Sys

tem

s ex

ist

for

eval

uatin

g t

he im

pac

t of

pro

visi

on o

n ab

le p

upils

.

50.

SM

T/A

ble

Pup

il C

o-or

din

ator

are

aw

are

ofsc

hool

tar

get

s an

d

mon

itor

pro

gre

ss t

owar

ds

thes

e.

51.

Who

le-s

choo

l ana

lysi

s (e

.g.

test

per

form

ance

) co

nsid

ers

able

pup

ils

as a

sub

-set

.

52.

Ind

ivid

ual t

arg

ets

are

set

for

all a

ble

pup

ils.

53.

Ind

ivid

ual t

arg

ets

are

set

with

all

able

pup

ils.

54.

Sys

tem

s ex

ist

for

the

trac

king

of

able

pup

ils.

55.

Pup

ils m

aint

ain

lear

ning

log

s/ jo

urna

ls.

56.

Reg

ular

rev

iew

dis

cuss

ions

tak

e p

lace

with

ab

le p

upils

.

57.

Por

tfolio

s of

outs

tand

ing

wor

k ex

ist

with

in e

ach

sub

ject

are

a.

58.

Pup

ils’w

ork

is s

amp

led

on

a re

gul

ar b

asis

.

59.

Co-

ord

inat

or m

onito

rs le

vels

of

par

ticip

atio

n an

d a

ttend

ance

of

able

pup

ils in

stu

dy-

sup

por

t ac

tiviti

es.

60.

Pup

ils a

re in

vite

d t

o co

ntrib

ute

to t

he e

valu

atio

n of

pro

visi

on a

nd

pla

n fo

r fu

ture

act

ion.

61.

Pup

ils r

egul

arly

eva

luat

e th

eir

lear

ning

.

62.

Pup

ils fo

rmal

ly e

valu

ate

stud

y su

pp

ort/

exte

nsio

n /e

nric

hmen

t act

iviti

es.

63.

Ab

le p

upils

com

ple

te a

n an

nual

atti

tud

inal

sur

vey.

64.

An

aud

it is

mai

ntai

ned

to

ensu

re v

arie

ty o

fp

rovi

sion

acr

oss

the

curr

icul

um.

65.

Co-

ord

inat

or r

egul

arly

mon

itors

cla

ssro

om p

rovi

sion

for

ab

le p

upils

.

13

PR

OV

ISIO

N F

OR

AB

LE

,G

IFT

ED

& T

AL

EN

TE

D P

UP

ILS

- A

UD

IT D

OC

UM

EN

T (

SE

CO

ND

AR

Y/S

PE

CIA

L)

Ed

ucati

on

an

d C

ult

ura

l S

erv

ices D

irecto

rate

Sch

ool:

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

...P

erso

n C

omp

letin

g A

udit:

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

.....

Dat

e:...

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

..

Pu

rpo

se o

fth

e A

ud

it :

The

gro

ups

ofst

atem

ents

con

tain

ed in

thi

s au

dit

take

acc

ount

of

the

goo

d p

ract

ice

and

dev

elop

men

t p

riorit

ies

iden

tifie

d b

y D

fES

and

the

Nor

d-A

nglia

and

Ofs

ted

eva

luat

ions

of

the

EiC

pilo

t ye

ar.

The

com

ple

ted

aud

it sh

ould

ena

ble

the

iden

tific

atio

n of

goo

d p

ract

ice

acro

ss t

he s

choo

l.

Usi

ng

th

e A

ud

it :

For

your

sch

ool,

dec

ide

whe

ther

eac

h st

atem

ent

des

crib

es w

hat

is a

lread

y fir

mly

in p

lace

,w

hat

is p

artly

in p

lace

o

r w

hat

has

not

yet

bee

n

dev

elop

ed/im

ple

men

ted

/atte

mp

ted

to

any

sig

nific

ant

deg

ree

an

d p

lace

a t

ick

in t

he a

pp

rop

riate

col

umn.

Do

not

be

dis

hear

tene

d if

smile

y fa

ces

are

few

in n

umb

er n

ow:

use

the

info

rmat

ion

to in

form

you

r ow

n d

evel

opm

ent

pla

nnin

g in

sch

ool.

Sp

ace

is p

rovi

ded

for

“N

otes

”.U

se t

his

to e

xpla

in,

exem

plif

y or

am

plif

y a

resp

onse

for

fut

ure

refe

renc

e,or

to

ind

icat

e p

riorit

ies

and

idea

s fo

r fu

ture

dev

elop

men

t.

In t

he f

ollo

win

g d

ocum

ent

the

wor

d A

ble

has

bee

n us

ed t

o re

pla

ce A

ble

,G

ifte

d &

Tale

nte

d p

up

ilsin

the

inte

rest

of

savi

ng s

pac

e.

14

RO

LE

S &

RE

SP

ON

SIB

ILIT

IES

No

tes

1.Th

ere

is a

nam

ed C

o-or

din

ator

for

ab

le p

upils

.

2.C

o-or

din

ator

has

man

agem

ent

exp

erie

nce.

3.C

o-or

din

ator

has

a n

amed

link

on/

is a

mem

ber

of

the

scho

ol’s

SM

T.

4.C

o-or

din

ator

mee

ts o

n a

reg

ular

bas

is w

ith S

MT.

5.C

o-or

din

ator

man

ages

a s

choo

l bud

get

for

ab

le p

upils

.

6.E

ach

sub

ject

are

a ha

s a

link

teac

her

resp

onsi

ble

for

ab

le p

upils

.

7.S

ubje

ct li

nk t

each

er m

eets

reg

ular

ly w

ith S

choo

l Co-

ord

inat

or.

8.D

epar

tmen

ts m

eet

reg

ular

ly t

o d

evel

op m

ater

ials

/ap

pro

ache

s fo

r ab

le p

upils

i.e.

stan

din

g it

em o

n ag

end

a.

9.A

ll su

bje

ct d

epar

tmen

ts t

ake

resp

onsi

bili

ty f

or p

rovi

sion

with

in t

heir

dep

artm

ents

incl

udin

g d

evel

opm

ent

ofsu

bje

ct p

olic

ies.

10.

Pas

tora

l sta

ff(e

.g.

Tuto

rs,

Hea

ds

ofYe

ar)

have

iden

tifie

d r

oles

in

mon

itorin

g a

nd s

upp

ortin

g a

ble

pup

ils.

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

L D

EV

ELO

PM

EN

TN

ote

s

11.

Co-

ord

inat

or h

as a

ttend

ed s

ome

trai

ning

re:

able

pup

ils.

12.

Sub

ject

tea

cher

s ar

e co

nfid

ent

in t

he id

entif

icat

ion

ofab

le p

upils

.

13.

Teac

hers

are

aw

are

ofw

hat

cons

titut

es h

igh

leve

l res

pon

ses

in t

heir

sub

ject

are

a (e

.g.

the

feat

ures

of

leve

l 7,

leve

l 8/e

xcep

tiona

l p

erfo

rman

ce o

r g

rad

e A

*/A

per

form

ance

).

14.

All

staf

fha

ve r

ecei

ved

tra

inin

g o

n th

e ed

ucat

ion

ofab

le p

upils

.

15.

All

gov

erno

rs h

ave

rece

ived

info

rmat

ion

re:

the

educ

atio

n of

able

pup

ils.

16.

Less

on o

bse

rvat

ions

foc

us in

par

t on

diff

eren

tiatio

n fo

r th

e m

ore

able

.

17.

Op

por

tuni

ties

exis

t fo

r st

aff

from

diff

eren

t su

bje

ct a

reas

to

shar

e g

ood

pra

ctic

e re

:ab

le p

upils

.

18.

Mee

ting

the

nee

ds

ofab

le p

upils

is in

clud

ed in

the

NQ

T in

duc

tion

pro

gra

mm

e.

15

SY

ST

EM

S /

ST

RU

CT

UR

ES

No

tes

19.

Co-

ord

inat

or r

ecei

ves

timet

able

d t

ime

asso

ciat

ed w

ith t

he r

ole.

20.

Co-

ord

inat

or r

ecei

ves

app

rop

riate

cle

rical

sup

por

t.

21.

A w

hole

sch

ool p

olic

y fo

r ab

le p

upils

exi

sts.

22.

Pol

icy

has

bee

n ad

opte

d b

y th

e G

over

ning

Bod

y.

23.

Ab

le p

rovi

sion

is m

entio

ned

in t

he s

choo

l pro

spec

tus.

24.

All

staf

far

e aw

are

ofth

e ab

le p

upil

pol

icy,

its a

ims

and

the

ir as

soci

ated

rol

es/r

esp

onsi

bili

ties.

25.

Mee

ting

the

nee

ds

ofab

le p

upils

is s

pec

ifica

lly a

dd

ress

ed in

the

S

choo

l Dev

elop

men

t/Im

pro

vem

ent

Pla

n.

26.

An

asso

ciat

ed A

ctio

n P

lan

is in

pla

ce t

o su

pp

ort

the

imp

lem

enta

tion

ofth

e ab

le p

upil

pol

icy.

27.

Ab

le p

upil

issu

es a

re r

egul

arly

incl

uded

on

the

agen

da

ofst

aff,

pas

tora

l and

sub

ject

mee

ting

s.

28.

The

scho

ol w

orks

in c

o-op

erat

ion

with

oth

er s

choo

ls (

sam

e p

hase

an

d c

ross

-pha

se)

to p

rovi

de

opp

ortu

nitie

s fo

r ab

le p

upils

.

29.

Link

s ha

ve b

een

esta

blis

hed

with

Fur

ther

Ed

ucat

ion.

30.

Link

s ha

ve b

een

esta

blis

hed

with

Hig

her

Ed

ucat

ion.

31.

Link

s ha

ve b

een

esta

blis

hed

with

Bus

ines

s/E

mp

loye

rs.

16

IDE

NT

IFIC

AT

ION

No

tes

32.

Sys

tem

s ex

ist

for

the

iden

tific

atio

n of

able

pup

ils.

33.

Sch

ool h

as a

n ag

reed

wor

king

def

initi

on f

or id

entif

ying

ab

le p

upils

.

34.

Eac

h su

bje

ct a

rea

has

dev

elop

ed c

lear

crit

eria

for

iden

tifyi

ng a

ble

p

upils

(p

erha

ps

usin

g N

C g

uid

elin

es).

35.

Sys

tem

s fo

r id

entif

icat

ion

mak

e us

e of

a ra

nge

ofd

ata

(qua

ntita

tive

and

qua

litat

ive)

.

36.

Par

enta

l/sel

f/pee

r no

min

atio

n ha

ve b

een

used

in id

entif

icat

ion.

37.

Sys

tem

s ca

n id

entif

y ab

le u

nder

achi

ever

s in

all

sub

ject

are

as.

38.

Sch

ool h

as id

entif

ied

a r

egis

ter

ofab

le p

upils

(fr

om 1

0% t

o 30

%).

39.

All

staf

far

e aw

are

whi

ch p

upils

hav

e b

een

iden

tifie

d a

s ab

le.

40.

Com

pos

ition

of

the

able

coh

ort

is r

epre

sent

ativ

e of

the

scho

ol’s

in

take

(g

end

er,

ethn

icity

,FS

M e

tc.)

41.

The

able

reg

iste

r/co

hort

is r

evie

wed

reg

ular

ly.

42.

Pup

ils id

entif

ied

as

able

hav

e b

een

info

rmed

of

this

.

43.

Par

ents

/car

ers

ofid

entif

ied

chi

ldre

n ha

ve b

een

info

rmed

.

44.

Pup

ils in

the

coh

ort

have

bee

n in

volv

ed in

iden

tifyi

ng p

erso

nal

stre

ngth

s,d

evel

opm

ent

need

s an

d p

erso

nal l

earn

ing

sty

les/

pre

fere

nces

.

45.

Teac

hers

are

aw

are

ofp

upils

’lea

rnin

g s

tyle

s an

d id

entif

ied

nee

ds.

46.

Sys

tem

s ex

ist

for

the

effe

ctiv

e tr

ansf

er o

fin

form

atio

n ab

out

able

p

upils

at

KS

2/K

S3/

KS

4/K

S5/

HE

tra

nsiti

on.

17

PR

OV

ISIO

NN

ote

s

47.

Who

le-s

choo

l cur

ricul

um r

evie

w/d

evel

opm

ent

take

s ac

coun

t of

pro

visi

on f

or a

ble

pup

ils.

48.

Acc

eler

atio

n/fa

st t

rack

ing

is a

vaila

ble

for

ab

le p

upils

.

49.

New

cou

rses

intr

oduc

ed f

or a

ble

pup

ils.

50.

Who

le-s

choo

l stu

dy

sup

por

t op

por

tuni

ties

to e

nric

h &

ext

end

ab

le

pup

ils (

e.g

.vi

sits

,IC

T ac

cess

,vi

sitin

g s

pea

kers

,ho

mew

ork

club

).

51.

Op

por

tuni

ties

for

pup

ils t

o b

e in

volv

ed in

man

agin

g o

wn

lear

ning

.

52.

Ab

le p

upils

rec

eive

ad

diti

onal

sup

por

t fo

r ar

eas

ofid

entif

ied

w

eakn

ess

(e.g

.sp

ellin

g,

pre

sent

atio

n,b

ehav

iour

.)

53.

Gui

del

ines

exi

st t

o su

pp

ort

staf

fin

pro

vid

ing

for

ab

le p

upils

.

54.

Ap

pro

pria

te e

xten

sion

act

iviti

es e

xist

with

in s

chem

es o

fw

ork/

less

on

pla

ns in

all

sub

ject

are

as.

55.

All

sub

ject

tea

cher

s d

iffer

entia

te le

sson

s to

ext

end

/cha

lleng

e ab

le

pup

ils.

56.

All

staf

fem

plo

y ap

pro

pria

te p

edag

ogic

ap

pro

ache

s to

dev

elop

p

upils

’ind

epen

den

t le

arni

ng s

kills

.

57.

Diff

eren

tiate

d h

omew

ork

is s

et in

all

sub

ject

s.

58.

Op

por

tuni

ty e

xist

s to

par

ticip

ate

in S

umm

er S

choo

ls f

or a

ble

pup

ils.

59.

Ab

le p

upils

act

ivel

y en

cour

aged

to

ente

r lo

cal,

natio

nal a

nd

inte

rnat

iona

l com

pet

ition

s.

60.

Pup

ils a

lert

ed t

o ou

t of

scho

ol o

pp

ortu

nitie

s (e

.g.

Loca

l Eve

nts)

.

61.

Ab

le p

upils

hav

e th

e op

por

tuni

ty t

o co

mm

unic

ate

with

a v

arie

ty

ofg

roup

s an

d in

div

idua

ls.

18

PAS

TOR

AL

SU

PP

OR

TN

ote

s

62.

Ab

le P

upil

Co-

ord

inat

or a

nd P

asto

ral C

o-or

din

ator

liai

se r

egul

arly.

63.

The

scho

ol s

eeks

to

pro

vid

e in

spiri

ng r

ole

mod

els.

64.

All

able

pup

ils h

ave

the

opp

ortu

nity

to

wor

k w

ith a

sup

por

ting

ad

ult.

65.

Par

ents

/car

ers

are

awar

e of

thei

r ch

ild’s

tar

get

s an

d h

ow t

o su

pp

ort

them

.

66.

Ab

le p

upils

rec

eive

ap

pro

pria

te g

uid

ance

rel

ated

to

sub

ject

op

tions

,FE

/HE

and

car

eers

.

67.

Ab

le p

upils

hav

e op

por

tuni

ties

to a

ssoc

iate

with

oth

er a

ble

in

div

idua

ls f

rom

diff

eren

t sc

hool

s/ye

ar g

roup

s.

MO

NIT

OR

ING

& E

VA

LUA

TIO

NN

ote

s

68.

Sys

tem

s ex

ist

for

eval

uatin

g t

he im

pac

t of

pro

visi

on o

n ab

le p

upils

.

69.

SM

T/A

ble

Pup

il C

o-or

din

ator

are

aw

are

ofsc

hool

tar

get

s an

d m

onito

r p

rog

ress

tow

ard

s th

ese.

70.

Who

le s

choo

l ana

lysi

s (e

.g.

exam

/test

per

form

ance

) co

nsid

ers

able

p

upils

as

a su

b-s

et.

71.

Use

of

the

able

pup

il b

udg

et is

mon

itore

d a

nd e

valu

ated

for

ef

fect

iven

ess.

72.

Ind

ivid

ual t

arg

ets

are

set

for

all a

ble

pup

ils.

73.

Ind

ivid

ual t

arg

ets

are

set

with

all

able

pup

ils.

74.

Sys

tem

s ex

ist

for

the

trac

king

of

able

pup

ils.

75.

Pup

ils m

aint

ain

lear

ning

log

s/ jo

urna

ls.

76.

Reg

ular

rev

iew

dis

cuss

ions

tak

e p

lace

with

ab

le p

upils

.

77.

‘Ear

ly w

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21

Rationale(a) What prompted the need for a policy?

(e.g. self-review, national emphasis,OFSTED feedback)

(b) How does the policy link to your school’saims and values? (equality of entitlementand access)

(c) Does the policy link to, reflect or extendaspects of other policies? (e.g. equalopportunities, teaching & learning)

Definition(a) What terms will you use and how do you

define them? (e.g. gifted, able, talented)(b) Will you include only curriculum subjects in

your definition, or involve other measuresof ability and intelligence ? (e.g. inter-personal, problem-solving, learning styles)

(c) Do you recognise “specific ability” in justone or two areas, alongside “generalability” across a range?

(d) Are you focusing on a proportion of yourintake to ensure targeted support? (e.g.up to 10%, up to 30%)

Aims: Identification (a) What range of evidence will you use in

order to identify able and talented pupils?(b) How will your strategy allow the

identification of underachieving able pupils?(c) If you intend to establish a register of

able pupils:Who will compile and maintain the register?What information will the register contain?Who needs access to the information andhow will it be disseminated?

(d) How will you set about identifyingindividual pupils’ areas of strength anddevelopmental needs?

(e) How can this information be used to informthe development and provision of teaching& learning and pastoral developments?

Aims: Provision (a) How can information about individual

pupils’ strengths and needs be used inplanning a suitably challenging andstimulating curriculum?

(b) What generic whole-school teaching andlearning developments might benecessary?

(c) What flexibility might be needed within theschool curriculum, timetable and pupilgrouping arrangements?

(d) What support will curriculum teams needin developing subject-specific activitiesand resources?

(e) How can existing provision be enhanced,e.g. through study support, mentoring &extra-curricular activities?

(f) Does the facility exist to pool resourcesand expertise with local schools andcolleges?

Aims: Professional Development (a) What support do colleagues need in

recognising able pupils?(b) Is any development needed to improve

the reliability of assessment, particularlyassociated with high-level response?

(c) How familiar are staff with currentpedagogical developments? (e.g. thinkingskills, accelerated learning)

(d) How confident are subject teachers inproviding appropriate challenge for ablepupils through effective differentiation,acceleration, extension and enrichmentactivities?

(e) What ICT resource is available and areteachers confident in its use?

(f) How can the focus on able pupils beincorporated into school systems forinternal monitoring and performancemanagement?

WHOLE-SCHOOL POLICY & PROVISION FOR ABLE PUPILS: KEY QUESTIONS

Aims: Involving Parents(a) What role will parents play in the

identification of ability?(b) What role will parents play in decision

making about curricular provision forpupils?

(c) What activities/information might beprovided to raise parentalawareness/aspirations?

(d) How can parents be assisted to supportpupils outside school?

(e) Do opportunities exist for parents tobecome mentors, providers of studysupport etc.?

Aims: Pastoral Support (a) What opportunities exist for able pupils to

work alongside others of similar ability?(b) Might some able pupils benefit from the

support of a mentor?(c) How will pupils and parents be made

aware that the pupils’ abilities have beenrecognised?

(d) How can parents and school worktogether to ensure an appropriate balance of challenge and support whichbest meets the needs of the able pupil?

(e) Do the schools’ rewards systemsrecognise high level achievementalongside effort and progress?

Aims: Roles and Responsibilities (a) What key tasks need to be undertaken to

successfully implement the policy?(b) Who can/will be responsible for leading,

co-ordinating and carrying out the keytasks?

(c) Are there any implications for professionaldevelopment?

(d) What roles will pupils and parents have?(e) What will be the resource needs?

Conclusion(a) What impact do you hope your policy will

have? (refer back to your rationale andaims)

(b) How will you monitor policyimplementation, building upon existingsystems and structures?

(c) What evidence will you draw upon toindicate success? (e.g. high-level attainment, early-entry,self-esteem)

WHOLE-SCHOOL POLICY & PROVISION FOR ABLE PUPILS: KEY QUESTIONS

22

“Able, gifted & talented pupils” refers to up to athird of your school intake. It includes childrenwho may have ability within one or more areasof the curriculum but not necessarily in all.Talented pupils are those with a particular abilityin art, music, sport or the performing arts. Ablechildren have the potential to achieve at a higherlevel than the majority of their peers in theacademic subjects, whilst those with thepotential for exceptional performance(representing around 0·5% of the populationnationally and capable of PIPs scores >70 orCATs scores >135) are described as “gifted”.

As those of you familiar with the NationalStrategy for Gifted & Talented pupils will beaware, there has been a change of emphasiswithin provision for these pupils. The so-called “modernising of the comprehensiveprinciple” lays emphasis on all pupilsachieving their potential rather than fixing acertain level which the majority of pupils areexpected to reach. The inclusion agendahas these pupils clearly identified as asignificant group with particular needs.

These changes obviously have implicationsfor us as we plan provision for our able, giftedand talented pupils. There may have been anemphasis previously to concentrate on thepupils who were just below the expected levelfor their age, with less concern about thosewho were likely to achieve it fairly easily. Theprogress of these able, gifted and talentedpupils is now under closer scrutiny: there issome evidence that OFSTED are willing touse their “underachieving” category morereadily where able pupils are attaining quitehighly but are capable of more. It isimportant to recognise that, for the most ablepupils, we ought to expect more than simplyachieving the highest expected level ofattainment by the end of the Key Stage.

Below, we have listed some examples oftargets you might set for your more able pupilsin each Key Stage. You will note that anumber of these examples relate to attainmentat high levels in external examinations. Otherssuggest early examination entry, which mightbe appropriate in some subject areas forindividual pupils or small groups. Please alsonote the other, broader targets relating toinvolvement in enrichment activities. Targetssuch as these are important, since they reflectthe principle that high quality provision forable, gifted and talented pupils is about morethan achieving the greatest number of thehighest levels of attainment in the shortesttime: it is about providing an enrichingeducation which equips pupils with the skillsand experiences necessary to support lifelonglearning.

Examples of Whole-School Targets

The following suggestions are intended tohelp you set targets which moreappropriately challenge your most ablepupils and against which you might monitortheir progress.

In Key Stage 1, as well as the percentage ofpupils achieving level 3 by the end of theKey Stage, you might also consider targetssuch as:• the number of pupils able to plan and

successfully carry out a problem-solvingactivity;

• the number of pupils able to give reasonedexplanations for a given answer or solution;

• the number of able pupils participating inenrichment activities (e.g. class newspaper,e-mail links with other schools).

GUIDANCE ON TARGET-SETTING FOR ABLE, GIFTED & TALENTED PUPILS

23

24

In Key Stage 2, as well as the percentage ofpupils achieving level 5 by the end of theKey Stage, you might also consider targetssuch as:• the percentage achieving level 6 in Y6

(teacher assessed using QCA optionalassessment materials1);

• the number of pupils successfully enteredfor World Class Tests2;

• the number of able pupils participating inenrichment activities (e.g. chess club,school newspaper, student council).

In Key Stage 3, as well as the percentage ofpupils achieving level 7 by the end of theKey Stage, you might also consider targetssuch as:• the percentage achieving level 6 or 7 in Y8

(early-entry);• the percentage achieving level 8 in Y9

(teacher assessed using QCA optionalassessment materials1);

• the number of able pupils participating inenrichment activities (e.g. science club,school concert);

• the number of pupils successfully enteredfor World Class Tests2;

• the number of pupils registered with theNational Academy for G&T Youth.3

In Key Stage 4, as well as the percentage ofpupils achieving 5+A*-C by the end of Y11,you might also consider targets such as:• the percentage achieving 3+A/A* in Y11;• the percentage of pupils achieving 1+A/A*

in maths in Y10 (early-entry);• the number of pupils following Advanced

courses of study in KS4;• the number of pupils accessing alternative

GCSE courses (e.g. Statistics, Latin);• the number of able pupils participating in

enrichment activities (e.g. ICT club,mentoring younger pupils, school council);

• the number of pupils registered with theNational Academy for G&T Youth3.

Note: whilst some able pupils in your schoolmay be achieving the higher levels relativelyeasily, there may be some individuals whosecurrent achievement does not reflect theirpotential. Targets for these individuals mayfocus on removing identified barriers tolearning as well as identifying the specificlevels which they should attain.

GUIDANCE ON TARGET-SETTING FOR ABLE, GIFTED & TALENTED PUPILS

1 QCA Materials for Able Pupils http://www.qca.org.uk/ca/tests/above_level.asp2 World class tests http://www.worldclassarena.org/3 Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth http://www.warwick.ac.uk/gifted

25

ANY SCHOOL - ABLE, GIFTED & TALENTED POLICY

Rationale

As our Mission Statement says, at Any School we believe that all pupils are entitled to receive thesupport and challenge necessary to help them to develop their full potential. The needs of able,gifted and talented pupils are acknowledged as part of our overall inclusion policy. Werecognise the importance of identifying a wide range of abilities and talents, and of providingopportunities to nurture them. In addition we are committed to developing pupils’ social andemotional skills as essential elements in the development of the whole person.

Definition

At Any School we use the general term “most able” to refer to pupils who demonstrate or havethe potential to work at a level above their peers. This may be in one or more areas.

Specifically, “able” pupils are those who have ability in academic subjects e.g. history. “Talented”pupils will have ability in the areas of music, art or sport. Although others may use the term moregenerally, we identify “gifted” pupils as those who demonstrate exceptional ability in one or moreareas, and represent 0.5% of the national population.

Aims

• To use a broad range of qualitative and quantitative data to identify our most able pupils.• To recognise those pupils who may have potential but currently underachieve.• To ensure that all staff receive appropriate support and training in identifying and providing for

our most able pupils.• To provide support and challenge in the classroom, within an ethos of high expectations.• To ensure that where necessary individuals receive academic or pastoral support to overcome

identified barriers to learning.• To build on existing systems of monitoring and evaluation to track the progress of these pupils.• To work with parents to help pupils achieve their potential and to be ambitious.• To provide a range of additional opportunities to develop the experiences of our most able.

Conclusion

The success of the policy will impact on the school’s ethos. At Any School we want our pupils tobelieve it is “cool to be clever” and to strive to achieve their full potential. We want our staff tofeel confident in offering appropriate levels of challenge for our most able. We will measuresuccess by both academic performance and an increase in the confidence and independenceof our learners.

PRIMARY PHASE CASE STUDY

The headteacher became aware of thenational strategy for able, gifted & talentedpupils through documentation received fromthe DfES and awareness raising by the LEA.She discussed it within the seniormanagement team and it was agreed itshould be an item on the agenda of the nextgovernors’ curriculum meeting. At thatmeeting, the senior management team andthe governors together used the county’sself-evaluation tool to assess in general termshow effectively the school was meeting theneeds of its more able and talented pupils.

The discussion centred around six main areas:-• Systems & structures - the school had no

policy, co-ordinator or governor withresponsibility for these pupils and therewas obviously a need for all of these as astarting point.

• The school’s self-evaluation procedureswere now quite detailed and sophisticatedin analysing standards achieved by thedifferent gender groups, the SEN pupils,the EAL pupils and the FSM pupils butwere less effective at analysing the resultsof the more able.

• Though standards achieved by the schooloverall were high it could not be said withcertainty that all pupils were achieving theirpotential. There was therefore a need toexplore potential underachievement.

• The teachers effectively provideddifferentiated work for their pupils but therewas perhaps a need to look at the quality ofthe tasks provided for the more able pupils.

• Though pupils worked hard at the tasksgiven to them, there was perhaps a need tolook at equipping them to become moreeffective and independent learners and toengage them more in discussions abouttheir own learning.

• Recent emphasis on literacy and numeracyhad been effective but had possiblynarrowed the curriculum to some extentand there was a need to look at what theschool did to promote excellence in music,art, sport and drama.

It was agreed that the committee recommendto the full governing body that a co-ordinatorfor these pupils needed to be appointed andthat a governor be appointed to oversee thedevelopment of provision. The co-ordinatorcould then explore the above issues in moredetail and feed the areas for developmentinto the school improvement plan.

The co-ordinator was duly appointed and shestarted her new role by using the county’saudit document to look in detail at theprovision within the school. From this anumber of areas for development wereidentified and discussed with the school’ssenior management team. Those areas wereincluded in the school improvement plan andfunding for resources and staff developmentwas attached.

At the end of the year the co-ordinator tookstock of progress so far by returning to theprimary audit document. Good progress hadbeen made in many areas but areas forfurther development included:-• The need for further staff training on devising

problem solving and investigative tasks.• The need for co-ordinators to consider

provision for A, G & T pupils moresystematically within their own subject area.

• The need to ensure that all staffunderstood the issue of underachievementas some seemed content with their pupilsreaching reasonable levels of attainment.

26

SECONDARY PHASE CASE STUDY

This case study follows the progress madeby a High School during its first year with aspecific focus on improving provision for AGTpupils. The case study draws the bestelements from successful developmentswithin several Lancashire schools in anattempt to describe one practical approach.

AUTUMN TERMThe school appoints an Able Pupil Co-ordinator to lead developments in this area.Since the school hopes to have a positiveimpact on whole-school ethos and to improveprovision across all subject areas, thedecision is made for the co-ordinator to be amember of Senior Leadership Team. Thiscolleague is aware of other keydevelopments within the School ImprovementPlan, can influence the professionaldevelopment programme and works closelywith Subject and Pastoral Leaders.

The co-ordinator sets about determining theschool’s starting point. The school’s mostrecent OFSTED report is searched forcomments regarding differentiation for the mostable. Recent attainment data is analysed,including the LEA GCSE multi-level analysis,pupil attitudinal questionnaire responses, theschool’s CAT profile and high-level pupilattainment in KS3 and KS4 examinations. Abrief audit of provision is completed by Subjectand Pastoral Leaders. The co-ordinator holdssmall group discussions with able pupils indifferent year groups and spends a dayfollowing the timetable of one able Y8 pupil.

Alongside this, the co-ordinator embarks ona period of research, training andawareness-raising in order to establish anunderstanding of current good practicelocally, nationally and internationally.

In the run-up to the Christmas break, a long-term action plan is established. This sets outin general terms the main stages indevelopment needed over the next threeyears. It also suggests some broad outcomeswhich the school is seeking to bring about,including improvements in teacher and pupilskills, confidence and engagement alongsideraised attainment. Possible links with otherareas of school development are highlighted:for example, developing learning and teachingthrough the national Key Stage 3 Strategy.The action plan is initially shared with SLT andgovernors.

SPRING TERMEarly in the term, awareness of all staff israised through whole-school INSET. Thisclarifies the national context, sets out theschool’s current position and communicatesthe long-term vision, action plan and desiredoutcomes. Teachers are provided withopportunities to discuss the characteristics ofable pupils within their own subject areasand offered some generic approaches toprovision. The session allows time forsubject teams to consider their own schemesof work and requires each team to identifyone pilot project, where an alternativeapproach will be taken in an attempt to bettermeet the needs of the more able. A smallamount of development budget has been setaside to allow teams to bid for resources,including time, to support their projects. TheINSET is well received, the majority of staffwelcoming a change in emphasis to the moreable and engaged by the focus on teachingand learning. One teacher expressesconcern about elitism: he is persuaded toaccept that the school’s emphasis is, in fact,one of equality of opportunity with all pupilshaving the right to a challenging education.

27


A “Teaching and Learning” working groupexists, with representation from all subjectareas. They agree to extend their remit toinclude the delivery of the AGT action plan.The working group leads the production ofwhole-school AGT policy. Members of theworking group are supported to attendsubject-specific INSET for able pupils andencouraged to research current pedagogicaldevelopments. They also monitor and evaluatethe small-scale projects undertaken within theirown teams. Group members share theirfindings in order to stimulate discussion ofpractical approaches within school: this in turninforms the continuing action researchprogramme across subject teams throughoutthe remainder of the school year.

During this term the co-ordinator establishes awhole-school register of able pupils. A centrallist is drawn up of the most able 10% in eachyear group by analysing data such as KS2 andKS3 SAT levels/scores and NFER CAT scores.The register is checked to identify anyindividuals with high level attainment who mayqualify for the National Academy of Gifted &Talented Youth. A specific attempt is made tohighlight able pupils who are currentlyunderachieving. INSET discussions about thecharacteristics of able pupils within eachcurriculum area are formalised into checklistswhich can be used to identify potential highachievers across all subjects. The centralregister is circulated and teams areencouraged to add individuals to the list whodemonstrate a particular flair for their subject,up to a further 5% of each year group. Theschool register now contains a central group ofpupils with ability across the curriculum, inaddition to individuals identified with ability inone or more subject areas.

Provision for and progress of these pupils isthen monitored by the co-ordinator, with thesupport of the working group, Subject andPastoral Leaders, classroom teachers andpupils themselves.

SUMMER TERM

Identified pupils are called together andinformed of the initiative and the reason fortheir inclusion in it. Pupils are asked tocomplete a self-review profile, writing abouttheir particular strengths, preferences, needsand dislikes. They also complete and scorean audit of preferred learning styles.

Parents of identified pupils are contacted byletter to indicate that the school is aware oftheir child’s potential and is embarking upona trial programme of activities to better meettheir needs. A Parents’ Information Eveningis arranged to explain the aims of theprogramme and to offer advice in supportingpupils. Attendance is almost 100%, far inexcess of expectations. Parents are positiveand welcoming of the initiative.

Members of the working group, PastoralLeaders and other interested staff arrange toact as mentors. They meet with pupils todiscuss their self-review responses and toagree a small number of meaningful personaltargets. Pupils are provided with a journal inwhich to record their own targets, to log anyactivities aimed at their areas of ability and tomonitor and evaluate their progress. The pupiljournal forms the focus for future mentormeetings. Those pupils identified asunderachieving significantly work with one ofthe school’s Learning Mentors to try to identifyand overcome barriers to their achievement.

28


Members of the working group provide aformal report to indicate the outcomes of theproject work during the course of the year.In particular, they are asked to highlight anysuccessful strategies or approaches worthyof repeating or developing further, possibly atwhole-school level. A more detailed AGTaudit is completed by all subject teams: thisis just one part of a larger audit of learningand teaching which has developed from theKey Stage 3 Strategy. Outcomes of the auditand working group evaluations are used toinform whole-school and departmentalplanning for the coming year.

YEAR TWO

The plan for the second year seeks to:• refine identification and pupil-tracking

processes, including closer liaison with KS2teachers at transition to highlight thosepupils whose abilities are alreadyrecognised and provided for and to involvepupils and parents in identification;

• continue to develop action-researchprojects across all subject areas to trial andfurther develop new approaches;

• include the routine focus on able pupils asa sub-group throughout school self-evaluation systems, including analysis ofexamination results, departmental reportsto governors and lesson observations;

• formally share best practice across theschool and evaluate the impact of activitiesto inform whole-school training andimplementation.

YEAR THREE

In the third year, the school hopes to embedbest practice within schemes of work andschool systems: setting aside significant timethrough the INSET programme and meetingsprogramme for teams to focus on curriculumand resource development.

29

http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/projects/able/index.php

30

LANCASHIRE AGT WEBSITE

USEFUL A&T WEB LINKS

31

QCA Guidance on Teaching G&T Pupils - http://www.nc.uk.net/gt/

Xcalibre: subject-specific resources for able pupils - http://www.xcalibre.ac.uk/

Excellence in Cities - http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/excellence/policies/GiftedandTalented

Oxford Brookes (National A&T Training) - http://fcis.brookes.ac.uk/FS1.html

Organisations

Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth - http://www.warwick.ac.uk/gifted

BECTA - http://www.becta.org.uk/inclusion/sen/resources/able.html

GIFT - http://www.giftltd.co.uk/

MENSA - http://www.mensa.org.uk/mensa/index.html

NACE - http://www.nace.co.uk/

National Association for Gifted Children - http://www.nagcbritain.org.uk/

Tomorrow’s Achievers - http://www.masterclasses.co.uk/

21st Century Learning Initiative - http://www.21learn.org/

Resources

Institute of Youth Sport - http://www.youthsporttrust.org/

BBC Schools Online - http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/

Cognitive Acceleration Through Science Education - http://www.case-network.org/

The Education of Gifted & Talented Students in Western Australiahttp://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/gifttal/index.htm

“Hoagiesgifted” educational resources - http://www.hoagiesgifted.com/

KS3 Strategy: Teaching Able Pupils -http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3/publications/?template=down&pub_id=2044&strand=generic

National Curriculum online - http://www.nc.uk.net/home

National Literacy Trust - http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/able.html

Nrich (Mathematics) - http://www.nrich.maths.org.uk/

Philosophy for Children - http://www.sapere.net/

QCA Materials for Able Pupils - http://www.qca.org.uk/ca/tests/above_level.asp

Robert Fisher (Thinking Skills) - http://www.brunel.ac.uk/faculty/ed/robert fisher/

Teaching Ideas for Primary Teachers - http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/

Teaching Thinking - http://www.teachthinking.com/

World class tests - http://www.worldclassarena.org/

Useful Starting Points

USEFUL A&T WEB LINKS

Publications/Guidance

DfES Study Support sitehttp://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/studysupport/

Education and Employment Select Committee Report: Highly Able Children (1999)http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199899/cmselect/cmeduemp/22/2202.htm

Educational inequality: mapping race, class and gender (2000)http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/docs/447.pdf

“Excellence Across Sectors” (Estelle Morris’ Speech 2002)http://www.dfes.gov.uk/speeches/media/documents/excellenceacrosssectors.doc

Flexibility and the national curriculumhttp://www.nc.uk.net/gt/general/04_flexibility.htm

Guidance on inspecting educational inclusionhttp://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/docs/459.pdf

Language for Learning (2000)http://www.qca.org.uk/pdf.asp?/ca/5-14/language_for_learning.pdf

National curriculum values and aimshttp://www.nc.uk.net/aims_values.html

National Evaluations of A&T Strandhttp://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/excellence/policies/GiftedAndTalented/?seclist=2245

NC inclusion statementhttp://www.nc.uk.net/inclusion.html

National Talent Framework for Sporthttp://www.intuitivemedia.com/talentladder/

OFSTED guidance for inspecting EiC Schoolshttp://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/docs/1031.pdf

OFSTED Reviews of Research “Educating the Very Able”http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/ofsted/veryable/able.htm

Report on teachers’ perception of formative assessmenthttp://www.qca.org.uk/pdf.asp?/ca/5-14/afl/annneesom.pdf

Section 96 (approved qualifications)http://www.dfee.gov.uk/section96/

32

USEFUL BOOKS

General

The Challenge of the Able Child David George David Fulton

Able Children in Ordinary Schools Deborah Eyre David Fulton

Curriculum Provision for the Gifted and Deborah Eyre &Talented in the Secondary School Hilary Lowe NACE/Fulton

Curriculum Provision for the Gifted & Deborah Eyre &Talented in the Primary School Lynne McClure (ed) NACE/Fulton

Closing the Learning Gap Mike Hughes Network Ed Press

Accelerated Learning in the Classroom Alistair Smith Network Ed Press

Resources

Effective Provision for Able and Talented Children Barry Teare Network Ed Press

Effective Resources for Able andTalented Children Barry Teare Network Ed Press

The ALPS Approach: Resource Book Alistair Smith & Nicola Call Network Ed Press

The ALPS Approach Alistair Smith & Nicola Call Network Ed Press

Thinking Skills

Teaching Thinking Robert Fisher Cassell

Teaching Children to Think Robert Fisher Stanley Thorne

Teaching Thinking Skills Across the Primary Curriculum Belle Wallace NACE/Fulton

Thinking Through Primary Teaching Steve Higgins Network Ed Press

Thinking/Philosophical Discussion

First Stories for Thinking Robert Fisher Nash Pollock

Stories for Thinking Robert Fisher Nash Pollock

Poems for Thinking Robert Fisher Nash Pollock

Games for Thinking Robert Fisher Nash Pollock

33

FOR FURTHER SUPPORT PLEASE CONTACT

Lancashire LEA’s Able, Gifted & Talented team is available to offer advice, consultancy andsupport on individual children and the continuing professional development of staff.

The team members are:-

Janet Gaskell - Teacher Adviser for Able, Gifted & Talented Pupils based at the LancashireProfessional Development Service building in Chorley - tel. 01257 516100

Paul Dyson-Knight - Strand Co-ordinator for the Gifted & Talented Strand within the ExcellenceClusters and member of the secondary advisory team based at County Hall - tel. 01772 531658

Chris Webster - Team Leader and member of the Primary North Advisory Team based at theWhite Cross Education Centre in Lancaster - tel. 01524 585857

provision for able, gifted and talented pupils agt... · audit document - primary ... evaluating...

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