News: Gifted and Talented

Published: 11 Oct 07
The Department for Education has provided us with guidance regarding very bright children.
What do we mean by gifted and talented?
Gifted and talented children are those who have one or more abilities developed to a level significantly ahead of their year group (or with the potential to develop these abilities).
In England the term 'gifted' refers to those pupils who are capable of excelling in academic subjects such as English or History. 'Talented' refers to those pupils who may excel in areas requiring visio-spatial skills or practical abilities, such as in games and PE, drama, or art.
Some gifted and talented pupils may be intellectually able but also appear on the Special Educational Needs (SEN) register for behavioural, literacy or physical difficulties.
Recognising Gifted and Talented pupils
Many educationalists have produced lists of characteristics of very able children. 
Familiarity with these characteristics can help teachers to build up a pupil profile of learning strengths. Such a profile may help to identify a pupil who might not be achieving at a particularly high level but who may have real ability in certain areas. However, these characteristics are indicative and not definitive. 
General Characteristics of Gifted, Talented and More Able Pupils - he or she may:
  • Be a good reader
  • Be very articulate or verbally fluent for their age
  • Give quick verbal responses (which can appear cheeky)
  • Have a wide general knowledge
  • Learn quickly
  • Be interested in topics which one might associate with an older child
  • Communicate well with adults - often better than with their peer group
  • Have a range of interests, some of which are almost obsessions
  • Show unusual and original responses to problem-solving activities
  • Prefer verbal to written activities
  • Be logical
  • Be self taught in their own interest areas
  • Have an ability to work things out in their head very quickly
  • Have a good memory that they can access easily
  • Be artistic
  • Be musical
  • Excel at sport
  • Have strong views and opinions
  • Have a lively and original imagination / sense of humour
  • Be very sensitive and aware
  • Focus on their own interests rather than on what is being taught
  • Be socially adept
  • Appear arrogant or socially inept
  • Be easily bored by what they perceive as routine tasks
  • Show a strong sense of leadership
  • Not necessarily be well-behaved or well liked by others
The National Programme
Gifted and Talented education seeks to improve the education of gifted and talented children and young people aged 3-19 in schools and colleges throughout England. Its core objectives are to:
Achieve significant, measurable improvement in the attainment, aspirations, motivation and self-esteem of gifted and talented pupils and students, especially those at risk of underachieving, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Improve the quality of identification, provision and support in schools, colleges, clusters, partnerships and LEAs, giving priority to the weakest, and develop robust quality standards to support this.
Develop tools, and identify and use levers, to help ensure that every maintained school and college in every LEA is equipped to differentiate teaching and learning to meet individual needs at the upper end of the ability range.
Further information about Gifted and Talented: 
The national programme includes sub-programmes for Early Years and Primary Education and for Secondary and Further Education. There are cross-cutting projects providing support for:
  • Pupils, students, parents, carers and other 'customers';
  • Educators of gifted and talented students at all levels
  • Schools and colleges
  • The infrastructure of gifted and talented education at local, regional and national levels; and
  • The global dimension of gifted and talented education 
For further information about the national programme please refer to:
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/giftedandtalented/