What is the point?

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Bewildered
Posts: 1806
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:29 pm
Location: Berkshire

What is the point?

Post by Bewildered »

After recently attending a training course on G&T, I learned what a highly emotive subject this was. (So, for those of you with a weak disposition look away now!:) )

I got to wondering about the G&T register that most(not all) schools hold on the top 5%-10% of students in school.
As it's a living document, it's constantly changing & Parents are generally not made aware that their child may be on it. The school holds it, but that appears to be the sum total of it. So what's the point? I can't see any benefits, unless someone knows otherwise...
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

it is an emotive subject as you said. I don't liek teh term G&T not in that context any way! I would prefer it to be able pupils.

Sadly in a lot of schools it is just lip service, differentiation should be part of every teachers routine, for both ends of teh spectrum. It should be enrichment too, not just more of the same. eg asking why? why not? what if?
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Bewildered,

Yes if the register is just a piece of paper there isn't much point - but it highlights those children who need that 'extra' in the way of extension in the same way as the SEN register does for other children.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Yes if the register is just a piece of paper there isn't much point - but it highlights those children who need that 'extra' in the way of extension
It doesn't seem that it was put to use in our school.

When we suggested(which we should not have needed to do)that our son needed that 'extra' in year 4, as the maths work he was being set wasn't challenging enough.

His teacher just started handing him printed worksheets from the internet that even we found challenging, and that she certainly couldn't do as she never marked them. :x :roll:

Thankfully she left the school soon after.

Our son went on to gain a place at grammar. (currently y7)
perplexed

Post by perplexed »

Bewildered, what was the training course on G and T about if it did not cover the purpose of a school putting together a register of G and T pupils? I am intrigued!
traceyanne
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Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 2:58 pm
Location: bexley

Post by traceyanne »

I also have been on a g&t course designed for governors, it was really good but it's been almost impossible to change my schools attitude towards it all. It was suggested at the course to have clubs for g&t children, to promote 'cool to be clever', to provide parents information on the register, but my school seems to be having none of it! I'm getting tired of trying to spark some interest in the subject to tell the truth. Is there anyone else out there with a school thats taken g&t seriously enough to change things? I'd love to get some ideas.
Bexley Mum 2
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Location: Bexley

Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

There is no point. Schools should differentiate for all types of ability and I think they are getting better at this. When my first child started school I remember the school was criticised for not catering for more able children - just giving them more of the same work to do rather than stretching them. I think the G&T initiative went some way to dealing with this as the Head at that time used to give more able children different types of academic challenge.

My three children have all been on the list for various subjects and it hasn't made any difference to them whatsoever apart from taking part in the very occasional activity. I don't think most parents even know if their children are on the list.

We have an excellent teacher at our school who was in charge of G&T for a while and she had all sorts of plans, some of which she initiated, but of course she was so good she got promoted and it all seems to have ground to a halt again. :?
Bewildered
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Location: Berkshire

Post by Bewildered »

perplexed wrote:Bewildered, what was the training course on G and T about if it did not cover the purpose of a school putting together a register of G and T pupils? I am intrigued!
It was a governor training course. We were told about it, and were asked to debate pro's and con's. No real decision was reached. We had quite a few parents against it, and against any 'extra' treatment for the more able, as, in their view, it would take time away from the rest of the class.
The training staff did mention that 'The able' (I don't like the term G&T either), were considered a minority group just like EAL, or Sen. Implying that their needs needed to be met too. But I don't think they managed to get their message across to everyone. :roll:

As teachers already constantly assess the children, they are aware of each child's capabilities. The only positives that I can remember, were that talented children, i.e those good at activities such, as piano, tennis, chess, ballet, sport etc. which are mostly done out of school, were made aware to the staff.

It was interesting to learn, that children could be put on, but later on taken off, and then put on again. As each child progresses at different rates. They may suddenly speed up, plateau, then speed up again. I can now see why parents aren't informed, as the school would constantly be trying to justify, their reasoning.

As a parent I know, I've been frustrated at the stand the school takes, and really would of liked to know if my child was considered to be in the top 5%-10% when initially considering the 11+, just to help know that putting him forward for the 11+ was the right decision. But now I understand a bit more about the schools position.

The whole thing is another government initiative, but I still don't see it's value, as just a list. :?
Guest

Post by Guest »

My eldest daughter went on her school' G & T register when she was in Yr 1. This followed an Ofsted inspection where the flavour of the month seemed to be extending the more able. Well, she was still on it when she left in Yr6, but all she ever did was occassionally show a piece of work to the deputy head who was the G & T co-ordinator! Fortunately her school streamed for maths, plus there was further differentiation within each set and in Yr 6 there was even streaming in literacy (just in time for the SATS!),so she was stretched to some extent. This would have happened whether she was on the register or not though.
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