We've all heard stories of 13-year-olds going to uni etc, but what does gifted and talented look like to you/in your school?
Kings’ School Al Barsha have a thorough admissions process which includes a cognitive ability assessment (CAT4). This assessment provides us with a strong indication of a child’s cognitive ability and will indicate when it is beyond that of their age appropriate level. Where high CAT4 assessment is recorded it indicates a gifted and talented child. In addition to this, Kings’ Schools recognise that students may have a particular gift or talent, in one or more areas of the curriculum, or learning behaviours. These gifts and talents are identifiable by our highly qualified and experienced staff in their subject specialism area or year group knowledge.
Most parents if they're honest, think their child is gifted somewhere along the line, but what would you consider the 'red-flags' for gifted and talented children and at what age would parents likely see them manifest?
Gifted or talented identification can take place at any age, but may alter as the child grows. A child ahead of age appropriate level may become more age appropriate as they grow, each child develops differently. Early identification is key to ensuring that children are challenged appropriately.
How is gifted and talented assessed? (in house/SENCO, external diagnostic centre, etc.?
Students are assessed against Kings’ Gifted and Talented criteria. This is done through a triangulation of three sets of information: CAT4 data, teacher recommendation and subject assessment data.
CAT4 Data:
Students who have a mean score of 125+
Teacher Recommendation:
Teachers can recommend individuals based on showing prowess in their lessons, for example, students who are thoroughly engaged and are always looking to better themselves within lessons.
Subject Assessment Data:
Students who have high flight paths or are showing outstanding progress within assessment point data.
What happens once a child is officially termed 'gifted and talented?' Do the normal SEN rules apply e.g. ILP, SENCO coordination, etc.?
Students are recorded in a Gifted and Talented register. From this list of students all teachers and staff are able to support students with a range of interventions and extracurricular opportunities, trips and represent the school in external competitions and challenging environments. An example of this would be the World Scholar’s Cup. Teachers are also aware of this group of students within mainstream lessons and are therefore challenged using differentiated tasks.
Most parents probably dream of having their child diagnosed as gifted and talented, but are there any downsides to it all?
Additional pressure on a child to perform highly at all times can increase difficulties with self esteem and confidence. This pressure can be self applied or from peers, teachers and parents. Students who exhibit these tendencies are supported through a strong pastoral network around the child which includes tutors, year leaders, an inclusion team, school counsellor and leadership.
What does really strong parenting of a gifted and talented student look like to you?
Kings’ parents are very supportive of our students, their children. It is sometimes difficult to get a good balance of challenge mixed with support. Students need to be encouraged to set their own learning pace, but be encouraged and challenged along the way. Positive conversation, exposure and debate about current affairs and events are always helpful to develop a gifted child holistically.
Are there any pit-falls which commonly occur with gifted and talented children, both in school and once in university?
Students who are exceptional may become bored if not challenged at the appropriate pace and level. This can manifest in some difficult behaviours. It is the responsibility of the team around the child to identify this and prevent potential impact on development or learning. Whole school awareness is key, training and support for teachers and families works well towards prevention.
