1          Introduction

            We believe in providing the best possible provision for pupils of all abilities. We plan our teaching and learning so that each child can aspire to the highest level of personal achievement. The purpose of this policy is to help to ensure that we recognise and support the needs of those children in our school who have been identified as 'gifted' and/or 'talented' according to national guidelines.

            In the national guidelines, the terms are distinguished as follows:

·         'gifted' refers to a child who has a broad range of achievement at a level well above average, typically in the more academic subjects;

·         'talented' refers to a child who excels in one or more specific fields, typically those that call for performance skills, such as sport or music, but who does not necessarily perform at a high level across all areas of learning.

2          Aims and objectives

2.1       Our aims are to:

·         ensure that we recognise and support the needs of all our children;

·         enable children to develop to their full potential;

·         offer children opportunities to generate their own learning;

·         ensure that we challenge and extend the children through the work that we set them;

·         encourage children to think and work independently.

            Aptitudes in English and mathematics

            Gifted children in English are identified when they:

·         demonstrate relatively high levels of fluency and originality in their conversation;

·         use research skills more effectively to synthesise information;

·         enjoy reading, and respond to a range of texts at a more advanced level;

·         use a wider vocabulary, and enjoy working with words;

·         see issues from a broader range of perspectives;

·         use more advanced skills when engaged in discussion.

            Gifted children in mathematics are identified when they:

·         explore a broader range of strategies for solving a problem;

·         are more curious when working with numbers and investigating problems;

·         see solutions more quickly, without needing to try all the options;

·         look beyond the question in order to hypothesise and explain;

·         work more flexibly, and establish their own strategies;

·         enjoy manipulating numbers.

Teaching and learning

            Our teachers plan carefully to meet the learning needs of all our children. We give all children the opportunity to show what they know, understand and can do, and we achieve this in a variety of ways when planning for children's learning, such as by providing:

·         a common activity that allows the children to respond at their own levels;

·         an enrichment activity that broadens a child's learning in a particular skill or knowledge area;

·         an individual activity within a common theme that reflects a greater depth of understanding and higher level of attainment;

·         the opportunity for children to progress through their work at their own rate of learning.

            This policy will be reviewed every two years, or earlier if necessary.