Our approach

We recognise that our More Able, Gifted and Talented students (MAGT) need access to broad, balanced and challenging curriculum opportunities to enable them to reach their true potential. With this in mind we will personalise the curriculum for them by offering activities that extend and enrich their learning and promote high attainment and good progress.

Where appropriate, students will move through their learning at a faster rate than their peers. Particularly able students may, if it is appropriate, be able to take mathematics, further mathematics and three sciences before the normal time at the end of Year 11. Students will also have the opportunity to study specialist subjects such as electronics and control technology.

Students on the MAGT register, alongside other higher attaining students, will be supported to reach their full potential through high-calibre, differentiated tasks and activities.

Supporting our Students

To support our More Able, Gifted and Talented students we will have:

Setting

Students will be set by ability as appropriate. We believe that setting in certain subjects is more advantageous than others especially the more linear subjects like mathematics and science. Other subjects like music and PE will also require setting from time to time to ensure that more able students are being challenged appropriately. Setting in English is increasingly necessary as students progress through the school towards GCSE. However, to start with in Year 7 groups can be mixed ability with extension opportunities made available to challenge those on the MAGT register.

Department Policies and Plans

Each department will have a policy and development plan for MAGT students. This will include the means of identifying these students and strategies to cater for their needs in that particular subject area.

A register of More Able, Gifted and Talented students

We will use a range of data to identify more able, gifted and talented students (MAGT) such as:

1. Analysing results from National Curriculum Tests and Cognitive Ability Tests to identify MAGT students.
2. Expecting subject teachers to identify MAGT students and nominate them to be registered through department identification policies.
3. Providing a questionnaire for parents to complete prior to their children starting in the school. This will enable parents to tell us of their child's abilities and will be used to inform the register.

The MAGT register will specifically indicate the curriculum areas in which the student has been identified as having strengths. Subject teachers and tutors will be informed so that progress can be monitored closely.

Parental Support

When students are placed on the MAGT register parents will be informed and provided guidance as to how they can support their children’s learning.

Targets

The school will have targets, overall and at subject level, for attainment and achievement of MAGT students.

Websites to support More Able Gifted and Talented students and their parents:

• The Literacy Trust - http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/able.html
• London G&T - http://www.londongt.org/homepage/index.php
• NACE - http://www.nace.co.uk/
• Young Gifted and Talented - http://ygt.dcsf.gov.uk
• World Class Arena - http://www.worldclassarena.org/v5/default.htm