Able, Gifted and Talented Provision


In March 2011, Yavneh College was awarded the NACE Challenge Award, following a rigorous assessment and inspection process involving the analysis of attainment data; scrutiny of curricular and extracurricular provision; evidence from external partners; lesson observations; interviews with pupils, parents, teachers and governors. NACE – the National Association for Able Children in Education – is a national body that promotes the importance of an appropriately challenging education for children at the top of the ability range. Only 56 secondary schools nationally have received this award, which recognises excellence in provision for able, gifted and talented pupils.

Rationale

Yavneh College aims to provide exciting and challenging lessons for all pupils, including those who have been identified as Able, Gifted or Talented.  We believe that maximising the achievement of pupils in our school is best accomplished through the use of active learning strategies delivered by high quality and effective teachers. Every member of staff is committed to providing work which will help to raise the attainment of all pupils in the school, including those identified as being Able, Gifted and/or Talented.

Able, Gifted and Talented Policy Aims and Objectives
Yavneh College is committed to raising the attainment of all pupils in the school, including the cohort of pupils identified as Able, Gifted and/or Talented through:
 

  • Having high expectations of all pupils in the school.
  • Recognising and celebrating the achievement of all pupils in the school.
  • Continuously monitoring and tracking pupil attainment in each subject area through the use of FFT data set at Band D
  • Providing pupils with specific minimum and challenge targets for each subject, based on FFT data set at band D – minimum targets encourage pupils to work towards a level or grade which refelcts their natural ability, although challenge targets encourage pupils  to push beyond their natural ability.
  • The use of a variety of teaching, learning and homework strategies.
  • Monitoring the quality of teaching and learning through lesson observations, work sampling and feedback from pupils and parents. (see Teaching and Learning Policy)

The attainment of Able, Gifted and Talented pupils will be addressed specifically through:

  • The use of clear rationale to identify Able and Exceptionally Able pupils in the school.
  • The use of clear rationale to identify Gifted and Talented pupils in each subject area, which are linked to National Strategies.
  • The availability of a clear and easily accessible register for teachers which identifies Able and Exceptionally Able pupils, as well as pupils identified as being gifted and/or talented in specific subject areas.  
  • A comprehensive programme of provision for Able, Gifted and Talented pupils
  • Department AG&T coordinators who will monitor the progress of Able and Exceptionally Able pupils at the end of every term
  • Feedback from pupils, parents/carers, teachers, mentors and employers on the achievement and progress of pupils identified on the AG&T register.

Definitions

Able:

Demonstrating very high academic ability or potential in many different subject areas

Exceptionally Able:

Demonstrating exceptionally high academic ability or potential in many different subject areas

Gifted:

Demonstrating exceptionally high ability, potential or attainment in a single subject

Talented:

Demonstrating exceptionally high ability in a sport, creative or practical subject 

Strategies used to identify Able, Gifted and Talented Pupils

  • Able and Exceptionally Able pupils will be identified by the school when their CAT scores become available at the end of the summer term of Year 6.
  • Gifted and Talented pupils will be identified in each subject area during the autumn term from Year 8 onwards – subject registers for Gifted and Talented pupils will run from January to December and will be subject to review on an annual basis.
  •  The use of the criteria outlined below will typically lead to the identification of approximately 10% of each year group as being able learners – the % of pupils identified as gifted and talented learners will however fluctuate between subjects. 

Identification Criteria for Able Pupils

At KS3 a pupil can be identified as able if they have:

  • A Cognitive Ability Test score of 129+ in one area (verbal, non-verbal or quantitative reasoning) with a mean score of at least 120 in all three batteries

At KS4 a pupil can be identified as able if they have:

  • A CAT score of 129+ in one area (verbal, non-verbal or quantitative reasoning) with a mean score of more than 120
  • Been identified as gifted and/or talented  in 5 or more of their GCSE subjects

At KS5 a pupil can be identified as able if they have:

  • A GCSE point score of 58+ in their top eight subjects (where A* = 8, A = 7 etc)

Identification Criteria for Exceptionally Able Pupils

At KS3 a pupil can be identified as exceptionally able if they have:

  • A Cognitive Ability Test score of 129+ in two areas (verbal, non-verbal or quantitative reasoning) with a mean score of at least 125 in all three batteries

At KS4 a pupil can be identified as exceptionally able if they have:

  • A CAT score of 129+ in one area (verbal, non-verbal or quantitative reasoning) with a mean score of more than 125 in all three batteries
  • Been identified as gifted and/or talented  in 8 or more of their GCSE subjects

At KS5 a pupil can be identified as exceptionally able if they have:

  • A GCSE point score of 62+ in their top eight subjects (where A* = 8, A = 7 etc)

Identification Criteria for Gifted Pupils

At KS3 a pupil can be identified as gifted if they have:

  • Achieved an end of year attainment level that was significantly beyond that expected of pupils within that year group. The attainment levels used to identify pupils as gifted in a specific subject area are stated in each department’s subject identification criteria.

At KS4 a pupil can be identified as gifted if they have:

  • Achieved an end of KS3 attainment level that was significantly beyond that expected of pupils within this key stage. The attainment levels used to identify pupils as gifted in a specific subject area are stated in each department’s subject identification criteria.
  • Achieved an A* in modular GCSE examinations taken in Year 10 or Year 11.
  • Achieved an A* in their end of Year 10 examinations in a specific subject.

At KS5 a pupil can be identified as gifted if they have:

  • Achieved an A* at GCSE in a subject they are studying at AS level.
  • Achieved 90 UMS points or above in both of their units at AS level   

Identification Criteria for Talented Pupils

At KS3, KS4 or KS5 a pupil can be identified as talented if they display:

  • Creative, practical or sporting talent that is significantly beyond the level expected of pupils within their cohort. The criteria used to identify pupils as talented are stated in the subject identification criteria for: Art, Business and Enterprise, Drama, Design and Technology, French, Modern Hebrew, Music and PE. 

Strategies used to identify underachievement

  • The progress of Able and Exceptionally Able pupils in each subject area will be  monitored by department AG&T coordinators and analysed by the whole school AG&T coordinator
  • At KS3: the names of pupils who are achieving at least one whole level below their end of year minimum target in five or more subjects (not including Drama, Art and Music) will be passed to the Head of KS3 for further intervention to take place.
  • At KS4: the names of pupils whose current predicted GCSE grade is one grade below their minimum target grade in four or more subjects will be passed to the Head of KS4 for further intervention to take place.
  • At KS5: the names of students whose current predicted AS or A2 grade is one grade below their minimum target grade in two or more subjects will be passed to the Head of KS5 for further intervention to take place.

Strategies used to address underachievement

  • The progress of Able and Exceptionally Able pupils is monitored by the school AG&T coordinator and department AG&T coordinators every term.

Stage 1:

  • The underachievement of Able and Exceptionally Able pupils is addressed and monitored by form tutors in one to one mentoring sessions.
  • Subject teachers are also reminded by the AG&T coordinator to ensure that additional support/push is provided for Able and Exceptionally Able pupils who are significantly underachieving.
  • AG&T co-ordinator also ensures that HoD is aware of Able and Exceptionally Able pupils who are underachieving in a subject in their department.

Stage 2:

  • The continued underachievement of an Able or Exceptionally Able pupil is addressed and monitored by the relevant Head of Key Stage, through contact with relevant subject teachers and HoD’s.
  • Parents are informed by the relevant Head of Key Stage if an Able or Exceptionally Able pupil continues to significantly underachieve in a subject.

Whole School Provision for Able, Gifted & Talented Pupils

  • Extension activities to stretch and challenge pupils in lessons.
  • Differentiated KS4 curriculum which includes:
  • Pupils who excel in French are given the opportunity to study Spanish in Year 9.
  • Triple GCSE Science option for pupils in the top Science sets at the end of KS3
  • Pupils in the top maths sets sit an additional GCSE in Statistics
  • KS3 enrichment programme which includes 60 extra-curricular options – pupils choose four of these options every term to attend during the enrichment slot.

2011 Department Enrichment Provision

Art

  • Rotary Club competition
  • Borehamwood Seniors’ Club logo competition
  • Year 10 optional extension project

Business and Enterprise

  • Leadership role in the Charity Challenge
  • Year 7 Shoe Day
  • Year 9 Business Day

Design and Technology

  • Food master classes
  • Variety of cookery enrichment programmes
  • Classic car enrichment programme

Drama

  • Leading roles in the annual school production
  • Drama theory enrichment programme
  • Radio drama enrichment programme
  • Theatre trips for GCSE pupils

English

  • Annual public speaking competition
  • Viewpoint enrichment programme
  • Book club enrichment programme
  • Storybook enrichment programme
  • Reader mentoring enrichment programme

ICT

  • Animation 11 competition run by Manchester University
  • Web design enrichment programme
  • Movie making enrichment programme
  • Creative computing enrichment programme

Jewish Studies

  • Bet Midrash Track programme for Year 12 and Year 13 students
  • Involvement in Year 7 and 8 Jewish Studies Assemblies 
  • Leading pre-school shacharit
  • BMT ParshaPoints enrichment programme
  • BMT Tefillah enrichment programme
  • BMT Talmud enrichment programme

Maths

  • Participation in the UKMT Junior, Intermediate and Senior Maths Challenges
  • Involvement in the UKMT Junior or Intermediate mentoring schemes
  • Games club enrichment programme
  • Supporting Year 6 financial awareness workshops

Modern Foreign Languages

  • Participation in the National Spelling Bee competition
  • Visit to the Europa Centre in Essex
  • French language week competition
  • Spanish Consejería de Educación online quiz
  • Year 9 Modern Hebrew Gifted and Talented enrichment programme
  • Israel Society enrichment programme

Music

  • Gifted and Talented Music Day for Gifted and/or Talented musicians
  • Performing in the annual school production
  • Performing in the annual Chanukah show
  • Performing in the Annual Arts Festival
  • YC Singers – school choir for talented singers
  • YC Orchestra
  • Opportunity to take peripatetic instrumental lessons and ABRSM music theory exams
  • Y-Factor competition

PE

  • Inter-form competitions
  • Sports Leaders course for pupils in Year 10
  • District/County representatives
  • Participation in the Junior Athlete Education Programme
  • Variety of sporting enrichment programmes

Science

  • National Science and Engineering Week Competitions
  • Eastern Region Crystal Growing Competition
  • Society for General Microbiological Schools Competition
  • Salters’ Chemistry Club Monthly Competition
  • Selection for Salters’ Festival of Chemistry
  • Biology Challenge for pupils in Year 9 and Year 10
  • Physics Olympiad for A level physicists
  • Forensic science enrichment programmes

Social Sciences

  • National Geographic competition
  • Geography Earth World Tour competition
  • Black history month competition
  • Geography extra enrichment programme
  • Wildlife garden enrichment programme
  • Politics enrichment programme
  • History of Borehamwood enrichment programme

Involvement of Parents/Carers

Parents/carers of Able, Gifted and Talented pupils at Yavneh College are:

  • Given the opportunity to identify their child as Gifted and/or Talented in subject areas during induction interviews with the Head-teacher.
  • Given the opportunity to discuss their views at the end of every academic year in a parental questionnaire.
  • Informed of the strategies used to identify Able, Gifted and Talented pupils on the school web-site.
  • Informed of national organisations which support Able, Gifted and Talented Pupils on the school web-site.
  • Informed of special events for Able, Gifted and Talented pupils in the school newsletter.
  • Invited to give feedback on their child’s progress from reports provided every term.

Role of Partner Institutions 

  • Middlesex University undergraduate BA music students involved in Gifted and Talented Music Day
  • Regular collaborations take place with pupils and teachers from Hertswood School

Links to National Organisations for Able, Gifted and Talented Pupils

IGGY

IGGY is an international social and learning community run by Warwick University, which is targeted at the top 5% of young people internationally in terms of achievement and potential. Becoming a member of IGGY means that pupils have access to a range of projects and programmes which are designed to challenge and extend their understanding and abilities.

IGGY provides AG&T pupils with the opportunity to:

  • Work in cross-national teams on international programmes and projects
  • Develop international perspectives on the things they learn and experience.
  • Be an active member of a community of like minded peers, who share the same interests and abilities.
  • Challenge and add depth to their current level of knowledge and understanding
  • Develop their thoughts and views, as well as their social, leadership and managerial skills through multi-disciplinary teamwork.
  • Have direct contact with a network of prestigious organisations, covering universities and employers from across the world.

Pupils identified as Able or Exceptionally Able are eligible to apply for membership of IGGY. Further information on IGGY is available at www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/iggy/

Useful Websites for Parents of Able, Gifted and Talented Pupils

www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/gifted/parents/index.shtml
This website provides parents with information on how they can help to support and stretch their child’s academic ability.  

www.nagcbritain.org.uk/parents.php
This is the website for the National Association for Gifted Children and provides support and advice for parents of Able and Gifted children. 

www.giftltd.co.uk
This website provides information on residential and non-residential extension and master classes courses for Exceptionally Able, Gifted and Talented children.

www.literacytrust.org.uk/database/able.html#gifted
This website provides information on summer schools for Gifted children, as well as links to useful organisations, publications and news updates on new educational initiatives.