International Jubilee Private School

Policy for Gifted and Talented Students

 

Purpose and Goal

Our school’s vision is to provide our students with outstanding education that enables each student to be ready to the real challenges.

 

Our school have talented and gifted students. They may be exceptionally able and this may be in one or more areas of learning.

 

We believe that we can encourage these students to achieve their maximum potential by recognizing, valuing and celebrating their achievements and successes. It has been proven that making provisions and accommodations for gifted and talented students increase their achievements. We also aim to support these talented students and provide them with all the appropriate needs.

 

Scope and Limitation

We define ability by recognizing the students’ academic (English, Mathematics, Sciences and Social Subjects) and practical performances; the students who show outstanding Artistic, Musical and creative talent and Physical skills; students with exemplary leadership qualities and the ones with ability to manipulate and process ideas and information. We also recognize the students who possess all of the potential although performance may not currently meet all of the cited abilities. This policy is made for students who meet these criteria or students who possess great potential in meeting these criteria.

 

1. Objectives

The aim of this policy is to ensure a consistent provision in the identification and support of the gifted and talented students in our school through:

• A consolidated definition of terms: more able, gifted and talented
• Early identification and recognition of gifted and talented students
• A more elaborate identification by the use of standardized objective assessment measures
• Meeting each student’s needs with a variety of strategies appropriate for them.
• Encouraging staff awareness with the strategies available.
• Providing a suitably differentiated and challenging curriculum
• Creating opportunities and exposures for students to identify and recognize their gifts and talents for them to flourish and develop.
• Creating an environment to foster achievements throughout the school.
• Encouraging opportunities for disadvantaged learners
• Improving partnership with parents to help promote their child’s potentials and developments
• Working with other schools and the community for more exposure and learning opportunities
• Appointing a G & T Team that will monitor these objectives.

 

 

2. The definition of Gifted and Talented for International Jubilee Private School

There is a great difference in the definition between “gifted” and “talented” in the dictionary,

 

Giftedness- this refers to having “natural” abilities innate within a person. A child may be gifted if a skill or ability is present without trainings or enhancements.

 

 Talent- It refers to a person’s special intelligence towards a certain area often athletic, creative, and artistic or aptitude. Talent can be acquired or learned.

 

 It is not clearly stated if giftedness or talent states having all of these characteristics or just one; as well as its variety and range of attainment. Some do well in national/international tests or qualification exams, however, being gifted and talented covers more than the ability to do well in tests, thus, making it impossible to set a single way in identifying gifted and talented students.

 

“Gifted” is generally defined in the school as the top 5% of the population in the academic subjects, while “talented” is defined as the top 5% of the school population in other subjects and extra-curricular activities in the school.

 

“More able” students refer to the expected performance of children within a particular grade level that works above average. The students who fall under the “more able” category are the students who have the potential to work above age related expectations in academic, creative or practical subject areas within the school.

 

3. Identification

There is a wide range of identification strategies available to assist schools. Thus, it is essential to note that no single process should be used in the identification process. The identification and later on development should be on-going. In the cases of multiple or dual exceptionalities, it is the class/subject teacher to liaise with the SENCo to provide appropriate assessment to meet the student’s specific needs.

 

Identification is usually recognized by the following:

• Teacher Nomination/Teacher Assessment
• Test results/ Multiple Intelligence test results
• Students’ Works
• Parental Information
• Peer/Self Nomination
• Information provided by external agencies (sports organizations, music tutors, etc.)

 

Assessment Methods

• Teacher Observations
• Benchmark Tests/Standardized Tests
• Cognitive Ability Tests/ Multiple Intelligence Test
• In-house subject tests
• Response to increased challenges
• Provision of opportunity
• Response from external agencies

 

Once a student is identified by a class/subject teacher, he/she will work with the SENCo to validate the nomination using assessment data. If the criteria are met, the student will be recognized as a G & T Student and then parents may be invited to the school to discuss ways and strategies to meet the child’s needs and support through Advanced Learning Plans (ALP).

 

4. Responsibilities and Accountabilities of Teachers and SENCo

 

The class teacher will:

• Liaise with grade level colleagues in identifying “gifted and talented” students within their grade levels.
• Gather data and evidences to support their nominations
• Coordinate with the SENCo and parents for each student’s progress in their classes
• Agree, plan and implement appropriate provisions
• Record strategies to be used
• Review and modify provisions regularly

 

The SENCo’s role is to:

• Liaise with class teachers and level coordinators
• Make all teachers aware of the assessment data required
• Compare critically the assessment materials and the results
• Work with the teachers to support the plans for provisions and discuss with the principal.
• Contact parents to keep them informed about their child’s development
• Maintain and update the G & T Students Roster annually
• Work with all necessary parties to finalize the strategies to be used to maximize learning and development
• Review the provisions regularly
• Make sure that the provisions are implemented and well executed in each class.

 

The Level Coordinators’ Role is to:

• Coordinate and Liaise with the SENCo, class and subject teachers in identifying gifted and talented students within their levels and subject areas.
• Compiling and Gathering data and evidences in supporting nominations.
• Agree and plan appropriate provisions to support G &T students.
• Review and modify provisions regularly.

 

The Principal’s Role is to:

• Coordinate with the SENCo and level coordinators regarding the progress and improvement of G &T students.
• Monitor the planning and implementation of provisions regularly.
• Discuss provisions, assessment materials and test results.
• Support provisions given in improving and developing G & T students.

 

Parents’ Involvement

• Keep updated about their child’s progress and development
• Follow-up their child’s homework and study habits as well as class performance and behaviour
• Work with all necessary parties for maximizing their child’s learning attitude
• Enrol their child for extra courses or out of school activities that will further hone and develop their gifts and talents
• Support their child physically and emotionally towards achieving their maximum potentials

 

 

5. Provisions

Within the School

When a child met the criteria of being gifted or talented in one or more areas, he/she will be provided and supported with an Advanced Learning Plan that consists of high expectations and planning within the classroom. Teachers should use a variety of teaching strategies and techniques to meet the child’s needs. They will also in improving the child’s talent/s by planning lessons and activities according to their intelligences and by providing challenging tasks to work on in the class and at home. Outside agencies may also be contacted to provide more opportunities for more exposures in honing their gifts or talents.

 

Planning for the “gifted” child:

• Identifying provisions in subject policies and plans as well as clear stages of development in schemes of work
• Planning a differentiated curriculum with a balance of class, small group and individual teaching
• Setting differentiated homework
• Differentiation through pacing, tasking, dialogues, content and/or responsibility
• Planning a variety of enriched and extensive activities

-School Clubs

-Robotic and STEM program

-Students’ Council

-Students’ Volunteering Program

-School-based Competitions (Math and Science Olympiad and Spelling bee Competition)

 

Challenging the “gifted” child:

• Problem solving and investigation to develop reasoning and thinking skills
• Use open-ended questions and tasks
• Introduce competition within and outside peer group
• Competition against self through target setting
• Opportunities for creative and productive thinking

 

Extending and enriching the curriculum

 

• Providing a range of appropriate materials and resources
• Use of additional adult support and subject specialists to extend child in social and academic areas
• Clubs or after school meetings covering academic or extra-curricular activities
• Participation in special competitions
• Activities with other schools within the area
• Consideration of the enrichment activities provided by outside agencies

Rewarding Provision

The school recognizes and celebrate all students’ achievements and progress through:

• Intrinsic Rewards

The school gives verbal, gestural and written rewards to recognize each child’s progress and achievement. Whenever a student showcases their talent or giftedness, he/she receives praise, applause or reports and certificates recognizing their exceptionality.

 

• Extrinsic Rewards

The school also gives material rewards such as gifts and monetary units to compensate for a student’s exceptional achievement.

 

9. Monitoring, Assessment and Evaluation

     Students’ Achievement will be monitored and evaluated.

     This process will include:

• Regular observation and recording of progress across the curriculum
• Encouraging pupils to assess and review their own performances
• Valuing out of school achievements

10. Continuing Professional Development

• Regular training for Subject Coordinators and SENCo
• Appropriate trainings for teachers
• Involvement in partnership between the coordinators, teachers and SENCo

 

11. Process for Development and review

• The school has an action plan that supports the implementation of this policy with clear monitoring and evaluating opportunities
• Our commitment to support and provide for the gifted and talented students is reflected in the School’s Improvement Plan
• This policy and the success of the provisions will be reviewed by the SENCo and the Level Coordinators annually, with a termly updating and review.

 

12. Links to other policies

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Curriculum Policy and the SEN Policy.

The administration and staff are committed in supporting and providing a wide range of opportunities for all students regardless of gender, age, disability, and ethnicity, social, cultural and religious background. All students have full access to the curriculum, a right to a conducive learning environment which drive off ignorance, prejudice and stereotyping.

This policy has been attested by Solafa Qandil in order to ensure that it does not have an opposing effect on race, gender, or disability equality.

Updated by: Deanne Ysabelle Gruta

Reviewed by: Solafa Qandil