1. Year 7 Celebrating Transition Evening
Gifted & Talented

2. What does Gifted & Talented really mean?
Gifted and Talented is the term used to describe students who are achieving or who have the potential to achieve at a level significantly beyond the rest of their peer group

3. How are Gifted & Talented students identified at CoLA
A student who is gifted and has the ability to excel academically in one or more subjects
A student who is talented and has the ability to excel in practical skills such as sports, leadership or artist performances
students who are generally working at a level within the top % of their year group in the school
students on a Level 5 or above in Year 7
We use a range of tools to identify Gifted & Talented students such as:
Data (teachers assessments, CATs and FFT)
Teacher recommendations
Transition information (reading ages from key-stage 2)

4. What are Gifted & Talented Traits
Young people will demonstrate their abilities in different ways, but as a parent you should be aware of the more generic characteristics used to identify the majority of Gifted and Talented students:
Thinking quickly and accurately
Work systematically
Generate creative solutions
Express a great sensitivity and empathy
Make sound judgements
Passionate or fascinated about a particular subject or aspect of the curriculum
Demonstrate high levels of attainment across a range of subjects and within subjects, or aspects of work

5. How can I support my child?
If you have a gifted and talent child, you will want to further support their learning at home by:
Listen to their ideas
Provide resources such as complex texts, films, newspaper and novels
Talk to your child about their school experience
Talk to your child about their career aspirations
Encourage them to watch TV programmes which will help develop thinking skills such as current affairs programmes, the news, satirical quiz shows
Be prepared to advocate on their behalf

6. Stretching and challenging Gifted & Talented students
Students who are identified as Gifted and Talented are given the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities and develop more holistically. Therefore, the most able students are placed in new environments and offered fresh and exciting opportunities such as:
Quiz Kid Training
Jack Petchey “Speak Out” Challenge
Debate Mate
Football Coaching Training
Student Voice
Student Council
Trips, visits and workshops
Careers programmes
Mentoring
Project Qualification
Ambitions programme
Designing a fashion show
Meeting Politicians and local business people
GCSE’s in subjects such as Astronomy and home languages
Key Stage Three students are being offered the opportunity to learn Latin

7. Stretch & Challenge week
As Gifted and Talent Co-ordinators, our role is to stretch and challenge our more able students We are proposing an event to take place in the new year called “Stretch & Challenge week” This programme will give your child the opportunity to participate in the following opportunities: Planning a starter or plenary activity for their peers within their lessons Organising a “Building Learning Power” session during registration As well as attend a whole host of after school activity workshops

8. Try this mathematics Puzzle
This is a typical mathematics based task your child would be expected to undertake in a BLP session
The task is to individually
pen each piggy's by
drawing only two squares
on the sheet provided

9. Developing debating skills
What are you first impressions of this person:
Age:
Marital status:
Family/home
circumstances:
Past history:

10. Developing debating skills
You will each be given a information card on this person. Stating aspects of his life
Does this information change your initial impressions of him

11. Gifted & Talented Contacts
It is important to feel supported as a parent and know who to speak with. If you would like to discuss Gifted and Talented work at the academy please contact your child’s Form Tutor, Head of Learning or subject teacher with any immediate concerns and they will contact us if further advice is required School telephone number: School address: Gifted & Talented Co-ordinators at CoLA Ms. Mercedes Gallego Mr. Ashley Reddin

12. Questions & Answers
We would be grateful if you could complete the Gifted and Talented checklist Thank you for taking the time to attend this session!