The Extent, Nature and Effectiveness of Planned Approaches in ...

Table 31. Provisions: Gifted and Talented in the Visual and Performing Arts.School-Based ProvisionUtilised for Gifted and Talent:Visual and Performing ArtsFrequencyPercentWithdrawal Group 285 61.2%Outside Expert 212 45.5%Cross-Age Grouping 207 44.4%Clubs or Electives 177 38.0%Competitions 148 31.8%Cluster Grouping 72 15.5%Mentorships 41 8.8%External Exams 21 4.5%Virtual Instruction 21 4.5%Full-time Special Class 18 3.9%Concurrent/DualEnrolment 12 2.6%Early Entry 11 2.4%The majority of schools (55.2%) provided two to four special programmes for gifted and talentedstudents in performing and visual arts; however, 32.2% relied upon only one provision. The provisionof one special programme for visual and performing arts is more likely than it is for intellectually andacademically gifted and talented students (for which only 11.8% of schools reported one provision).Provisions: Social and leadership. This section reports frequencies from the 370 schools whichprovided school-based programmes for gifted and talented students with social and leadership abilitiesand qualities. Twenty-eight point nine percent of the 370 schools indicated schoolwide provisions forgifted and talented students with social and leaderhship abilities and qualities. An analysis by eachschool type indicates that although 21.6% of the 278 primary schools are making schoolwideprovisions, 7.6% provide special programmes in Years 3-4, 27.7% in Years 5-6, and 16.9% in Years7-8. Twenty-six point three percent of primary schools did not indicate year levels for provisions.Schoolwide provisions were reported by 20.5% of the 43 secondary schools; however, 28.2% reportedprovisions at Years 11-12 only. All of the 43 intermediate schools reported schoolwide provisions. Ofthe 10 ‘other’ schools, six did not indicate year levels.Table 32 shows the frequencies for the provisions made by schools for gifted and talented studentswith social and leadership abilities. As the table shows, the most frequently cited provision for giftedand talented students with exceptional social and leadership abilities is withdrawal groups (54.1%) andcross-age grouping (40.0%). Early entry is the least frequently provided (1.6%). The opportunity formentorships to develop social and leadership abilities (28.3%) increases in relation to other areas ofgiftedness and talent.The likelihood of the provision of more than one special programme opportunity seems to decline forstudents with social and leadership abilities and qualities in relation to other areas of special ability. Ofschools making provisions for this area, 46.7% reported only one provision. However, 46.7% didindicate two to four provisions for students with special social and leadership abilities and qualities.193