Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting started

Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting started Identifying gifted and talentedlearners – getting started(Revised May 2008)

This is the second edition of core guidance on the identification of gifted and talentedlearners, and provides an update to initial guidance published in 2006. It is intended as astarting point for schools; further information can be accessed on the Young Gifted andTalented (YG&T) website and via the web-links provided at the end of this booklet. In issuingthis guidance we seek to support schools in developing good practice in identification,particularly in relation to under-achieving gifted and talented learners, and those groupswho are not traditionally well-represented in gifted and talented populations. We are awarethat our collective understanding of what constitutes ability is still evolving. We are keen toshare effective practice and would welcome hearing from schools about strategies youadopt to address issues encountered within your particular context.

Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting started Government policy onidentification of gifted andtalented learnersDCSF defines the group supported by the NationalProgramme for gifted and talented education as:“Children and young people with one or more abilities developed to a level significantly ahead of their year group (or with the potential to developthose abilities).”We encourage schools in identifying gifted andtalented learners to focus on:l learners aged 11 – 19 who meet the publishedeligibility criteria for the top 5% nationally(available at http://ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/Content.aspx?contentId=312&contentType=3)including those who were members of theformer National Academy for Gifted andTalented Youth (NAGTY), and others whomeet the criteria;l in addition, learners aged 4 – 19 who are giftedand talented relative to their peers in their ownyear group and school/college;l a range of abilities including talent in the artsand sport; andl ability rather than achievement, so thatunderachievers are amongst those identified.There are gifted and talented learners in everyyear group in every school/college. All institutionsare free to determine the size of their giftedand talented populations, but should be able tojustify this in terms of improved standards for alllearners identified. Every school/college shouldhave some gifted and talented learners and shouldkeep a register of those learners. Since relativeability changes over time, learners should moveon and off the register when appropriate, thoughsuch movement might be expected to reducewith age. Since ability is evenly distributedthroughout the population, a school’s orcollege’s gifted and talented population shouldbe broadly representative of the whole learnerpopulation in terms of gender, ethnic andsocio-economic background.This guidance booklet:l starts from the principle that there is no singleperfect instrument for identification –institutions are advised to use a ‘best fit’ modelthat draws on a range of evidence includingqualitative and quantitative elements;l argues that identification and provision areinseparable, because identification includesspotting potential through participation inlearning opportunities; andl envisages a continuous cyclical process ofidentification and review rather than aone-off process.The National Register – first announced in the 2005White Paper ‘Higher Standards: Better Schools forAll’ – is an amalgamation of all maintained schools’gifted and talented registers (submitted throughSchool Census returns) and Key Stage results.Over time, it will develop to:llenable analysis of the national gifted andtalented population – or any subset of it – byreference to all data held in the National PupilDatabase and the database of the YG&T LearnerAcademy; andsupport the identification of learners who arenot currently part of their school’s gifted andtalented population though they might beperforming at broadly the same level.

Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting startedThe Institutional Quality Standards (IQS)The Institutional Quality Standards (IQS) are designed to support schools through a cyclical process ofself-review and planning to improve the various aspects of gifted and talented provision, includingidentification. Below are the standards that apply specifically to identification. The IQS is a self-evaluationtool, which links well with the self-evaluation form (SEF) and whole school improvement. It is based on the5 elements of the Personalisation Framework with 14 themes and three 3 levels of competence to assistschools in self-diagnosis.lllEntry level is pitched to be within the reach of almost all schools – satisfactory.Developing level is designed for schools working towards exemplary provision – good.Exemplary level is demonstrating excellent practice – outstanding.Entry l The school/college has learning conditions and systems to identify gifted andtalented pupils in all year groups and an agreed definition and sharedunderstanding of the meaning of ‘gifted and talented’ within its own, local andnational contexts.l An accurate record of the identified gifted and talented population is keptand updated.l The identified gifted and talented population broadly reflects the school/college’ssocial and economic composition, gender and ethnicity.Developing l Individual pupils are screened annually against clear criteria at school/college andsubject/topic level.l The record is used to identify under-achievement and exceptional achievement(both within and outside the population) and to track/review pupil progress.l Identification systems address issues of multiple exceptionality (pupils withspecific gifts/talents and special educational needs).Exemplary l Multiple criteria and sources of evidence are used to identify gifts and talents,including through the use of a broad range of quantitative and qualitative data.l The record is supported by a comprehensive monitoring, progress planning andreporting system which all staff regularly share and contribute to.l Identification processes are regularly reviewed and refreshed in the light of pupilperformance and value-added data. The gifted and talented population is fullyrepresentative of the school/college’s population.Classroom Quality Standards (CQS)A set of Classroom Quality Standards (CQS) is available to support classroom practitioners in developingeffective provision, including teaching and learning strategies which support the identification of giftedand talented learners.

Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting started Institution-wide identification processesIdentification should be an on-going process, feeding directly into the planning of personalised provision forlearners. It will also, however, need to feed into the annual review of policy and practice and be an integralpart of the wider school improvement cycle. The flow chart below shows how this might happen. (See alsoPrompts for Identification within the Classroom on page 8).1Agree principles and methods of identification to beused across the school.How will you involve learners and parents /carers inthis process?2Establish systems for logging and tracking the schoolcohort: a school register.What proportion of learners will be on the register?How and when will information be shared with staff,learners and parents/carers?12Review identification methods and systems andplan any adjustments.3Provide CPD for all staff to support rigorous,consistent and transparent processes.11Identify strategies to address barriers, plan actionsteps and allocate resources.Is training part of induction for new staff?10Evaluate current provision and identify barriersto under-representation or underachievement.4Use a range of methods to identify G&T learnerswidely across all areas of learning within and beyondthe school.How is information passed on and used at transition points?5Populate the school register to include:• the school cohort; and• learners aged 11 – 19 in the top 5% of ability nationally.9Analyse learner performance using school data,RAISEonline.Are all groups in the total school population adequatelyrepresented on the school register?Are there signs of underachievement of individualsor groups?Does individual pupil data indicate previously unidentifiedG&T learners?How will you inform parents and pupils of inclusion onthe Register?6Identify the needs of the cohort and developopportunities to meet these, both within theclassroom and beyond.• Lead G&T Coordinator to register with the YG&TLearner Academy.How are pupils’ views sought in identifying their needs?87Indicate those learners who are on the schoolregister in termly school census returns,currently January, May and September.Establish links with YG&T:• Encourage learners to register as members of theLearner Academy.• Support members in accessing provision.

Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting startedGeneral characteristics of giftedand talented learnersThe following characteristics (taken from the 1998Ofsted review of research by Joan Freeman) are notnecessarily proof of high ability but they may alertteachers to the need to enquire further into anindividual’s learning patterns and ability levels.He or she may:llllllllllllllllbe a good reader;be very articulate or verbally fluent for their age;give quick verbal responses (which canappear cheeky);have a wide general knowledge;learn quickly;be interested in topics which one mightassociate with an older child;communicate well with adults – often betterthan with their peer group;have a range of interests, some of which arealmost obsessions;show unusual and original responses toproblem-solving activities;prefer verbal to written activities;be logical;be self-taught in his/her own interest areas;have an ability to work things out in his/herhead very quickly;have a good memory that s/he can access easily;be artistic;be musical;llllllllllexcel at sport;have strong views and opinions;have a lively and original imagination/senseof humour;be very sensitive and aware;focus on his/her own interests rather than onwhat is being taught;be socially adept;appear arrogant or socially inept;be easily bored by what they perceive asroutine tasks;show a strong sense of leadership; and/ornot necessarily appear to be well-behaved orwell liked by others.UnderachievementGifted and talented underachievers may tend to:lllllhave low self-esteem;be confused about their development andabout why they are behaving as they are;manipulate their environment to makethemselves feel better;tend towards a superior attitude to thosearound them; andfind inadequacy in others, in things, in systems,to excuse their own behaviours.Sometimes those with abilities in one or more areasof learning may also suffer from a disability ordifficulty in others. This can present a considerablebarrier to the achievement of potential, as wellas leading to frustration and disaffection.Developing strategies and approaches tocountering underachievement should be anintegral part of the school policy for giftedand talented provision. The key aspects ofunderachievement that need to be taken intoaccount and considered are:llllWhat are the indicators of underachievement?What are the causes of underachievement?What are some ways of counteringunderachievement?Are there potential causes due to dual ormultiple exceptionalities?

Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting started Identification methodsSchools have the discretion to decide how best toidentify their gifted and talented pupils but arelikely to obtain the best results by drawing on awide range of information sources, including bothqualitative and quantitative information. A range ofpopular methods for identification are listed below.1 Teacher/staff nomination2 Checklists3 Testing- achievement, potential andcurriculum ability4 Assessment of children's work5 Peer nomination6 Parental information7 Discussions with children/young people8 Using community resourcesMethods can differ between age phases andbetween different subjects. The QCA providesdetailed guidance to support assessment indifferent subject areas and this is a useful startingpoint for schools to develop their approaches toidentifying and supporting gifted and talentedlearners, both within and across the curriculum.Identifying the top 5% of theability range nationally insecondary schools and collegesAlthough the criteria for identification of this subsetof learners are currently being reviewed, the currentversion remains in force. The new criteria will beavailable on the YG&T website from Autumn 2008.Schools may also find useful the list of their learnersattaining the highest combined SATs raw scores inMathematics and English at KS2, available throughthe Keys to Success website.Care should be taken to ensure that identificationl reflects ability, rather than achievement;l includes talent areas; andl does not unduly disadvantage any groupof learners, including those from lowersocio-economic backgrounds, children incare, children with special educational needsand particular ethnic or gender groups.

Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting started From identification to provisionNationalProvisionRegionally or LAbased coachingRegionally or LAbased enrichmentCross-school enrichment,extension and accelerationClassroom provisionllllllearning activities in the classroom which offeradditional stretch through a combination ofacceleration, enrichment and extension;opportunities for independent learning, anduse of a range of learning styles;learning in settings beyond the classroom,for example in real-life contexts which supportproblem-solving and application of knowledgeand skills;support in specific areas, for example throughlanguage support or mentoring, alongsideincreased challenge in areas of strength; andabove all, a rich provision for all, which providesfurther opportunities for identification.The Primary Framework for literacy andmathematics and the renewed SecondaryFrameworks provide support for planning andprovision to ensure challenge in the classroom.The above diagram sets out the layers of provisionfor gifted and talented children/young people.Stretch and challenge for gifted and talentedlearners in every classroom is absolutely critical.Providers at this level and at others should considerwhat is available at the next layer of provision thatmight benefit the learner. Once an individual hasbeen identified there should be support availablethrough the levels of the pyramid. Nationalprovision is available for all identified learnersthrough the YG&T Learner Academy. Their websitealso provides links to a regional layer of provision,including Excellence Hubs.Personalisation: fromidentification to practicePersonalised learning is about tailoring educationto individual need, interest and aptitude so as toensure that every learner achieves and reaches thehighest standards possible, notwithstanding theirbackground or circumstances. For gifted andtalented learners this includes:leffective assessment for learning, so thatplanning takes account of prior learning,stretching curricular targets are set with pupils,and differentiated learning objectives andoutcomes are shared;

Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting startedPrompts for identification within the classroomThis diagram is intended to support classroom practitioners in identifying gifted and talented learners.The processes in it will feed into and should be informed by those in the Institution-wide IdentificationCycle. Whilst it demonstrates one possible routeway, identification is not a linear process and practitionersshould continuously be on the look-out for indications of high ability and previously undiscoveredpotential in the classes they teach. They will need to plan a range of opportunities which allow learners todemonstrate ability or potential ability.StartHas the learner been identified by his/her previousschool or teacher?Check transfer records.Ensure that planning takes account of learners’needs and interests, offering challenge within theclassroom and access to out-of-school opportunitiesthat are available locally, regionally and nationally.Provide opportunities for pupils to demonstratehigh performance and scan regularly for indicationsof potential.Does the learner demonstrate any particular abilitiesand interests through activity which s/he takes partin out of school?Provide additional support and encouragement forunderachievers whilst ensuring that learning targetsand activities are sufficiently challenging.Use learner/parent questionnaires, review days,parents meetings to find out about out-of-schoolinterests and activities.Tap into sources of support for underachievement,such as expertise within and beyond the school,mentoring, etc.Does performance within the classroom or outsidesuggest that the learner has ability within the top5% nationally (secondary schools)?Consult criteria on the YG&T website.Does the learner occasionally or inconsistentlydemonstrate high performance, and/orcharacteristics of G&T underachievers?Are there any factors which might mask thislearner’s ability or hamper consistent achievement?Is performance in recent formal tests eg. SATs, CATsand/or teacher assessment significantly higher thanthat of others in the class?Does the learner demonstrate a number ofcharacteristics or behaviours of gifted and talentedchildren/young people?Some key questions to help with identificationSome pointers towards provision

Identifying gifted and talented learners – getting started Web links to get startedThe Young Gifted and Talented website providesresources and guidance for educators, a portal toother sites, and access to a wide range of provisionfor members of the Learner Academy.www.ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/landing.aspxThe National Strategies e-learning module onidentification can be accessed in their CPDlearning environment.www.nationalstrategiescpd.org.uk/course/view.php?id=81The Youth Sports Trust provides information onidentifying and developing talent in sport on theTalent Matters website.www.talentmatters.org/Creative Generation provides a starting point forguidance on talent identification in the performingarts. This is hosted on the YG&T site.http://ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/Content.aspx?contentId=185&contentType=3QCA – guidance on subject identification.http://www.nc.uk.net/gt/Gifted and talented education guidance onpreventing underachievement: a focus on dual ormultiple exceptionalities (DME).http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=DCSF-00052-2008andhttp://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/publications/inclusion/pns_gift_talent_dme_0006107/Gifted and Talented Education: Helping to find andsupport children with dual or multiple exceptionalities.http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=DCSF-00052-2008andhttp://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/publications/inclusion/gt_findsuportdme/Gifted and Talented Education Guidance onpreventing underachievement: a focus on childrenand young people in care.http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/publications/inclusion/gt_children_in_care/Gifted and Talented Education – Guidance onpreventing underachievement: a focus onexceptionally able pupils.http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/secondary/keystage3/all/respub/gt_prevent_udrachieve0006608Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics.http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primaryframeworks/The renewed Secondary Frameworks.http://www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/secondary/

This booklet along with more extensive informationabout identification can be found on the Young Giftedand Talented website www.ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/You can also download this publication or order copiesonline at: www.teachernet.gov.uk/publicationsSearch using the ref: 00367-2008You can also download this publication atwww.dcsf.gov.uk/ygtCopies of this publication can also be obtained from:DCSF PublicationsPO Box 5050Sherwood ParkAnnesleyNottingham NG15 ODJTel 0845 60 222 60Fax 0845 60 333 60Textphone 0845 60 555 60Please quote ref: 00367-2008BKT-ENISBN: 978-1-84775-151-5PPDUD/D35(3840)/0508/14© Crown Copyright 2008Published by the Department forChildren, Schools and FamiliesExtracts from this document may be reproducedfor non-commercial research, education or trainingpurposes on the condition that the source isacknowledged. For any other use please contacthmsolicensing@opsi.x.gsi.gov.uk