More Able

At Suttons, we beleive that all children have an entitlement to a curriculum which is both challenging and appropriate to their needs and abilities.

We plan our teaching and learning in such a way that we enable each child to reach for the highest level of personal achievement.  We use a range of strategies to identify gifted and talented children.  The identification process is on-going and begin when the child joins our school.

More able learners are defined as those who reach a higher level of attainment in one or more areas of learning that places them significantly ahead of their peer group.

Gifted describes learners who have reached a higher level of attainment in one or more academic areas of learning that places them significantly ahead of their peer group in subjects such as English, Mathematics, Drama, Technology, etc.

Talented describes learners who have reached a higher level of attianment in one or more areas of learning that places them significantly ahead of their peer group in practical skills such as sport, leadership, artistic performance or in an applied skill.

"The most-able pupils are challenged to reach the highest levels of
attainment. In 2014, the proportion of Year 6 pupils attaining Level 6
was well above average in writing and mathematics."

OfSTED

Provision

All our planning is carefully differentiated to meet the needs of all groups; this includes suitable challenges for our brightest pupils.  We ability group children for maths and reading; this means that more able children work alongside others of similar ability and are pushed to achieve highly.

Key Stage One (KS1) children work in small iteracy groups so that they learn to read as early as possible.  They are taught according to their stage of learning rather then their age; this ensures that very able learners are challenged from a young age.

Our literacy programme, Language & Literacy, includes daily 'big questions'; children become used to discussing philosophical questions which aim to enhance their thinking skills.  In years 5 & 6 we run extension classes for English and Maths.

We have links with other schools which allow our gifted and talented children to access extension activities, such as science, art or music at local secondary schools.

Links

Mensa
Potential Plus UK
DfE Identifying Gifted & Talented Learners