When considering provision for the gifted and talented, it is important to think about:

• the institution's capacity to provide an appropriate educational diet in the context of challenge for all;
• breadth, depth and pace of curriculum provision to allow effective identification, as well as successful learning;
• the relationship between in-class, out-of-class and off-site provision;
• study support and independent learning more generally;
• grouping in the classroom.

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Capacity

The most important resource in any gifted and talented programme is the teaching team. Teachers of the gifted and talented need to have appropriate levels of subject knowledge and expertise, as well as high-quality, varied and effective teaching strategies:

'Good teaching for the gifted and talented has the essential characteristics of good teaching for any pupil but it is particularly dependent on the teachers' own specialist expertise and scholarship. In the best lessons seen, teachers' knowledge of the subject was very secure.'

Managers of all institutions, but particularly those for 14- to 19-year-olds, will need to consider whether all the teaching available to gifted and talented students in the school, college or workplace offers high-quality learning. Do subject specialists have the necessary 'scholarship and expertise'? Are their teaching styles effective? What are the practical difficulties in constructing the sort of individualised timetable that increased curriculum flexibility requires?

If some of the teaching is not offering high-quality learning opportunities, managers need to consider whether there is a problem with staffing or resource availability. If staffing is an issue, they have to decide whether matters could be redressed by:

• professional development for the teacher or teachers in question;
• change of staffing - either recruitment, or redesign of the timetable to allow another teacher to take the group;
• use of other scholarship and expertise, through distance learning or visits to other bases or institutions.

If physical resources are an unavoidable issue, managers will need to decide whether to buy them in (including re-modelling workspaces) or to make other bases available to students (eg through organised visits).

For an example of this, see Case study 16: Stretching sixth-form scientists.

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Breadth and depth

Breadth and depth of curriculum opportunity is necessary for the effective identification of, and provision for, gifts and talents. Clearly, if a learner does not have the chance to demonstrate specific abilities because of a limited curriculum or a narrow approach to a subject, gifts or talents cannot be identified. In order to achieve this, there has to be a breadth and depth of curriculum expertise and physical resource either in, or available to, a school or college.

In relation to PE, the Ofsted report notes that the institutions visited were under-identifying in relation to 'solo activities' like gymnastics.

'Physical education (PE) departments readily identified pupils who were good at the most popular school sports and often, as in football, these were pupils with access to local teams and weekend clubs. In solo sports, like gymnastics and swimming, the basis of identification was weaker because previous provision -- or information about it -- was less common. Lacking specific criteria, teachers found it difficult to identify aspects of performance, which gave early indication of latent talent, which, if appropriately developed, might lead to high achievement.'

For an example of some effective approaches to this issue, see Case study 21: Enrichment activities for PE.

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Approaches

Any combination of the following approaches can be helpful when planning provision for gifted and talented learners.

Accelerating learners in a subject as individuals or whole cohorts. (This may be more appropriate for some subjects than others: For instance, the issue of maturity has been rasied by schools and colleges in the context of the humanities in effecting the quality of judgements made by under age students in AS/A2 history, in particular.)

Arranging for the gifted and talented to join an older age group or class for certain activities while remaining with their peers for the rest of the time.

Arranging enrichment and extension sessions within the institution or as part of local education authority (LEA) or partnership provision.

Putting primary school gifted and talented pupils in mixed-age classes, where they often benefit from the challenge (as long as there is effective differentiation).

Offering additional enrichment sessions with like-minded groups or individuals (eg an able literacy group, mathematical detectives, talented musicians, design technologists' group).

Accessing resources through ICT or other distance learning methods.

Using the programmes of study from later key stages where appropriate (but care should be taken to map progression across transitions and to liaise with later teachers).

Encouraging children and young people to e-mail each other and make the most of ICT links to colleges, higher education institutions, LEA subject advisory teams, professional and employer organisations, and other organisations and individuals (including overseas).

Enabling alternative curricular arrangements by using flexible timetabling.

Facilitating online learning to support independent research, access to new forms of learning, specific skill development or early entry to new courses or phases.

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