Acceleration involves moving a gifted or talented learner or group of learners to work with a group of older children or young people. It can also involve an entire cohort undertaking a course of study normally associated with older learners. But a faster pace of learning can be introduced for smaller numbers of pupils without removing them from their normal class.

Schools can plan for pupils to complete a key stage programme of study early, or to take one or more qualifications earlier than their peers. For example, a student might move from the key stage 3 programme of study to a GCSE course in year 9, taking the GCSE at the end of year 10 and moving on to the AS level in year 11.

Within the 14 to 19 phase, acceleration is often linked to taking qualifications earlier than would normally be expected for the student's age, but this does not always apply. It is now a general aim of the phase to lessen the age-relatedness of learning and assessment opportunities and to move the focus from 'acceleration' to appropriate and individualised pace and progression through the phase. For more on this, see Flexibility and the curriculum.

However, opportunities for some students to progress at a faster pace than others through aspects of their learning and to gain recognition for their achievements will still be one aspect of differentiated provision. The key question remains: to what extent does planning and provision support a wide range of next steps for those who have progressed more quickly? These steps could include broadening experiences, new areas of learning, opportunities to deepen understanding within a particular aspect of the subject, and opportunities to progress to the next level of learning and its associated qualification.

As well as allowing pupils to make faster progress, acceleration may:

• broaden learning in the accelerated subject. For example, a pupil who completes the key stage 2 programme of study for music and art can then move on to performing arts work, making connections across the arts disciplines;
• deepen learning in the accelerated subject during the next key stage, since more time is available. For example, a pupil who finishes the key stage 3 programme of study in year 8 can begin GCSE courses in biology, chemistry and physics at the start of year 9;
• mean that less time has to be allocated to the accelerated subject in later years, allowing pupils to take up new subjects, such as modern foreign languages at primary level, or new courses in vocational areas or classics at key stages 3 and 4.

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Acceleration in all subjects

Moving a pupil or student up a year or more in all subjects is rare. However, it may be appropriate for some and should not be ruled out in principle. In such cases, institutions should:

• make decisions based on collecting evidence over time;
• seek advice, as appropriate (for example from a subject adviser, management adviser, educational psychologist);
• consider completing an individual education plan (IEP), similar to those used for special educational needs work;
• ensure that the individual, parent/carer and teachers concerned are happy with the plans;
• ensure that the gifted and talented coordinator is fully involved;
• ensure that the school or college's liaison coordinator is involved, as appropriate;
• ensure that staff involved have had sufficient and appropriate professional development;
• refer to any LEA acceleration policy statement.

Points to consider

The flexibility of the national curriculum allows schools to use material from later key stages without changing a learner's class. This has implications for teachers' professional development, particularly in the primary phase.

Care needs to be taken to see accelerated provision not only in terms of alternative content, but also in terms of developing higher order thinking skills and greater autonomy.

Individual young children (usually the oldest in the year) may sometimes join the year above when developmentally there is little or no difference. However, it is important to monitor the situation in later years. This may be a particular context for mixed-age groups in primary schools.

Partial acceleration may be appropriate for some children (for example, a year 1 pupil working with a year 2 or 3 group for writing, reading or mathematical activities, but staying with peers for other activities). In mixed-age classes, partial acceleration may happen as a natural part of classroom organisation.

Accelerating a cohort or a class in the later secondary years may achieve curriculum breadth and depth through additional learning opportunities (for example following an AS in Critical Thinking or reviving an interest in creative art).

Accelerating learners to a class or classes with teachers who are untrained in receiving younger pupils can be counter-productive.

Acceleration can have significant emotional costs in terms of loss of friends, which can be compounded by an individual's lack of maturity, delayed emotional development and smaller size.

Acceleration in the early years needs to be considered most carefully, as some children enter school having had greater opportunities than others and can appear very bright until the less advantaged catch up. (This is not to suggest that the more advanced children should mark time. They should be encouraged to progress their learning from the outset.)

If acceleration takes place too early or too quickly, there may well be costs. For example, an inadequate depth of understanding may provide a fragile basis for future work.

The curricular conditions under which acceleration takes place will vary; for example, some subjects require a degree of maturity in order to realise sophistication in a student's response, particularly at AS/A2.

There should always be firm goals for accelerating a child, young person or group, and it should not be used as a short-term solution to a long-term problem (for example, an absence of good-quality, well-differentiated teaching). Liaison is crucial to smooth transfer, whether from secondary to further and higher education, primary to secondary, first to middle, infant to junior or pre-school to infant.

For examples of different ways of managing the acceleration process, see Case study 13: Offering extra GCSEs from year 9 and Case study 20: Stretching gifted linguists.

The chart below outlines some of the factors to bear in mind when considering acceleration.

Advantages

• acceleration might suit individuals
• it enables the highly able to progress further and faster, improving motivation and self-esteem

Drawbacks

• content and interest levels might not always be suitable for younger pupils
• links to the rest of the curriculum are often weaker because the content is out of step
• there may be emotional and physical issues

Considerations

• whether acceleration would be socially and emotionally demanding for the learner -- it may be most appropriate for the oldest individuals in a year group
• the need for careful planning to offset any dislocation of curriculum content
• what happens in Year 6 in the final year of school? Can use alternative strategies (such as distance learning, ICT, mentors with specialist skills) and partial acceleration (working with older children and young people for some activities, including cross-school links)
• it can create CPD needs for teaching staff concerned
• as a more flexible alternative to acceleration, gifted students from different year groups could meet in or outside lessons
• fast-tracking a small group may be possible in larger schools
• faster pace can be introduced for some pupils within their class, but this involves skilled differentiation
• consultation with the LEA
• discussions with parents
• discussions with children and young people

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