Delivering an effective enrichment and extension programme inevitably depends on the availability of suitable mathematical resources. To make things manageable, teachers may prefer to draw mathematical material, problems and solutions from one or two main sources that:

• are of good quality;
• have content and style that match the needs and abilities of the target group;
• the teacher responsible feels comfortable with.

At the moment there are not enough books of this kind to suit all tastes, but this is changing as publishers develop a wider range of materials. Some textbooks and commercial schemes include regular extension exercises and challenge programmes, which can be valuable (however, these are unlikely to constitute a sufficient programme in their own right for gifted pupils).

In addition, there are many collections of challenging problems that can be used as occasional tasks within a more systematic enrichment and extension programme. For example:

Mathematical Challenges for Able Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 (DfES).

The Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM) and the Mathematical Association (MA) publish many useful materials. There are dozens of useful books on recreational mathematics, from origami to elementary number theory.

Other resources for occasional use include:

• national mathematics competitions for all secondary ages run by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust;
• the national mathematics competition for upper primary schools run by the Mathematical Association;
• local master classes, such as those run throughout the UK in association with the Royal Institution, or local variations run by LEAs or local committees;
• websites, such as that run by the Millennium Mathematics Project (which includes NRICH).

The G&T wise website has a range of mathematics resources.

Teachers may find the publication Working with gifted and talented children: key stages 1 and 2 English and mathematics (QCA, 2001) useful in helping to identify gifted and talented children. This package of materials includes a video and booklet of exemplification, which show the way gifted and talented children talk and write about their work, as well as a handbook on planning and provision.

See also the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies' Guidance on teaching able children. (Print copy available from DfES, order reference: LNGT.)