How successful is your policy for gifted pupils?

At secondary level it might be appropriate for individual subject departments to have their own policy for developing gifted pupils in geography, whereas at primary level a more general approach that covers all subjects is often more suitable. The checklist below could be used for discussion at key stages 1 and 2, but will probably be more relevant at key stages 3 and 4.

Do you have strategies in place for identifying and monitoring pupils who are gifted in geography from a very early stage (for example, core subject tests from the earlier key stage)?

What measures are in place to ensure that all sectors of the school community are able to reach the highest levels of achievement? Do you monitor the performance of gifted pupils by gender, ethnicity, disability and so on?

Do you have a broad, balanced curriculum for gifted individuals, as well as for the group as a whole? For example:

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have they experienced a wide range of teaching and learning processes?

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are they able to access and use a sufficiently wide range of resources and equipment for independent study? (these might need to be from the next key stage)

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do they have first-hand experience of the work of appropriate people in the community? (for example a planing officer, members of environmental groups, council members, subject-specialist teachers from the next key stage)

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do older pupils have access to recent national publications from National Geographic and the Geographical Association?

Are gifted individuals challenged sufficiently to develop their own skills, knowledge and understanding? What opportunities do you give them to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding in a variety of contexts? For example, when gifted pupils can already use six-figure grid references effectively on 1:50,000 OS or 1:25,000 OS maps, do you give them an opportunity to use this skill with a map of different scales, say 1:10,000 or 1:1250, which requires them to use and cope with scale changes in measuring and interpreting symbols?

Do you give gifted pupils opportunities to work on their own or with others of similar ability to devise and follow their own plans and ideas, test ideas and problems, explore different ways of depicting feelings, values and attitudes, take risks without prior knowledge of outcomes, and change ideas en route to accommodate new influences? This does not mean that gifted pupils should work without supervision; the teacher should always be aware of their progress and difficulties and be prepared to intervene, more as facilitator than director.

What opportunities are gifted pupils given to evaluate their own work, and to identify their strengths and weaknesses, so they can improve their own learning? Are they aware of the processes of learning (metacognition) that would help them? Are teachers aware of how they can support the development of metacognition?

Do parents understand and know how best to support the work that their children are doing in geography -- at home and at school? Are they aware of recent publications from DfES -- The learning journey (key stages 1 to 3) and the parents' leaflets Water in the landscape and Settlements (key stage 2)?

How do parents, colleagues and other pupils respond to the work of individuals and the whole group? Are there planned opportunities for the work to be valued appropriately (for example school assemblies, open days, parents' evenings, exhibitions in the school foyer, approach to departments)? Are individuals and groups involved in this process?

Do you maintain records of the achievements of gifted pupils year on year?

Do you compare the performance in geography of pupils who are gifted in the subject with their performance in other areas of the curriculum?

Are the achievements of gifted pupils tracked beyond their current school or key stage, so that their progress provides a stimulus and challenge for those who follow?

School and subject policies in the general guidance

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