Making effective provision for newly arrived pupils who are gifted and talented should be an integral part of the school’s approach to teaching and learning.

In some schools certain staff members may have preconceptions that new arrivals are of low ability. This may be because pupils who do not speak English cannot easily demonstrate their skills, knowledge and understanding. But in schools that have carefully reviewed their gifted and talented policies as suggested in this guidance, substantial numbers of gifted and talented learners are also new arrivals. It is essential that any misconceptions are challenged and addressed. A lack of information about the knowledge and skills brought by children and young people, along with poor awareness of their level of motivation and aspiration may mean that some pupils are not provided with challenging learning goals. The 'Who are international new arrivals?' area of this site can help schools become more familiar with the educational, social and cultural backgrounds of newly arrived pupils.

Auditing existing provision

Schools might use an audit of existing provision as a means to ensure that all groups of pupils enjoy access to gifted and talented programmes. By auditing existing provision, schools can check that pupils identified as gifted and talented are broadly representative of the school population. An audit should also assess whether current practice identifies able pupils from groups that may be underachieving but who have unfulfilled potential. It will also include assessing whether some able newly arrived pupils underachieve because of a lack of challenge in curriculum provision.

The key challenge for schools is to develop an effective learning environment for all learners, including new arrivals. The 'Modifying and adapting the curriculum' and 'Planning for inclusion' sections provide guidance on how schools can adapt the curriculum and plan for diverse learning needs. Schools can also take a number of additional steps (set out below) to ensure that able newly arrived pupils are identified and provided for.

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Developing effective admission and induction practice

High quality admission and induction procedures can assist schools in making initial assessments and identifying able pupils. Induction is designed to help pupils settle into a new school and become effective learners as quickly as possible. All pupils who arrive after the start of the school year need special induction procedures. The 'Admission procedures' area of this site offers further guidance on this. Using interpreters in admission interviews will help schools communicate better with pupils and families from overseas, and gain a much richer understanding of prior learning, knowledge and skills, interests and aspirations. The 'Interpreting and translation' area of this site provides further guidance on this.

Recognising diverse skills and talents

Being gifted and talented covers much more than the ability to succeed in s and examinations. For example, some gifted and talented learners may demonstrate leadership qualities, high-level practical skills or a capacity for creative thought. Other gifts and talents may be overlooked or go unrecognised when they lie outside the standard curriculum (for example in less common or popular areas of sport, or in certain aspects of dance and music). In order to identify these talents and gifts schools will need insights into and an awareness of the wide cultural and linguistic diversity of newly arrived pupils and their communities

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Monitoring teaching and learning provision

Effective schools continually evaluate whether their teaching and learning enables all pupils to achieve their potential. Effective provision for gifted and talented pupils will therefore help address the needs of able but underachieving pupils, in addition to those previously identified as able. The priority will be on provision that enables ability to flourish.

Schools will want to assess whether their provision provides opportunities for accelerated learning for new arrivals who may already be working at a high cognitive level. Schools’ approaches to setting and grouping should also be reviewed to see whether they maximise opportunities for able new arrivals.

Identifying barriers to learning

There may be newly arrived pupils who are able but who underachieve due to a variety of reasons. These may be related to their English language needs or difficulties coping with learning tasks provided. Factors related to family and home, health, peers and friendships might also affect achievement. The 'Initial assessment', 'Induction mentoring' and 'Effective home school liaison' areas of this site provide further guidance on identifying and addressing wider concerns and needs.

Involving pupils, parents and carers

Making opportunities to listen to pupils, parents and carers from overseas can help schools identify changes that may need to be made in their provision for new arrivals. Consultation can assist schools in becoming more familiar with pupils’ backgrounds and their aspirations and potential. Schools who wanted to raise achievement of all pupils, including new arrivals, have prioritised involving the pupils, parents and carers. Making parents and carers aware of the school’s gifted and talented policy will be an integral part of this process.

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An effective school approach to improving provision

Ofsted evaluated the use made by schools of the opportunities presented by the grant-funded programmes for providing for gifted and talented pupils. The report An effective school approach to improving provision summarises the features of an effective school approach and makes recommendations.

Case study

Improving identification of gifted and talented new arrivals with EAL

This case study describes how Hounslow Language Service provides all schools in the LEA with support and advice on teaching pupils who are learning English as an additional language.

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Useful weblinks

Please note: QCA is not responsible for the content of external sites.

DfES: Gifted and talented
This site is a good starting point for information on the national strategy, suggestions on how to improve the identification, education and support of gifted and talented children, resources, weblinks and guidance.

DfES: Key stage 3 national strategy
This site contains publications and resources as well as subject-specific and whole-school resources. It also contains 'Teaching able and gifted pupils', a series of optional modules to help schools evaluate and develop provision for able, gifted and talented pupils. Schools and departments can choose to use some or all of the modules within a planned programme of professional development.

DfES: Primary national strategy: Mathematical challenges for able pupils in key stages 1 and 2
The yearly teaching programmes in the framework are expressed as 'targets for the majority of pupils in the year group'. Many able children will progress more quickly through these programmes and will need extension and enrichment activities in mathematics. This book addresses class organisation, planning and teaching through answers to commonly asked questions.

DfES: Primary national strategy: National literacy and numeracy strategy guidance on teaching able children
This guidance is intended to advise primary headteachers and teachers on how best to provide for able children within the national literacy and numeracy strategies. It includes broad guidance on planning, teaching strategies and questioning to extend and enrich the learning of able children. There is also a helpful list of organisations that can provide support.

DfES: Primary national strategy: Working with gifted and talented children: key stage 1 and 2 English and mathematics
The DfES and QCA jointly produced this training pack for primary schools. It provides advice on policy, planning and cross-curricular work. It includes video examples of children's work, showing what gifted and talented children say and do in English and mathematics for each year group (1 to 6). There are also written examples of children's work.

London Gifted and Talented
London Gifted and Talented is the Gifted and Talented Education Arm (GATE A) of the London Challenge. It is a centre of excellence that delivers personalised learning opportunities to raise the aspirations and attainment of gifted and talented pupils from 4 to 19. GATE A works across the whole of London's education sector to share effective practice and, with its parent initiative the London Challenge, prioritise the needs of gifted and talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds and underachieving groups.

Maths in Education and Industry (MEI)
MEI recognises that pupils who are mathematically gifted need the opportunity to develop their talent. They produce resources targeted at these pupils. The resources are targeted at mathematics AS and A level materials.

National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY)
NAGTY, based at the University of Warwick, has been established by the government to develop, implement, promote and support educational opportunities for gifted and talented children and young people aged up to 19, as well as providing support for parents and educators. It will also provide a nationally and internationally recognised centre of expertise from which to develop and help improve the delivery of gifted and talented education in England.

National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE)
NACE aims to assist able, gifted and talented children and young people to achieve their full potential by raising awareness amongst, as well as giving support to, teachers, other professionals and the wider educational community.

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
NAGC is a national charity whose objective is to ensure that appropriate provision is made for gifted and able children to develop their gifts and talents to the maximum.

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Ofsted: Providing for gifted and talented children: an evaluation of Excellence in Cities and other grant-funded programmes
This report (2001) is concerned with the use made by schools of the opportunities presented by the grant-funded programmes. It highlights points for consideration about the nature of the programmes and their relationship to mainstream school provision. In the section 'What does good teaching of gifted and talented pupils involve?' the features of effective teaching are followed by subject-specific examples.

QCA: Gifted and talented
This part of the QCA site provides guidance for teachers, coordinators and others involved in teaching the gifted and talented in the context of an inclusive curriculum. It includes general guidance, which covers:

• identifying gifted and talented learners
• institutional and subject policies
• roles and responsibilities
• managing provision
• matching teaching to learners' needs
• transfer and transition
• case studies.

There is also subject guidance and a list of resources and organisations.

QCA: Tasks for the more able/gifted and talented
These tasks provide schools with optional resources that can be used to support teacher assessment of more able pupils. They have been designed for pupils working above the levels of the statutory national tests in English, mathematics and science. They are not sufficient on their own to give a level of attainment and should be used in conjunction with other evidence of pupils' achievements.

Research Centre for Able Pupils (RECAP)
The Research Centre for Able Pupils explores issues related to the education of able pupils. It supports and shares ideas with schools and others who wish to develop or extend their practice in this field.

The Support Society for Children of High Intelligence (CHI)
CHI provides advice and support for those concerned with the well-being of children of high intelligence.

World Class Arena
World Class Arena is the organisation that administers and supports the world class tests on behalf of QCA and AQA. The tests are a global initiative designed to identify and nurture gifted and talented students around the world.

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