Gifted & Talented

More Able and Talented at Danegrove

At Danegrove, we strongly believe in encouraging all children to blossom and share their abilities, irrespective of their background or needs. This does not just happen, we are constantly observing and supporting our children to allow their abilities to shine and it is part of the ethos at our school.

Supporting More Able and Talented

  • Having high expectations of our children and encouraging them to evaluate their progress with prompts and targets

  • Extending in class, with higher order questioning (or HOT’s as the children call them). Each class has posters and resources with these questions on them

  • Giving more challenging tasks (‘Extension’ or ‘Could’ tasks)

  • Extension packs, in-case our children need extra stimulation

  • Clubs- such as Robotics club, Orchestra, Recorders, Science Club, Gardening Club, Dance Group… all free!

  • Successful sports teams including North London Athletics Champion holders (two years running). We also run a Sports Leadership Programme for developing the skills of talented leaders.  Furthermore, we have a number of links with local secondary schools including G&T cycling and gymnastics

  • Supportive Boosting groups- to extend to the next step in their learning journey

  • Glee Club- our lunchtime, free, choir who perform regularly out of school, such as The Arts Depot and The Royal Albert Hall!

  • Performing our talents in assembly each Thursday (either home taught, school taught via lessons, free clubs or even from class lessons)

  • Frequent, open-ended Maths investigations and reasoning skills to apply knowledge and evaluate it

Something a Bit Different?

  • A photographer, journalist and several artists have come in from the wider community to work with some of our most able children

  • Ceramic tiles were made with an artist, of winning designs and will be up around the school shortly

  • More Able and Talented children have modelled and supported younger classes on Playground Games and co-operation

  • More Able Scientists grew and compared seeds that had or had not been up in Space- thanks to our link with the Tim Peaks project

What is More Able?

  • We are constantly looking out for children showing high standards (or potential high standards) in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science and ICT. We add these children to our More Able list and ensure that they are monitored so that they do not “Coast” and are supported. We believe their skills need to be developed sideways, not just upwards or doing “next years work”

  • These children are frequently discussed in Assessment Meetings and we are always looking for new ways for them to model to the rest of the school (with the Gifted and Talented Leader, in assemblies- pieces being shown, or our school writing booklets (examples of our flourishing composition!)

What is Talented?

  • Children who show a real flair in the Arts; such as Art, Music, Dance, Gymnastics, Design Technology, PSHE, RE

  • These children are also discussed in Assessment Meetings and we alert the subject leaders to ensure that they can join any clubs that might promote their talents or share their abilities with the school or greater community. Our Dance group performed with high appraisal at The Arts Depot last Summer and we frequently sing or perform in public places such as The Spires Shopping Centre! Our philosophers are given responsibilities such as being buddies to other children

Parents and Guardians

We communicate with Parents in a number of ways

  • Ensuring parents know about the ways we extend their child

  • Informing parents about Gifts or Talents their children may show and how they might be able to support at home

  • Support parents financially, if necessary, with clubs at school that would benefit their child’s skills

  • Listen to parents and act upon any  Gifts or Talents they have noticed