All pupils have some special abilities and we all may have talents that we have not yet discovered. It has been claimed that truly gifted and talented pupils comprise between 2 and 5 per cent of the school population. More recently the government has said that gifted and talented pupils are defined as the most able 10 - 15%. However, if we look at the full range of talents and abilities we could be looking at between 30 and 40 per cent.

We recognise that gifted and talented pupils are those pupils who achieve, or have the ability to achieve, at a level significantly in advance of the average for their year group in school.

A definition of "gifted" could be: a student who achieves at a level significantly in advance of the average for their year group in school within the statutory school curriculum.

A definition of "talented" could be: a student who achieves at a level significantly in advance of the average for their year group within art, music, PE. Performing Arts

Many departments promote enrichment opportunities for their gifted and talented students, and all teachers strive to extend and enhance the learning experience of gifted and talented students in their classes.

Enrichment opportunities

There are several non-departmental extracurricular opportunities which may be offered to students identified on the school gifted and talented register

All year 7, 8 and 9 Gifted and Talented students are offered membership of a fortnightly lunchtime drop-in club, "Sparkies". A card showing meeting dates will have been issued for each term. In the alternate weeks, a Maths "Cipher" club, run by Mr Molyneux, takes place.

In July, our Year 7 students help in hosting a "Puzzle Challenge" session as part of a liaison event for Year 5 students in our feeder primary schools.

An initiative called "Explor-oceans" trialling a model-programme for Gifted and Talented students, investigating climate change and environmental protection, is being developed by The National Marine Aquarium, and we have been able to promote this to Year 8 students.

In the Spring term, a year 9 challenge event is offered. It involves Tamar EBP and explores links between architecture, community, websites and marketing. It therefore offers an opportunity to develop several skills relevant to the world of work beyond school. Details will be made available to the relevant year group students.

Year 10 students are invited to attend a Spring Term Gifted & Talented Study-Day Conference hosted by Peter Vardy and promoted by Richard Huish College, Taunton.

In Year 12, we provide an "Enrichment Day" in connection with Tamar EBP. Recent challenges have related to the redevelopment and media promotion of Admiralty House; a previous challenge considered a series of issues relating to the visit of a nuclear submarine at Devonport. In addition, we have taken advantage of the Exeter University year 12 Summer School Residential Week, to which four students were invited to attend.

The general focus throughout these opportunities is to develop reasoning skills, to raise aspirations and to develop personal confidence alongside enhancing potential for initiative, creativity and academic extension when problem-solving within small teams.

You can download the Gifted and Talented Portfolio Template Here

Gifted and Talented Coordinator - Mr D Goodyear