{"id":438,"date":"2016-02-08T17:01:51","date_gmt":"2016-02-08T17:01:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sghoilnanloch\/?page_id=438"},"modified":"2016-02-12T11:47:24","modified_gmt":"2016-02-12T11:47:24","slug":"policymostablechildren","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/ceanglaicheanlinks\/policies\/policymostablechildren\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy for Most Able Children"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Rationale:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sgoil nan Loch is committed to providing an environment which encourages all pupils to maximise their potential. All children have the right to a broad, balanced and relevant education, which provides continuity and progression and takes individual differences into account. In school we aim to provide a curriculum that is appropriate to the needs and abilities of all our children. The most able policy, although specifically aimed at the more able is intended to be inclusive in its nature, and is therefore aimed at raising achievement throughout the school, as well as meeting the needs of the most able. Provision for the most able is the responsibility of all members of staff at Sgoil nan Loch. By raising the achievement of the more able, we aim to raise the achievement of all children within the school.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What do we mean by Most able?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Most able pupils are those pupils who achieve, or have the ability to achieve, at a level significantly in advance of the average of their year group. The following areas have been identified as being the main areas of ability: Intellectual (aspects of Language, Mathematics or Social Studies). Artistic and Creative (Art, Design, Music or Drama) Practical (Design Technology) Physical (PE, Sports, Dance) Social (Personal and Interpersonal, leadership qualities, working with adults) Note: A pupil who is presently not reaching his or her full potential can be recognised as very able.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Very able children in Language may be identified when they :<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul type=\"square\">\n<li>\u00a0demonstrate high levels of fluency and originality in their conversation.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Use research skills effectively to synthesise information.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Enjoy reading and respond to a range of texts at an advanced level.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Use a wide vocabulary and enjoy working with words.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0See issues from a range of perspectives.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Possess a creative and productive mind and use advanced skills when engaged in discussion.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Work confidently on objectives for year groups higher than their own.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Very able children in mathematics may be identified when they:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul type=\"square\">\n<li>\u00a0Explore a range of strategies to solve a problem<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Are naturally curious when working with numbers and investigating\u00a0 problems<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0See solutions quickly without needing to try a range of options.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Look beyond the question in order to hypothesise and explain<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Enjoy manipulating numbers in a variety of ways.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Work confidently on objectives for year groups higher than their own.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Achieve levels in national assessments above those expected for their year group.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is worth remembering that most able pupils can be:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"square\">\n<li>\u00a0Good all rounders.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0High achievers in one or more areas.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Of high ability but with low motivation.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Of good verbal ability but with poor writing skills.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Very able with short attention span<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Very able with poor social skills<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Keen to disguise their abilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Identification Strategies:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We use a range of strategies to identify more able and very able children. The identification process is ongoing and begins when the child joins our school and involves staff, pupils, parents and carers. Data taken into account will include:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"square\">\n<li>\u00a0Information from parents and carers.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Information from previous teachers, pre-school records, external organisation or agency.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Discussion with pupils<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Ongoing assessment using open\/ differentiated tasks.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Careful record keeping<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Collation of evidence (ie individual pupil\u2019s work)<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Identification using tests and assessments. (National assessments and CAT Scores)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Provision:<\/strong> We strive to ensure that opportunities for extension and enrichment and encouragement are built into our school environment. In addition to the opportunities provided by the Education Authority, we aim to:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"square\">\n<li>\u00a0Create an ethos where brightness is valued and where gender stereotypes are dismantled e.g. boys are valued for being good at singing and art and girls are accepted for being good at sports and<\/li>\n<li>football.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Encourage pupils to become independent learners (setting targets with children help to encourage this).<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Be aware of effects of ethnicity, bilingualism, gender and social circumstance on learning and high achievement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Within the curriculum we use a variety of strategies including:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul type=\"square\">\n<li>\u00a0Using enjoyable methods and tasks to deliver the curriculum (e.g. innovative ways to deliver speaking and listening)<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Make every effort to regard curriculum guidelines as building blocks rather than a straightjacket.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Use enrichment days (e.g. environment days)<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Recognition of achievement<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0In addition to adequate differentiation, build in extra extension activities, where appropriate across the curriculum.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Set open tasks to give pupils ownership in a task or activity.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Varied and flexible pupil groupings sometimes allowing more able pupils to work together, sometimes allowing them to take particular roles in mixed ability groups.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Encourage children to evaluate their own work and so become self critical.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Encourage children to explain things to each other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Recording and monitoring:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We observe the authority guidelines for recording and monitoring the progress of our most able pupils. The area of ability is recorded showing which aspects they have a gift or a talent. The parent or carer is consulted before the child\u2019s name is put on the register. The IEP is reviewed biannually at a meeting of staff concerned and the progress of each pupil towards their individual targets is evaluated. If a pupil is not reaching their full potential, or has achieved the set targets, new arrangements, and where necessary, new targets are established.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Continuity and Progression:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We aim to make sure that the most able pupils make maximum progress through careful differentiated planning and record keeping. Records and lesson planning are shared between teachers and follow the pupil to the next class.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inclusion:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Following authority guidelines, and with ASN support as available, the most able pupils are normally taught in groups commensurate with their age and ability. In some instances they will be involved in learning activities alongside older pupils.<\/p>\n<p>The school recognises that some able pupils may be keen to specialise early in some activities, such as in academic work, to the detriment of other experiences or subjects of the curriculum, such as group performance, sporting activities or even going out at playtime to get exercise and fresh air. We encourage all pupils to fulfil their full potential in those subjects in which they are most able without reducing the breadth of their curriculum and personal experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Homework:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Homework is matched to the ability of the child and is set according to the guidelines in the homework policy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The role of Parents and Carers:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Parents and carers involvement is encouraged in the child\u2019s learning and the school aims to work in full partnership. All pupils are encouraged to share their work and ideas with their parents, especially when setting targets for each new topic. Parent are invited to support their child during the time they are doing set homework, and they are encouraged to provide space for them to work, and if possible, additional resources, such as reference material.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Personal and Social Education:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Classwork and work outside the classroom includes a number of opportunities for pupils to work in small or large groups, which will help their personal and social skills. Some very able pupils find working in teams easy, others show excellent social and leadership skills, but others find \u201cteamwork\u201d more difficult. The school aims to develop all the abilities of pupils, including their social and personal, especially if they are not strengths. We aim to create a climate in which children are taught to relate well to each other and where differences of all kinds including ability are accepted.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0Management:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Support for Learning Teacher will act as co-ordinator for the most able pupils at the school and will:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"square\">\n<li>\u00a0Maintain the register in consultation with other staff.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Liaise with the Senior Management Team.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Monitor the school\u2019s provision for most able pupils.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Monitor the progress of pupils identified by making a biannual review of individual assessments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Policy Review<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The policy will be reviewed regularly as part of the general policy review cycle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rationale: Sgoil nan Loch is committed to providing an environment which encourages all pupils to maximise their potential. All children have the right to a broad, balanced and relevant education, which provides continuity and progression and takes individual differences into account. In school we aim to provide a curriculum that is appropriate to the needs &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/ceanglaicheanlinks\/policies\/policymostablechildren\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Policy for Most Able Children<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3897,"featured_media":0,"parent":148,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-438","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3897"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=438"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":873,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/438\/revisions\/873"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/es\/sgoilnanloch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}