Network Meeting - Gifted and Talented - 28 Sep 23

Introduction

On Friday 28nd September, 2023, we were welcomed by Aisling and Terrie and the school leaders at Dubai Heights School to collaborate around the topic of supporting students presenting with gifts and talents.

Read on to find out more about the event, and the responses to the discussions around each question posted.

If you are interested in the next event please follow me on Linked In and we will share when the date and location is firmed up.

Thanks to Aljeena for helping me type up the notes.

USE THESE NOTES AS GUIDELINES AND IDEAS – DO NOT CUT AND PASTE – PUT THE TEXT INTO YOUR OWN WORDS AND INTO THE CONTEXT OF YOUR SCHOOL

• Some heads of Inclusion are responsible 
• QFT for everyone 
• Some have specific leaders – more time to focus on provisions. 
• Each student in the top 1% has a mentor from SLT. 
• Identification, especially underachievers. 
• Maintaining the register. 
• Supporting staff with in-class provision. 
• Looking out at what happens in the classroom. ECAs – example Tournament of Minds. 
• Primary Secondary G&T leaders & teachers (Government schools and Private). 
• Developing pupil passports – 1 page – user-friendly. 
• Events are in place but developing the day-to-day implementation. 
• CAT Scores 126-130, 1 or all areas. 
• Parent relationships – do parents know about sustainability? If CAT-4 grades drop? 
• Accelerated progress can come in areas. Coordination of MA as well as MAGT. 
• Identification of criteria to select gifted and talented students. Focus on Talent too. 
• Clarification on school definitions of G, T, MA.
• Need for more screening tools – heavy on CAT4, Triangulation is needed. School’s commitment to inclusion. 
• Financial Implications. Specialists’ involvement. School culture. In-class provisions. Pull-out sessions. 
• Data flags. Internal Assessments. Checklist – data analyst. 
• Pupil passports: Targets need only academics. School Counsellor. Social skills groups.
• Split Core and non-core roles – one leader of each Maths, English, Science, Specialist Subjects. Time limitations: Individual snapshots/passports. 
• Lack of knowledge in all subjects as a leader for talent.
•  Particular weaknesses and strengths – catering to individual needs. Focus on developing challenges in the classroom.
• Inclusion Head- Gifted and Talented Coordinator – Primary. 
• Gifted and Talented Coordinator- Secondary. 
• Stretch and challenges in core subjects. 
• Finalise lists and form a consistent criteria. 
• Complete checklists for MAT FS-Y6
• Extra events limits with careers and university 
• Parent workshops LA MDA and F1 Run ECAs Offer mention for talented Students Tier system, 1,2,3. 
• Delve deeper into the register and 1:1 interview students.

• Admissions (Parents). CAT4, assessment evidence IQ Test. Formative/summative assessment. 
• Characteristics in class. KHDA. 
• Nomination forms (staff). Specialist teacher nominations. 
• GL Data. 
• Renzulli Scale. 
• Parent REC. 
• Teacher observations. Checklists for the Art and sports. PTs. 
• Ongoing TA – EOT data, etc. Teacher Nomination referral. 
• Parent Nomination referral. 
• National/Regional External Squads, etc. Trackers. 
• Pupil voice. 
• Gates, Baselines. CAT 4 Score, PASS – attend at least two students – 130. 
• Identification questionnaire for teachers. 
• Ways that we can identify as well are by specific checklist, teacher engagement, gathering evidence, and teacher observation. 
• Teachers’ accountability – something ready if they finish (project-based). 
• Identification on observation – G & T section to address how they can be stretched. 
• PASS Data. Mentorship – short meeting. 
• Talented leads sets targets, adds data, etc. Checklists. Triangulation. 
• Parent referrals. 
• Reachouts – calls home – children with well-being issues. 
• Quality First Teaching – challenge within class. 
• Needs can be met in the classroom. 
• Fine line between Higher ability/Gifted and Talented. 
• Grade 3 uploads. 
• CAT4 – 127 mean
• 2 batteries and above. 
• Checklist and teachers will register exceptional circumstances.
• Nominate students.

• Cluster events (Example GEMS). 
• Breakfast club to challenge. 
• TOM – Tournament of Minds. Field Trips. 
• Emirates Super League – Maths. 
• MUN.
• Sustainability Club – Extended form time – Friday. 
• HPL schools. 
• Space and Rocketry Academy. 
• Mini Enrichment League. 
• Cluster-Wide Events. 
• Performance and Enrichment lessons to extend learning outside of the classroom. 
• Junior Duke of Edinburgh. 
• Action Plans. 
• Extensions in class. Collaboration between HRTs and Inclusion team. PASS.
• Small group. 
• TEDX Event at schools. 
• Competitions. Short/long-term challenges -> Topic – presentations about the given scenarios. 
• STEM, ART/engineering challenges. 
• Pull-out sessions with groups of students: Wave 1, Wave 2 – Pull-out sessions and Wave 3 – International competition. 
• Enrichment weekly – out-of-class intervention.
• Dubai Mini Enrichment League – Rachel at Hartland sends a List of opportunities. 
• Art one/class one – useful to keep an eye on it. 
• JPS – CSI crime scene/clues – scientific, investigative. Free events. Golden bunsen, Dofe, Flin schools, Abu Dhabi computing competition, Babras, Monitoring in secondary.
• World Scholars cup 
• Subject leads. 
• Workshops- ALex at Horizon- 5 students. 
• Budget. 
• UkMT Maths Challenge 
• LAMDA 
• Science week 
• Parent workshops. 
• F1 in schools 
• Olympiad

• Sensitive matter – parental reactions.
•  In-school “in-house” identification. 
• Very subjective – Ed Psych report. 
• More and exceptionally able to – High potential. 
• KHDA prefers Gifted and Talented. 
• Remove the Stigma. 
• EOY celebrations, celebration assemblies. 
• Curriculum heads. 
• Assemblies. 
• Newsletter. 
• MUN/Diplomathon/Inter-school competitions. 
• Tournament of Minds CCA. Certificates. Assemblies. 
• Class share/wear medals. 
• Artist of the month – not just talented. 
• Weekly news – parent newsletter. 
• ‘Be amazing Padlet’ – share things they have done outside of the school. 
• A record of achievement. 
• Individual padlet. 
• Social Media. 
• Dubai Opera. 
• International Chess players had 6 months to showcase talents. Exhibitions, assemblies, newsletters, Passion projects. 
• Leadership opportunities.
• Send students to community events such as Dubai opera. 
• International Chess players had 6 months to showcase talents. 
• Solos concerts.

• Renzulli website/package. 
• Shark Tank. 
• I excel platforms. 
• Online platforms (Renzulli). 
• Century Teh (AI). 
• Arabic/Islamic External competitions. 
• Lit Fest. EXPO. 
• NACE Website – paid. 
• Dubai Mini Enrichment League. Super Curriculum. 
• Bright Online. 
• Howards Future. 
• Asset Talent Search (above Grade 8). 
• Invite Cambridge Lectures. 
• COP 28.
• NRICH 
• Super Curriculum.