Able, Gifted & Talented

School Philosophy and Aims

  •  ECS aims to support the learning of all students. Students with particular gifts and talents must be recognised and helped to reach their full potential – intellectually, emotionally, aesthetically, socially and physically. We are working to provide a challenging and stimulating learning environment for all, which offers the opportunities for students to shine and develop an enthusiasm for lifelong learning.
  • Identification of the particular gifts and talents of students allows us to target opportunities wisely. However, provision is not targeted at a small percentage of students who are outstanding in all areas, but includes a much larger group of children who have particular strengths and/or interests in specific areas. We aim to maximise opportunities for all members of our community.
  • We do not intend to neglect the needs and interests of less able students. Enriching lessons and activities to target the AG&T cohort may also raise expectations more generally and so benefits all students.
  • We aim to celebrate achievement and create an ethos where it is okay to be bright and enthusiastic.
  • All students with identified gifts and talents in particular subjects should achieve at least their Target Grades in those subjects, (calculated using FFT (D) predictions), and preferably their Challenge Grades (Target Grade +1). One important measure of our success is the yearly RaiseOnline report. Our aim is for all performance measures in this report to show that our students are performing at least as well as similar students nationally.

Information for Parents

The AG&T programme will be a three-way partnership at all times. Parents will be informed that CATS data, SATS data and staff recommendations have placed their children within the AG&T cohort (‘tracking group’) and given details of the school’s approach towards Gifted and Talented students and the enrichment programme.

Occasionally, it is possible that parents will not wish their child to be part of the programme and will inform the school of their decision.

The school will publish the following on the school website: