Excellence for All: A Gifted and Talented approach to whole-school improvement - 2 views
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John Atkinson on 24 Feb 10New resource from National Strategies. This Excellence for All guidance assumes that good provision for G&T pupils is good provision for all pupils. It explores the characteristics of successful G&T learners and considers how those characteristics can be developed in under-achieving or potential G&T pupils, particularly those from a disadvantaged background. The leadership team has a fundamental role in establishing this priority in school. They need to make clear the expectation that all pupils will benefit from a high-challenge curriculum and high-challenge classroom teaching, with support as required. By raising expectations for all pupils, schools will be in a stronger position to: narrow any achievement gaps between pupils from different backgrounds narrow gaps in effectiveness between departments and classrooms. This guidance will develop teaching skills through a systematic approach to 'enquiry into practice'. It proposes that teacher enquiry groups can create a school-level evidence-base of what works well in a specific context. This evidence makes it much easier for teachers in the same school to make the link to their own classroom teaching and to their own pupils. It will help schools clarify and define what Quality First Teaching looks like in their own specific context; it will also enable schools to demonstrate improvement through the Institutional and Classroom Quality Standards (ICQS) for G&T. These materials are designed to be used in a flexible way that makes them easily adaptable to schools' individual priorities. This guidance includes a toolkit of CPD materials, useful resources and references.
