Sarah Evans: Is this another bright idea?

Feb 11 2010 By Sarah Evans

I have always had difficulty remembering what the difference is supposed to be in government-speak between ‘gifted’ and ‘talented.’

There is on, of course, and when money follows the correct application of the label, it’s been important to get it right. But no longer. From March the education funding of specifically labelled gifted and talented children is to cease in its present form.

Although I have always understood inspiring and challenging the most able to be a normal part of what schools do, there has been a government policy of identifying gifted and talented children and providing them with special opportunities for the last 13 years.

The scheme attracted controversy from the start. Was it entirely a politically motivated attempt by a Labour government to woo the middle classes into the state sector? Such parents could delight in telling friends their offspring was on the gifted and talented register and could be reassured the state system would provide for the needs of their child prodigies.

Or was it an attempt to create much needed upward social mobility ensuring that those who did not have much family encouragement could enjoy the advantages that middle class families could provide?

Some teachers had problems with it. Staff rooms would disagree about how to identify the gifted and talented and some felt formalising it was an unhelpful process. A percentage of every school had to fall into the category, but what if you felt they all did – or indeed none?

Teachers looked with envy at the lavishly-funded gifted and talented workshops and summer courses on offer. What fabulous schemes they too could run, if they didn’t have to teach to Key Stage 3 or jump the GCSE exam hoops. Cherry picking the fun bits didn’t help what went on the rest of the time in schools.

The money is now to be given directly to schools to target the brightest children from the poorest backgrounds. Research from The Sutton Trust has shown that in state schools few children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds were ever identified as gifted and talented. Perhaps the new scheme will unleash the potential.

But how will we know? There simply is no quick way of determining whether this type of educational initiative is successful. Indeed there is probably no way at all. Who knows what heights a gifted five-year-old might reach by the time they die? What is important is that they are in an educational environment where nurturing excellence is a way of life.

* Sarah Evans is principal King Edward V1 High School for Girls.