Advanced Ability

At Hitherfield we have agreed that the terms Gifted and Talented are replaced with the single term Advanced Ability to signify any child, irrespective of needs, that is assessed, or identified, as  achieving, or has the potential to achieve, significantly above the average for their specific year group.

A register of children with Advanced Ability is collated based on academic achievement through regular termly assessment data and observations in all other areas. Any member of staff is allowed to contribute observational data by means of a ‘drop box’ in the staff room or directly to collated data through the class teachers. We also appreciate that the register of children with Advanced Abilities needs to be updated yearly to take into account any significant change in performance.

We view all our Advanced Ability children as an asset to our school and realise how they promote themselves as exceptional role models to the rest of the student body.

Throughout any school year we aim to provide as many opportunities as possible for all children to try new things to discover their ‘hidden’ abilities or interests. This is achieved through visits out of school or by having specialists visit the school and a range of after school clubs.

As a school we also enter a host of competitions throughout the authority, city and beyond with a fulfilling return of success in a range of areas including maths, computing, writing, the arts and sporting activities.

We also communicate to a wider audience on a regular basis through our ‘in house’ publication, THE HITHERFIELD HERALD announcing competitions and opportunities outside of school, particularly during holiday periods.

We are very proud of all our children’s’ achievements and celebrate them openly through displays, incentives and assemblies.

Advanced Ability Policy