Farewell to the gifted and talented scheme

The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth, which offers extra support for gifted children in state schools, is to be scrapped and funds redirected to help children from disadvantaged ­backgrounds to get to university. Was the national G&T scheme a field day for pushy parents, or a valuable support ­system for children in danger of not realising their full potential?

Gillian Low, Headmistress of The Lady Eleanor Holles School and GSA President 2010 is quoted in the article, saying:

"The decision to disband the national provision for gifted students without an effective alternative is completely misguided. It sends out a thoroughly disheartening message, especially to exceptionally bright young people in state schools and their parents.
I fully support the drive to increase social mobility, and applaud the decision to give additional funding to help bright young people who have disadvantaged backgrounds. But what of the rest? They too need special support and attention.
Maintained schools are over-burdened with government imperatives already, and Ofsted has recently reported that many are failing to stretch the brightest. So just throwing the requirement for extra provision back on to them, without extra funding, is an inadequate solution.
We are in danger of settling for the ­common denominator, and failing a generation of gifted minds, one of the greatest resources this country has."

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