Gifted and Talented

At Canons High School we aim to personalise every student's learning. We ensure that each student achieves the highest levels they are able to by ensuring that the work they do is targeted at their level.

Able, Gifted and Talented students at Canons High School are identified early in the first half term and placed on the school Gifted and Talented register.  As part of the transition process we look very closely at the prior attainment of students (particularly their KS2 test results) and gather information about students already identified as very able from their Middle Schools.  Once students have joined us we conduct a series of cognitive ability tests (CATs) and use the results of these tests to add students to our Gifted and Talented register.  All teachers are able to add students to this register against criteria developed by their subject leaders.  We recognise that giftedness and talent can develop at different ages for different students, and so the register is renewed every year.

Having created this register it is shared with all school staff so that they can see which students have been identified by which subjects.  The lead teacher for gifted and talented students then uses the register to work with the following groups:

• External providers, including prestigious universities, who offer extra-curricular opportunities designed to open the eyes of able students to the possible pathways that lie ahead
• Teachers and other school staff, to help further develop their understanding of the ways in which the most able and talented learn most effectively
• The Senior Leadership Team of the school to monitor the performance and progress of Gifted and Talented students against stretch estimate targets for all subject areas
• Parents and carers to ensure that they are fully informed about the opportunities open to their children, and how to best support them in reaching their full potential with their talent
• Gifted and talented students themselves, to listen to their experiences within the school and act as an advocate on their behalf, and challenge them to make the most of their gifts.

As a result of this support for their ability, Gifted and Talented students achieve high levels of success at Canons High School.  Academically gifted students regularly achieve a full range of A and A* grades across all of their GCSE subjects, and our first A-Level results included students achieving the very highest grades to allow them to join prestigious universities.  Students with ability in non-academic areas join courses at GCSE and A-Level that allow them to explore and develop that talent, and are given numerous opportunities to deepen that understanding through performance outside of the classroom.