[AdDad]

Hi all,

Our son (just turned 3) is showing all of the signs of being gifted, and, while his preschool is working brilliantly (he is in a small class with 3 & 4 year olds), we are starting to think about which schools we should be looking at for his next big step (plus we are looking to buy a house this year, so catchment areas become important... we are currently in Bondi, but are happy to look at other areas for the right school).

So if any of you lovely people have any information on schools (public or private) which may have G&T programs for kindergarten/Year 1 etc, that would be amazing!

Thanks,

J.

PS Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, but my forum searching has proved fruitless thus far!

[AMPSyd]

Many schools offer Opportunity Classes for Gifted and Talented students. Testing for these classes in done in Year 4 - the classes are for yr 5 and 6 students (though I realise that your son hasn't started school yet).

Check out this link (and to the right of the page is a link to the schools which offer Opportunity Classes.

http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/gotoschool/t...imarywithoc.php

Otherwise check out some local private schools.

Some public High Schools also have Gifted and Talented streams (or the whole High School is for G & T - these are called Selective High Schools - a Google search should help. Tests for these schools are done in Yr 6.

[tibs]

Sydney Grammar Prep in Edgecliff.

[Mission213]

I have no advice I just want to say I'd love to hear this info too!!

[kh79]

Hi there,

We are no longer living in Sydney but had a great experience with Reddam House. They run an early learning program from 1 year onwards and we were told at the time that the class is generally running a year ahead. So their kindergarten children are all at least doing year one work.

Our son who is now 4 was only 1 and 2 years old when he went there but it was the most impressive school I have ever encountered in terms of quality of teaching and ensuring each child meets their potential.

Our son who is very very gifted was catared for well even through he had not yet been officially identified.

Schooling is a huge stress for us because he has Aspergers and an unusual level of giftedness but if we ever returned to Sydney I would not hesitate putting him back to Reddam with every confidence.

The down side is that it is very expensive. But worth every penny in my opinion

[Mission213]

Thanks for the info it sounds amazing, I wish only I could afford the 30k per annum fees!

Any public school recs, anybody?

[Kay1]

Completely the wrong area but St Ives North are known for their G&T program. That's the only public school I am aware of.

As of this year there has been extra funding provided for G&T programs in primary schools. Actually I'm not sure if its a new program or just that our school has just received it but we are getting a staff member for 2 days a week who will be focussed on 'differentiated learning'. So identifying kids who need extension and working on programs for them with their class teachers or doing pull out groups etc. For the first time (at our school) this will apply to all children, from kindy rather than kicking in at Year 3. Its a shame in a way as my son would have benefited from it in kindy and Year 1 but I am glad that the school has it now and I hope it benefits him.

[Fifi]

Most public schools term their extension classes as "enrichment classes". We have enrichment classes throughout our school. I also attended a gifted and talented Kinder course last year which was excellent. The Gats resource package has been put together by the department and is excellent. I am able to use it in a mainstream setting to extend the GATS kids in my class.

Just be careful of Private schools offering incentive classes. Some private schools bank on enticing parents with offering classes that are working ahead of where they should be. In my opinion and that of my teaching colleagues, this can be detrimental as they place all kids in together and expect them to be a certain level when they are just not achieving Kinder outcomes. I am all for extension but not when it becomes a prestigious money- grabbing exercise which has no benefit to students. My friend has just placed her child in a class similar to this. Her child shows no GATS qualities and yet the school says they will be exposing her Kinder child to Stage 1 outcomes as ALL kids should be ready for this at age 5. this is so disheartening Unfortunately they play on the parents and the need to be the best.

Good luck

[LynnyP]

I'm not sure what the benefits of a special program are over real differentiation in the classroom? My daughter is in a group of 16 girls in her classroom ranging from learning assistance to learning extension. They all get offered a differentiated program, in all subjects, that suits them? Maybe it is easier in that they have specialist teachers for many of the subjects (music, language, art and science) but I am happier for her to stay with her Year 3 cohort with all their differences, than go to a special class?