Gifted & talented

Meeting the needs of our most able students - watch our video here

We are determined at Plumstead Manor that all our students achieve to the best of ability.

We constantly monitor the progress of our students and have strategies in place to help them succeed. Their progress and achievement is the direct responsibility of a teacher responsible for gifted and talented students.

During the first half term at Plumstead Manor Year 7 students are assessed by teachers in all subjects and tested using the NFER cognitive testing procedure. The results of these together with their primary records are used to ascertain students' particular needs and aptitudes.

Students who are identified as most able in each subject area will be targetted. This will mean that in some subjects they are taught as a group together whilst in others they will be targetted within a mixed ability group. All students have the chance to be in targetted groups. All groups will be reviewed regularly and adjustments made to the make-up of the groups if necessary.

Since September 1999 Plumstead Manor School has been involved in a Gifted and Talented student project. Our involvement in the project has helped us to extend the opportunities we are able to offer to students in terms of enrichment and extension activities across the curriculum.

A whole series of workshops, masterclasses and Saturday events are on offer to students identified as able academically or talented in sports and/or the arts. We also take part in residential courses short courses and week long schemes for the most able with link universities and specialist centres.

Work is being directed at empowering students to understand their own learning styles and to extend their work via special projects including challenges and competitions. A co-ordinated programme of extension study skills is available from the introduction to Key Stage 3 work right up to intensive workshops in achieving A* grades in national examinations. Seminars are offered in self belief and motivation, memorising skills and examination preparation.

We also offer mentors for students as well as extra tuition in Year 9 for SATs preparation, early GCSE entry and university taster weeks.

There are many opportunities for students with outstanding sporting ability and free instrumental tuition in 30 different instruments.

We run a very successful course in Archaeology and will be adding video/filmmaking with the British Film Institute and Astronomy with Greenwich Observatory this year.

With the support of family we hope to boost the aspirations and determination of our most able to achieve at the highest levels.

With our links to such universities as Greenwich, Goldsmiths and Hertford College, Oxford we hope to provide a sound platform for professional careers in the future.