Enabling more able pupils to Achieve their full potential - Iram Fazal

According to the Chief Inspector of Ofsted, too many More Able pupils are underperforming in non-selective state secondary schools. Many achieve well when compared with average standards but fail to reach their full potential, (Ofsted, 2013: 4).  The term ‘More Able’ is used to describe pupils who demonstrate exceptional performance or the potential for excellence, a special ability, or who work at a standard well above their peers. 

The national support programme by the Department for Education (“DfE”) was closed in 2010.  The DfE states, that the introduction of Grade 9 at GCSE and Progress 8 as an accountability measure, allows schools to be held to account for how well they support “More Able” students. The DfE says Pupil Premium funds allow schools to provide support to highly able students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds (DfE Report, 2020).

This research blog will now examine the role of the teachers and the challenges faced in ‘Enabling More Able pupils to achieve their full potential”.

Identifying More Able pupils 

More Able pupils are not a uniform group, in their learning style, creativity, rate of development, persona or behaviour; many definitions of More Able pupils exist. Most refer to the precocity of a child’s intelligence, creativity, talent or high marks in school subjects (Hany, 1997).

Ofsted was critical of a lack of support given to “More Able” pupils and called upon schools to improve their curriculums, the transition between primary and secondary school, and their work with families to support aspiration (Loft & Danechi, 2020).  

Recent thematic research by Ofsted described the ‘More Able pupils’ as those who were starting secondary school in Year 7 having attained Level 5 or above in English (reading and writing) and/or; Mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 (Ofsted, 2018).  

Providing appropriate opportunities to more able pupils

Various methods can be implemented in schools to provide sufficient and appropriate support to More Able pupils in and outside of the classroom. These may include, (NACE, 2017) but are not limited to: 

Accelerated learning - Increasing the pace of learning, for example, where pupils could cover key stage 3 curriculum in 1 year rather than 2 years, take earlier examinations, or move into older age groups for certain subjects.

• Assessment for learning - Regular continuous formative assessment to improve understanding and quality of pupils’ work in class, or as homework.
• Differentiation - To design and adapt tasks, set objectives, to provide resource support and assessment depending on the pupil’s needs and ability.
• Extended learning - To design tasks that are challenging, thought-provoking and more complex, and involve greater subject knowledge, for example; approaches that prioritise high-level reasoning, problem-solving and critical thinking. 
• Enriched learning - Attending extra-curricular clubs, e.g., STEM clubs or masterclasses that are specifically designed to involve additional and qualitatively different learning with greater challenges and complexity (NACE, 2017).

Support for More Able pupils

Pastoral Support

Research has found that More Able adults are emotionally stronger, suffer from less anxiety, are more motivated, and are more productive. However, as children, the continual high expectations of parents and teachers can result in these children suffering from stress. This can be exacerbated by fear of failure and disappointment of teachers and parents when achievement varies as it does in everyone. More Able pupils may also have family problems to contend with and be the focus of negative attention from less able pupils. (Freeman, 1993).  

Pastoral Support is crucial to ensuring the physical and emotional welfare of More Able pupils, as it is with all children, however, it can sometimes be assumed that their needs are not as great as less able pupils when they face challenges unique to this particular group that need support.

Teaching Support

More Able pupils utilise learning strategies more frequently and effectively than their peers and are less reliant on teachers to regulate their learning (Span, 1995). Child-initiated learning, peer tutoring, and guided dialogue techniques have been successful when use with deprived bright children (Ari & Rich, 1992). Promoting curiosity, persistence, and confidence that includes planning, monitoring and evaluation of learning strategies can be effective.  

Leadership also has a crucial role to play in identifying, planning and supporting teachers who may struggle to adapt their teaching style to the needs of more able pupils, or do not understand the techniques that work with this group. Effective communication by leaders is essential as is meeting the needs of teachers when new policies such as this are implemented.

Parent Support 

Parents play an important role in supporting their children in reaching their full potential.  It is found that parents often have strong personal, cultural or religious views on what their child should study, this can limit a child's learning and future life opportunities, especially when based on gender. When introducing new policies leadership must be sensitive and respectful of parents' views while possessing the communication skills to tactfully persuade and convince parents of what is in a child's best interest.

Parents can use gentle encouragement, show curiosity and discuss their children’s interests with them.  There are many other ways that parents can encourage and support their children depending on their age and needs, this includes and is not limited to:

• Language skills - Reading with children or to them as frequently as possible, playing word games, puzzles, crosswords, card games and board games to enhance their vocabulary, comprehension, visualization skills and development of their imagination.
• Encouraging Discussion - Parents should encourage children to talk about the events of their day as well as their own and to discuss news events locally and around the world. This increases their knowledge and develops their debating skills, promoting independent critical thinking. This helps develop: 
• Self-efficacy: confidence in their mastering of skills that allow them to function effectively in different situations.
• Self-esteem: respect for themselves with a positive attitude to challenges.
• Extra-curricular activities - Parents can encourage children to take part regularly in sports, debating and drama in and outside of school, attending sporting events, visiting the theatre, visiting museums and visiting exhibitions.  A broad experience of such activities aids the development of personal skills, increases knowledge and promotes informed life choices for the future. 
• Social and emotional skills/needs - Parents should be aware of their children’s social and emotional needs, all children have strengths, abilities and weaknesses.  Children need praise and encouragement which helps develop confidence and self-esteem. (NACE 2017).

Conclusion

Every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. While schools generally make good provisions for the less able and majority of other pupils, the needs of More Able pupils are often neglected.

Teachers and schools need to better identify the spectrum of what constitutes More Able pupils and recognise that they are not a homogeneous group in their learning styles, rate of development, behaviour etc.  Schools, Teachers and Parents have a role to play in ensuring More Able pupils are provided with the opportunities to achieve their full potential through accelerated learning, differentiated learning, extended learning, enriched learning etc. 

References

1. Arnot et al, “Recent research on gender and educational performance”, 1998.
2. Ari, B.A. & Rich, Y. (1992), 'Meeting the educational needs of all students in the heterogeneous class', in P.S. Klein and A. J. Tannenbaum (Eds.) To Be Young and Gifted. New Jersey: Ablex.
3. Hany, E. A. (1997) ‘Modelling Teachers' Judgements of Giftedness: a Methodological Inquiry of Judgement Bias’, High Ability Studies, 8, 157-176.
4. Hedges, L. V., & Nowell, A. (1995). Sex differences in mental test scores, variability, and numbers of high-scoring individuals. Science, 269(5220), 41-45. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7604277
5. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9065/CBP-9065.pdf [Accessed: 15 February 2022]
6. Hilary Lowe NACE June 2017 - https://copnorprimary.co.uk/uploads/more%20able/NACE_Essentials_4_Informed_Parent_Carer_Final_Colour.pdf ([Accessed: 15 February 2022]
7. https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=jRuHToIV55UC&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=more+able+gifted+pupils&ots=MWeGuUuF4y&sig=iCPR9sHgnT5QwnuJjNiPTr1FFxQ#v=onepage&q&f=false [Accessed: 17 February 2022]
8. Ofsted (2013) The most able students, www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/130118 [Accessed: 17 February 2022]
9. Ofsted Reporting of Provision for the Most Able pupils, R. Howell and H. Ramsden June 2018 and 2019, www.potentialplusuk.com [Accessed: 6 July 2022]
10. Phillip Loft, Shadi Danechi Support for more able and talented children in schools 2 December 2020 CBE-9065
11. Span, P. (1995). Self-regulated learning by talented children. In J. Freeman, P. Span & H. Wagner (Eds.), Actualizing talent (pp. 72–86). London: Cassell
12. Teaching the gifted and talented, Professor Joan Freeman, http://www.joanfreeman.com