Contact Details
Achievement and Inclusion Adviser (G&T) Jeremy Reynolds Tel:01582 830212 Jeremy.reynolds@ hertscc.gov.uk
Other Conference Reports
Herts G & T Conference Report &Presentations 2009 Herts G & T Conference Report &Presentations 2008 Second Eastern Region Gifted and Talented Conference 2007
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Hertfordshire Gifted and Talented Conference 2010

‘Creating the Conditions for Exceptional Performance’

Wednesday 24th February 2010

Over 100 delegates attended the fourth Hertfordshire Gifted and Talented Conference, now an established and high profile annual event, at The Hertfordshire Development Centre in Robertson House, Stevenage. At a time of change nationally but also when provision for able, gifted and talented  learners has never been more important in terms of vulnerable groups and the Narrowing the Gap agenda, the conference was once again able to maintain the tradition of welcoming a very high profile figure to Hertfordshire.

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Professor Deborah Eyre is an internationally renowned name in the Gifted and Talented field. A government advisor and leading academic researcher, she was Director of the UK’s first national agency for Gifted and Talented, the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY). She has played a leading role in gifted education in England for over 25 years and has a particular interest in curriculum provision and classroom practice.

She established the first research centre for gifted education in the UK at Oxford Brookes University, served as a specialist adviser to the House of Commons Education Select Committee enquiry into the education of highly able children and designed the government’s national training programme for co-ordinators of gifted and talented pupils in schools. Professor Eyre sits on the Board of the Training and Development Agency and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She now advises agencies and governments worldwide.

After an initial welcome and consideration of how it is gifts and talents are for example ‘discovered’, ‘unlocked’ or ‘identified’, Professor Eyre addressed the conference with a thought provoking keynote speech which asked delegates to consider how the optimum classroom and school conditions could be created to develop outstanding achievement with learners. Bringing a wealth of  international experience and evidence about what works in Gifted and Talented education to bear in her address, the ‘Human Capital’ paradigm was suggested as an appropriate and energising  view of Gifted and Talented education – for example all students being identified as such unless they prove otherwise.
Delegates appreciated the clarity and vision of the keynote address and the innovative nature of the thinking and ideas raised. Several staff have commented since on how they have used this approach to shape training back in their schools.

Other delegate comments were as follows:

“Extremely interesting & informative – pulling together current thinking in this field”
 
“Highly informative and very interesting.  An opportunity to reflect on the approach our school has to G&T provision”

“Excellent range of information with good challenges to thinking.  Helpful, thoughtful and insightful”
 
“Lots of great ideas/inspiration in workshops, Video & pupil presentation very thought provoking, good exhibits for break/lunch”

“The range covered in one day, brilliant – was handed G&T 2 weeks ago and there is nothing in place so it has been great”

Professor Eyre’s keynote address can be viewed here:

• Adobe pdf, 2MB/41 pages, 17/03/2010, keynote_address_professor_deborah_eyre.pdf

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In two subsequent slots on the day, workshops then carried on this theme of ‘Creating Conditions..’ and delegates  had the opportunity of attending a wide variety of themed sessions – for example ‘Creating Conditions of Challenge ‘ and ‘Creating a Thinking School’. There were dedicated primary, secondary and Early Years workshops as well as cross phase sessions. All of the presentations are accessible as PowerPoint presentations here:

Workshop A Creating challenging and engaging learning opportunities with ICT - Chris Carter

• Adobe pdf, 748kb/19 pages, 17/03/2010, workshop_a_chris_carter.pdf

Workshop B Working with the Hertfordshire G&T Lead School Network - Simon Macneill

• Adobe pdf, 1.4MB/16 pages, 17/03/2010, workshop_b_simon_macneill.pdf

Workshop C Creating a Thinking School - Dewhurst St Mary's Primary School

• Adobe pdf, 1.52MB, 12 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_c_dewhurst_stmarys.pdf

Workshop D Creating Conditions for Challenge in the Early Years - Redbourn Infants & Nursery School

• Adobe pdf, 952kb/22 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_d_redbourn_infants.pdf

Workshop E - The Principals and Pedagogy of One to One Tuition to Support Gifted and Talented Pupils - Sue O'Connor

• Adobe pdf, 438kb/28 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_e_sue_oconnor.pdf

Workshop G - The Ancient Game of Go - Peter Wendes

• Adobe pdf, 1MB/22 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_g_peter_mendes.pdf

Workshop H - Unlocking Potential - Luton Town FC

• Adobe pdf, 1.76MB/30 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_h_luton_town_fc.pdf

Workshop J - UK Resilience Programme - Lucy Bailey

• Adobe pdf, 194kb/19 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_j_lucy_bailey.pdf

Workshop K - Creating Whole School Challenge – St Paul’s Primary School – King’s Langley

• Adobe pdf, 194kb/19 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_k_st_pauls_primary_school.pdf

Workshop L - Creating conditions for Sustained Shared Thinking in the Early Years - Liz Stratton

• Adobe pdf, 215kb/17 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_l_liz_stratton.pdf

Workshop M- Waking Up Young Minds - Mike Hutchins

• Powerpoint 2003, 2MBkb/30 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_m_mike_hutchins.ppt

Workshop N - DME Dual-Multiple Exceptionality - Sue Blow and Val Hazell

• Powerpoint 2003, 158kb/9 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_n_sue_ blow.ppt

Workshop O - Creating a whole school leadership culture - Hemel Hempstead School

• Adobe pdf, 309kb/13 pages, 23/03/2010, workshop_o_hemel_hempstead_school.pdf

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Pupils Address the Conference

The last session of the day was a new venture for the conference. As in 2009, pupils were involved – this time from four schools and ranging from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 5. The schools were:

John Warner, Hoddesdon
Trotts Hill Primary, Stevenage
Rickmansworth
Bishop’s Hatfield Girls

Working on their own initiative and independently throughout the day, the pupils first watched a new film about the British Education system, directed by David Putnam and with Sir Ken Robinson as a key contributor. Entitled ‘We Are The People We’ve Been Waiting For’, the film charts the education system through the eyes of young people. Delegates to the conference were shown some of the film in the second session of the day and then the pupils gave their own feedback on what they thought of the film and how it could be used in school. Following this, they then presented their ‘Manifesto’ to the assembled delegates, outlining what they did and didn’t want from their education and what helped them to learn best.

In their work during the day, their presentations to the delegates and dealing with a question and answer session, all the pupils were a great credit to themselves and their schools and for many of the audience, their contribution to the conference was one of the highlights of the day and a fantastic part of this year’s event. One of the most impressive features was how quickly and readily they mixed and worked effectively together.

Delegate comments included the following:

“Students presentation was excellent – good model of how we can learn from the pupils we work with”

“Student presentation gave lots of food for thought and reinforced Deborah Eyre’s keynote speech”

“Keynote speaker very inspirational, film was really interesting and thought provoking, presentation by pupils was fantastic and reminded us what and who this is all about”

“Deborah Eyre and the film/pupil voice session in the afternoon - Thank you for reminding me that teaching is a privilege!!”  

“Fantastic to have views from pupils on the film & the current education system”

The pupils’ work and a link to the film are given below:

• Powerpoint 2003, 59kb/9 pages, 23/03/2010, pupils_presentation.ppt

• www.wearethepeoplemovie.com/

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The 2010 Gifted and Talented Conference was a hugely enjoyable and successful event which once again is likely to lead to many delegates taking away important and significant ideas and resources which will influence their work and direction in school.

Next year’s conference date has already been set (1st March 2011) when it is hoped that the impact of these G&T developments and initiatives will be evaluated and examined in more detail.

Jeremy Reynolds

Hertfordshire County Adviser – Gifted and Talented
Achievement and Inclusion Team (Schools SEND)