- What’s in it for us?
- What age group?
- What if a child is identified in Y3?
- What happens at KS3?
- There may be no spare places if younger children fill them and continue to do so?
- How are the children selected?
- How many from each school?
- Why maths & science?
- Who pays for DWS?
- Can schools contribute in proportion to size, budget etc.?
- Can we charge parents?
- Do we have to supply the teacher?
- Who trains the teachers?
- Where does DWS take place?
- Who is responsible for the children?
- What happens if the teacher is absent?
- How do the children get to/from DWS?
What’s in it for us?
Access to appropriate provision for exceptionally able pupils.
Access to CPD visits for teachers in partner schools.
Access to 30 weeks’ planning a year for able pupils.
Membership of a national network of partnerships.
Access to the NACE/DWS website.
What age group?
DWS is for children in Y3-6 inclusive. In LAs with a middle school system, this can be altered by agreement with DWS.
What if a child is identified in Y3?
DWS is seen as an entitlement for exceptionally able pupils. If they are identified as such in Y3, unless circumstances change, their needs will continue to need to be met, so they will continue to attend DWS until transfer to secondary education
What happens at KS3?
We are currently working with a secondary school to pilot provision at KS3.
There may be no spare places if younger children fill them and continue to do so?
This is true. We cannot move children out of provision unless there is good reason to do so which is personal to the child. There is no reason why a partnership of schools cannot increase provision by setting up an additional class.
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How are the children selected?
Children are selected through DWS selection procedures.
Schools are provided with a layered mathematically based problem solving task for Y3-Y6 children. The tasks have been written especially for the identification of exceptionally able thinkers and trailed with groups of children. From those who successfully work on the task, the partnership of schools nominates 50 children to attend ½ day workshops run by DWS. Children are asked to come along in home clothing with only a name badge, so that we are not influenced in any way in our choice of 20 children to attend DWS. The problem solving task and workshops are presented to the children as part of the normal school provision and children are not aware that the activities are also a method of selection. In that way, no one is disappointed; everyone gains. DWS then works with the schools to finalise the allocation of places and then informs parents, who are invited to a meeting to hear about the class.
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How many from each school?
Children are selected on the basis of those best fit the criteria. Therefore, there is no per school allocation.
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Why maths & science?
These are the subjects in which children are most likely to show early giftedness. They are also the subjects which teachers find the most difficult to support exceptional ability due to spread of ability and their own subject knowledge.
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Who pays for DWS?
DWS is managed by a partnership of schools, who arrange payment amongst themselves.
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Can schools contribute in proportion to size, budget etc.?
Partnerships of schools can make their own arrangements for payments, which can take into account variable factors such as numbers of pupils, size of budget etc.
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Can we charge parents?
It is up to individual partnerships of schools to decide on funding arrangements, which could include a charge to parents. However, care must be taken to ensure that this does not exclude pupils who would otherwise qualify for a place.
Do we have to supply the teacher?
DWS will appoint and train the teachers, who will be paid by the partnership of schools. Teachers apply by providing a CV, letter of application and a lesson plan which they consider to be suitable for a DWS class. Longlisted candidates are invited to deliver their lesson and those who are shortlisted are then interviewed.
Who trains the teachers?
DWS along with Oxford Brookes University has an accredited training course for DWS teachers. This takes place over two weekends over the course of two years and leads to a Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Studies in Education. There is also a programme of regular lesson observation and feedback, plus meetings of DWS teachers and managers to share planning and issues.
Where does DWS take place?
A partner school within the group provides a classroom.
Who is responsible for the children?
The ‘host’ school is responsible for the children who attend their school.
What happens if the teacher is absent?
The DWS partnership sets up arrangements to cover on a rota basis or the partnership decides that they will inform parents and that the children will attend their ‘home’ school. An option may be that each school in the partnership prepares one day’s work in advance so that they can take over the class should the need arise.
How do the children get to/from DWS?
Transport is the responsibility of parents as with ‘home’ schools. Partnerships are advised not to take responsibility for arranging lifts etc. as this may raise insurance issues.
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