This builds on previous work across the whole curriculum, which can be found on the website www.qca.org.uk The English work includes writing which is imaginative, inventive and ambitious: a mini novel, an eye-catching brochure on the local area, a letter from Jack Herbaceous complaining about the overgrown bean stalk and a Power-Point presentation on keeping guinea pigs.

One five-year-old wrote independently and at some length about his “dream world” using grammatically complex sentences, neat cursive handwriting and accurate spelling.

We also have examples of reading and oral work which is well above the usual expect-ations at each age group. The video material shows pupils in discussion, working in role, giving talks and solving problems.

For example, Year 1 and 2 pupils dramatise the characters in a Katie Morag story, Year 34 children build hypotheses about a moral dilemma and Year 56 pupils discuss making Oliver Twist into a film.

A group of Year 34 child-ren studying the Romans compare different source books, discussing their validity, authenticity and appeal.

They have their own theories about how writers and illustrators collaborate. Younger children reading a short novel for the first time not only demonstrate impressive reading skills but draw on other knowledge to help interpret the effects of literary language.

As well as the examples of children’s work, the materials suggest ways to plan curriculum provision for these pupils. A section on planning, using teaching objectives, suggests three linked approaches:

* broader, using more than one objective or providing different contexts * deeper, going into more complex features in an objective * faster, using objectives from later years.

In addition to these dimensions, gifted and talented pupils need opportunities to be independent and to reflect constructively on their work. A Year 2 child explains why she did not agree with the view she had taken in the role-play, an eight-year-old describes the process of planning a talk, and two Year 6 children discuss how to present personal qualities in the best possible light to a selection panel.

Working with Gifted and Talented children: Key Stages 1 and 2 English and Mathematics will be available from November.

To obtain a free copy schools should order it from QCA. The pack includes a handbook, written examples of children’s work in English and maths and a video.

Janet White is principal and subject officer and Sue Horner is principal manager of the English team at the QCA 83 Piccadilly,London W1J 8QA.Tel: 020 7509 5555.Web: www.qca.org.uk