The pyramid of progression as an organising principle
A 'pyramid of progression' (see fig below) may provide a useful
framework for those working with artistically talented children and
young people. Within this model there are four main factors that
affect the development of talent:
- age
- ability
- motivation
- availability of opportunity.
These factors determine where an individual student sits within
the pyramid and their progression through the tiers.
Effective education for pupils who are gifted and talented in
the arts is achieved through a combination of in-school and
out-of-school opportunities. Schools can and do provide meaningful
learning experiences for all their pupils, no matter how
exceptional their talent, but many pupils will need to access
additional opportunities to develop fully their potential. Teachers
can demonstrate best practice by acting as brokers, helping pupils
to find and benefit from opportunities outside of school that
provide the right level of challenge and progression.
Examples of opportunities
Classroom provision
Opportunities exist for pupils to sample a wide range of
activities in all art forms with progress assessed according to the
national curriculum levels where they exist. Within normal
classroom provision, differentiated activities stimulate and
challenge more able pupils. Examples of differentiated activities
in each art form can be found in the relevant chapters of this
document. Where a teacher notes that a pupil's performance is
exceeding the national curriculum levels, the 'generic indicators'
may be helpful. These can be found in Section (vi) in Chapter 1 of
this document.
Additional school opportunities
These might include outreach activities that are organised
through school or activities that take place elsewhere. For
example, work through a partnership between the school and an
external organisation such as an art gallery or theatre.
Local/area opportunities
These are activities outside of school. They might include
collaboration between a gallery and a local education authority, or
perhaps a county orchestra, dance company or youth theatre.
Regional opportunities
These might include masterclasses, intensive summer courses at
art colleges or dance summer schools. Regional opportunities
provide more intensive learning and give pupils the chance to meet
gifted and talented peers.
National level opportunities
At the pinnacle of the pyramid is specialist provision where
pupils focus on their particular area of talent, receiving
specialist training and education to support this. The government's
Music and Dance scheme supporting pupils in specialist institutions
is an example. Details of national bodies in each art form can be
found at www.creativegeneration.co.uk - the website related to this
document. Other helpful websites are signposted from here.
Footnote: Readers might also wish to be aware of the 'talent
ladder' model used to support the development of talented young
sportspeople. Details can be found at www.youthsporttrust.org/talentladder