About Us
Rotherham LEA was a Phase 1 Excellence in Cities Partnership established in 1999. The development of the Gifted and Talented Strand of the Excellence in Cities initiative has over the past seven years enabled our schools and LEA to focus more closely on provision for our more able and talented pupils.
With the publication in 2005 of the White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools for All support for gifted and talented (G&T) pupils was set clearly in the context of personalisation. This provided the opportunity for Excellence in Cities and the National Strategies to work in partnership to further develop a cross-phase programme focused on higher attaining, more able and G&T pupils in Rotherham.
Our focus is to create a coherent support structure to improve identification of and provision, pedagogy and personalisation for gifted and talented pupils in and across all key stages.
The Aimhigher Strand of Excellence in Cities is fully integrated into the G&T programme focusing on raising attainment, aspiration and progression to FE & HE for our 14 to 19 year olds.
Within the Rotherham G&T Partnership there are 16 Secondary schools, 106 Primary Schools, 7 Special Schools and 3 Further Education colleges. Schools and colleges are grouped into networks, which have funding to work collaboratively to develop G&T provision.
The Rotherham Gifted & Talented team
Bev Attwell : Senior G&T, Teaching & Learning Consultant for Secondary.
Taught for 26 years in a number of Secondary schools, 3 years of which was as an AST for Teaching & Learning. A B.Ed Honours graduate of Sheffield Hallam University , she became especially interested in Gifted & Talented education with the introduction of Excellence in Cities to Rotherham in 1999. It was at that time she became School G&T coordinator & Lead coordinator for a network of Schools & Colleges, and completed the first round of Oxford Brookes training. Her main interests are able children, their learning and art.
Joy Blaker: Primary G&T Teaching & Learning Consultant .
Taught for nearly thirty years in a variety of schools from Early Years' settings to Higher Education, including two years in special education, before taking up her current position. A graduate of the Royal Manchester College of Music with diplomas in teaching and performance, from there she did her teacher training at Leeds University . She became especially interested in Gifted and Talented education with the introduction of Excellence in Cities to Rotherham in 1999. An associate tutor with Oxford Brookes University , her main interests are the young exceptionally able and GRANDDAUGHTERS !!
Chris Gaynor: G&T Administration Assistant.
Has h eld key marketing and communications roles on a range of flagship programmes (inc. New Deal, Individual Learning Accounts, Educational Maintenance Allowance) with the Department for Education & Skills and the Employment Service. He took a redundancy package while he was still young enough to be employable elsewhere. Chris has also project managed the production of many books and videos for a national publisher of careers materials as well as undertaking freelance work assessing manuscripts for a mainstream publisher of fiction. He joined the Gifted and Talented Team in October 2006.
Hilary Gibbins: Aimhigher Co-ordinator.
Taught for 25 years in secondary schools and Further Education Colleges delivering vocational programmes from Level one to Degree level. A B.Ed Honours graduate of the University of Sheffield she has had an interest in transition and attainment issues in the 14-19 age group. She has worked with Barnsley Authority on their Re-engagement programme before moving to Rotherham as their Aimhigher Co-ordinator within the 14-19 Team. Aimhigher has a focus on the progress of Gifted and Talented students providing information advice and guidance on the best possible progression routes for very able students.
Chris Houghton: G&T Teaching Consultant.
Began teaching middle school many moons ago then North Wales to work with Children in a residential clinic then a family business with part term work as Special Needs Teacher. During the 80's worked as a swimming teacher including a long spell at Dinnington Pool teaching Primary Education Swimming. Then to Hillcrest Language Unit as long term supply, followed by Swinton Queen Street as the Special Educational Needs Teacher.
Since the early nineties SENCO at Swallownest Primary, still working there I day a week since joining the Gifted and Talented Team 6 years ago. Now responsible for the KS1 Enrichment Cluster, Y3-5 Maths Master Classes and P4C. Having been greatly involved in Rotherham Metro Swimming club including 2 years as President of Sheffield and District ASA now just a keen spectator at Water Polo Events throughout the country. Spare time taken up with reading (mainly Philosophy and children's books for Rotherham 's Book Award 11)