Young, Gifted and... Human

In July and August 2003, five top UK universities offered a range of three-week summer schools to "gifted and talented" 11-16-year-olds. This initiative, heavily subsidized by the UK Government, who wish to push "the cream of the nation's pupils forward", used school holiday time to bring together nominated children from all parts of the country. Pushing pupils forward was recognized by the Minister for School Standards, David Milliband, as involving "enhancing students" "development as people" and challenging them in areas "outside the national curriculum", rather than speeding up their education' ("Kentish Gazette", 2003, 14 August: 19, emphasis added). Professor of Music, Grenville Hancox, wrote the proposal. He and Jonathan Barnes now write a reflection on a course that they feel has implications for the curriculum in all schools. (Contains 7 figures.)