Dave Appleyard,
Marian Caulfield,
Dick Fernyhough,
Zac de Silva, Fred
Ward
GKP Background
The
Gifted Kids Programme was
co-founded by Christine Fernyhough
and Craig Anderson in September
2000 to provide a day a week
programme of excellence in
gifted education, mainly for
children from low-income families.
GKP now has eight one day
Units catering for over 450
children from more than 130
contributing schools throughout
the North Island.
Co-founders:
Christine Fernyhough & Craig Anderson
Each day school has places for 75-80 students a week with a maximum of 16 students per day. Students attend the programme for one day a week.
The Gifted Kids Programme offers a purpose designed differentiated curriculum that aligns with the NZ curriculum framework. It has an emphasis on Talent Development and a focus on creative, critical and caring thinking, questioning and metacognition. The explicit teaching of thinking skills is our 'Mental Edge' part of the day. Languages, chess and other specialist areas are also taught and a variety of learning adventures and educational trips are provided.
Funding for the programme comes from contributing schools, parental donations, Ministry of Education funding, donations from private individuals and from corporates. The Gifted Kids Programme does not charge set fees for parents. When children are accepted on to our programme, parents and caregivers are asked to nominate an amount by way of a donation.
The Gifted Kids Programme aims to identify and provide educational opportunities for gifted children from mainly lower income families. Most of our units are based at low decile schools and a high percentage of our contributing schools are within the decile 1-4 range.
Key objectives
To identify, assess and nurture gifted children, mainly from lower income communities
To meet the emotional, cognitive and societal ‘special needs' of gifted children and to create an environment where they can interact with those of like minds and abilities – thereby boosting their confidence
To make the provision of opportunity for gifted children a priority
To promote a culture where excellence is recognised and celebrated
To make accessible Professional Development for all Gifted Kids Programme teachers and mainstream teachers through our ‘GifNet' Professional Development contract that we have with the Ministry of Education
