The Department for Education (DfE) uses the following definition:

'Gifted and talented' describes children and young people with an ability to develop to a level significantly ahead of their year group (or with the potential to develop those abilities):

•'gifted' learners are those who have abilities in one or more academic subjects, like maths and English
•'talented' learners are those who have practical skills in areas like sport, music, design or creative and performing arts
Skills like leadership, decision-making and organisation are also taken into account when identifying and providing for gifted and talented children.

The top 5% of the student population (if they fulfil the eligibility criteria) can join the Government funded scheme ‘International Gateway for Gifted Youth' . At Luckley, 24% of our current students are members.  Girls at Luckley are identified by test evidence and teacher recommendation. They are nominated for membership by School and then it is the decision of the student and her parents as to whether she wants to become a member.

What is the provision at Luckley?

Once identified, students at Luckley are encouraged to join the Government funded ‘International Gateway for Gifted Youth'.  This opens up a wide range of opportunities for the students outside school. Within School, students are challenged through extension tasks both in the classroom and for homework. All students are exposed to a vast range of opportunities to enhance their learning and these are provided by individual departments. Activities the girls have been involved in include:

Junior and Senior Drama productions

Music festivals and galas

Author visits and termly book fair

National book week

National science week

Short story competition

European Day

Young Chef competitions

Some Of Our Talented Pupils

Mi Joo (Year 11) achieved a Gold certificate in the 2011 Senior Maths Challenge and qualified to enter the British Maths Olympiad 1st and 2nd rounds. This was a particularly fantastic achievement as Mi Joo is in Year 11, competing against Sixth Formers.

Deborah Lee (Year 13) achieved a Gold certificate in the Senior Maths Challenge and qualified for the British Maths Olympiad 1st round.

Gina Lee (Year 13) achieved a Gold certificate in the Senior Maths Challenge and qualified for the national Kangeroo Competition.

Elva Choi (Year 11) an Art Scholar, took and past Art GCSE a year early with Grade As and has attended Saatchi Art workshops.

Amanda Bailey and Kukua Blankston (Year 7) have shown exceptional talent in ICT and are currently joining girls from the  senior year groups in a course entitled 'Digital Creator', as part of the extended day programme.

The following girls are talented linguists and have been involved in the writing, editing and production of a new Modern Foreign Languages magazine: Year 7 - Kukua Blankston, Rachel Davis, Holly Thurston, Kirsty Thomson, Year 9 - Jess Arnold, Lucy Duncan, Maggie Fitzgibbons, Lizzie Lowrie, Gaia Webb, Lottie Boyd, Imogen Phillips, Catherine Tren,  Year 11 - Katie Nicholson, Katya Dworkin and Isla Markham (Editor).

Some of our girls are gifted and talented through their out-of-school interests and activities

Katya Dworkin (Year 11) has a talent for rock climbing. She came 7th place in the national youth climbing championships in Edinburgh and 2nd place in the Preston Youth Climbing Festival in 2011.

Ella Nonini (Year 11) is a talented dancer. She won a gold medal and became National Champion for her Modern Solo, Modern Duet, Modern Ballet Quartet, Under 21's Tap Group and Under 21's Modern Group at the All England Dance Finals in 2011.

Charlotte Harrison-Gates (Year 9)  is a talented Horse rider. She won the Pony Novice Jumping Class with a double clear at the 2011 Chiltern and Thames Rider Championships.

Maddy Wynn Jones and Abigail Roels (Year 12) are national rowing champions, after their team won Gold for Great Britain at a Regatta in France last summer. The girls beat the French team in terrific style, by three boat lengths.

Abbie Dixon and Phoebe Thomson (Year 7) are talented Hockey players, both playing for the County in the Junior Development Centres.

Villiers Park 

Villiers Park is a national charity providing high quality educational activities for students identified as gifted or talented. The courses they run are open to affiliated schools or members of ‘'International Gateway for Gifted Youth' which is a government funded programme designed to facilitate extended learning opportunities for the most able students in the country. Luckley-Oakfield is one of fifteen schools affiliated to Villiers Park and as such our students have a greater chance of getting on to one of the twenty -four courses run each year.

The courses are residential and run from Monday to Friday. They seek to challenge and inspire the most able students and give the students a chance to immerse themselves in their chosen subject and go beyond the boundaries of exam specifications and in the evening spend time with students of similar abilities.