Providing for high-ability learners in different EU countries

Gifted pupils are a small but underserved population of pupils with special educational needs. A 2005 inventory of gifted education in Europe gives an overview of past approaches to educating high-potential learners in European countries. Most gifted education strategy focuses on acceleration or enrichment, often with dedicated (but private) programmes. Further information on the differences between European education systems can be found on the Eurydice platform.

Targeted public support

In Croatia, the government provides financial support to the families of gifted children, while schools are obliged to systematically identify and monitor gifted and talented pupils.

Croatia also has numerous state-funded extracurricular educational programmes for gifted children, including the “BISTRIĆ” Center for Gifted Child Development. It provides programmes and publishes handbooks and booklets for gifted children and their teachers and parents.

Group enrichment outside the classroom

As in many European countries, there are no public schools specifically for gifted children in Belgium, and policy is focused on acceleration. However, Flanders also uses in-school and extracurricular ‘kangaroo classes’, in which gifted children come together a few hours per week to work on special projects in a dedicated group outside the mainstream classroom.

Gifted education as special education

Gifted education is approached as a special educational need in Czechia, where legislation details specific measures for providing support to gifted pupils, including:

• Accelerated learning
• Dedicated groups for gifted pupils
• Individual educational plans
• Psychological and pedagogical support

A systemic approach

The Dutch government is currently putting in place systemic measures to provide suitable gifted education throughout the educational system. This includes a ‘Giftedness Action Plan’, that involves discussions with parents, school boards, giftedness specialists, and organisation representatives to understand pupils’ specific needs.

The plan contains measures for greater recognition of the developmental needs of gifted pupils, guaranteeing them a suitable, comprehensive education, and more training for teachers.