Needs of high achievers not met

At Secondary level I have observed that high achieving students only really begin to feel challenged once they start to select electives in a higher year level – ie when they are allowed to advance in one or two subjects to the year level above. In the early years of high school they are frequently bored and disenchanted – they express they would be better off learning on their own – and they probably would. In class differentiation just points them out at ‘different’ so many would rather do what everyone else is doing – it is oflen the group just below the advanced students that take up the differentiation option. It seems to me they appear happier when streamed or clustered and are able to work at a faster pace and are amongst peers. Individual projects can be good – but does tend to isolate them. My experience is that they are happiest when they are challenged by other highly able students and have peers they can relate to. This opportunity does not present itself frequently enough in the early years of high school. The schools are not structured to accommodate this.