Gifted Phoenix Blog
Gifted Phoenix is the social media pseudonym of Tim Dracup a UK-based education consultant, writer and blogger.
He – Gifted Phoenix – specialises in gifted education, high attainment and related issues, taking a deliberately global perspective, but also contributes to discussion of wider English education policy reform.
All the posts on this blog are related in some way to this specialism, though some are written specifically for a global audience while others are intended mainly for domestic consumption.
The former are developed from three principles:
- Gifted education is a global issue
- Gifted educators should work together and invest appropriately in learning from other countries
- Other countries can learn from England’s experience – and vice versa
The supporting pages behind the blog are intended to provide essential background and an open access evidence base for gifted education. They are ‘works in progress’ and writing new posts takes priority over keeping them updated.
The vast majority of posts are lengthy and detailed analyses of education policy, research and implementation. They are designed to provide reliable reference material. If you seek disposable vignettes, or opinion masquerading as fact, then look elsewhere!
Gifted Phoenix strives for accuracy, balance and objectivity in all his posts. He welcomes positive feedback (see examples below) but, if you feel he has been unfair in any respect, he is very happy for you to express your views using the comments facility – and to discuss with you whether he needs to amend any post that causes you concern.
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“For the past three years, he has been researching and writing about gifted education policy around the world on the Gifted Phoenix Blog. Tim has a very distinct writing style. His research is meticulous and his posts detailed and factual. He has an unusual ability to remain objective and unemotional. His blog has developed into an invaluable archive of research material, the likes of which you will not find anywhere else.”
Irish Gifted Education Blog March 2013.
You can also follow Gifted Phoenix on Twitter (@Gifted Phoenix) – where his gifted education posts carry the hashtags #gtvoice and/or #gtchat – as well as via Facebook, Google+, Scoop.it, Paper.li, Pinterest and Storify.
Tim Dracup Consultancy
You may consider employing the real me in a professional capacity – as a consultant, CPD provider, conference speaker or writer. If so, you can reach me via the contact form.
I specialise in all aspects of of education for learners with the capacity to perform significantly above the average, however one defines them and regardless of the terminology used. I’m happy to work with single schools or whole countries, or anything in between.
I offer customised support designed to address your specific needs, rather than the off-the-shelf solutions and ideologies peddled by some competitors.
If I cannot meet your needs I will say so. If you need support in a specialist field which I cannot cover, I can usually recommend someone else who can!
If you are in England and Ofsted has said your school needs to improve its provision for the ‘most able’ you can use the posts on this blog to support your response, but I can also provide you with tailored mediation and advice. I will not tell you what or how to teach, but I can help you to develop and implement effective whole school policies and improvement plans.
I can offer extensive experience and expertise in designing and delivering gifted education programmes, acquired in my former role as Head of England’s National Gifted and Talented Education Unit.
I oversaw all elements of England’s National Gifted and Talented Education Programme for a decade from its earliest development in 1999. I took early retirement in March 2010 and now divide my time between consultancy, writing and voluntary work.
The posts on this blog are testament to the close study I have made of this field in both my current and former roles.
Further details of my experience and areas of expertise are available via
The Tim Dracup Consultancy is a Founder Member of GT Voice
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Gifted Phoenix 