European Talent Point

GO! Atheneum Ekeren – For those who aspire higher education

GO! Atheneum Ekeren is a Flemish secondary school, set in a unique, green environment in the immediate vicinity of the city of Antwerp, that welcomes a variety of students. Based on our positive and open school culture, we are convinced that our young alumni will successfully pursue higher education with ample self-confidence, self-responsibility, and self-knowledge. We are confident they will realise their potential and ambitions in their future careers. We uphold high, yet realistic expectations of all young people and every student at our school can be proud of who they are and what they are able to achieve.

We assist every student in discovering and developing their talents, as shown in the structure of Talent Development. This structure shows what we do for our high-achieving students so that they are not left hungry for challenges and that they can pursue what really interests them in their academic studies.

Our interventions for high-achieving students are based on a broad screening system in which the educational, psychological, and social needs of the individual student have a central place. The screening procedure starts with collecting all available information from previous schools, parents, student contact moments, school assessments, and learning characteristics observed by teachers. After detection, screening interviews take place to ascertain needs and motivation, and to discuss all opportunities. For example, in their final year of secondary education, students who wish to attend a higher education course during the second semester will be given an overview of the possibilities and criteria (Challenge yourself!). The Wise Wizards project, another example, is a pull-out programme for students aged 12 to 17 in which they work on their own projects under the guidance of a coach or teacher for a designated period of time. These coaches and/or teachers help students to formulate their own learning goals, linked to their strengths and abilities (Profile your Talent!). Within the classrooms, our teachers offer strong and varied learning activities, challenging each student to stretch themselves within their abilities. Because each student has their own computer, our teachers can apply digital didactics in meaningful ways and have more opportunities to differentiate in their classrooms (Deepen your Talent!).

In addition to these two specific examples, the entire team makes every effort to offer individual adjustments to the regular educational programme for all students with specific educational needs, while maintaining a dialogue with all parties involved.

In October 2020 GO! Atheneum Ekeren was selected by the Flemish Ministry of Education as one of the four Secondary Anchor Schools for gifted education. We are ready to get in contact with schools and institutions across Europe, for all kinds of educational and scientific purposes concerning the needs of high-achieving students. We look forward to participating in international exchanges between students and teachers so we can learn from each other and gain new teaching experiences.