{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,7]],"date-time":"2026-08-07T15:13:46Z","timestamp":1786115626515,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]],"date-time":"2026-08-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785715200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Behav. Sci.","Behavioral Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Gifted Education remains a contested and unevenly integrated domain within Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Its position is further complicated by conceptual instability surrounding identification, classification, and educational equity. Despite substantial contributions across psychology, neuroscience, and education, its translation into practice is constrained by conceptual instability, fragmented disciplinary accounts, and institutional pressures toward standardisation. This paper argues that the marginalisation of diverse Highly Able learners is not primarily due to insufficient knowledge, but to a structural failure to integrate existing knowledge into a coherent account of challenge. Drawing on policy analysis and interdisciplinary synthesis, the paper shows how psychological accounts of motivation and engagement, neuroscientific evidence on experience-dependent plasticity, and educational frameworks prioritising scalable pedagogy operate in parallel rather than in synthesis. Within ITE, this fragmentation contributes to a diminished understanding of high-level challenges; currently the challenge is often reduced to a simple notion of \u2018stretch\u2019 embedded within generic differentiation or adaptive teaching. To address this, the paper elaborates on Equality of Challenge as a normative and integrative principle, with a focus on low-threshold high-ceiling approaches. It reframes challenge as a matter of distributive justice and educational entitlement, positioning appropriately demanding educational experiences as a core entitlement for all learners rather than a targeted provision. It connects disciplinary insights into a shared account of how challenge should be designed and enacted within ITE and classroom practice.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bs16081334","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]],"date-time":"2026-08-03T14:16:27Z","timestamp":1785766587000},"page":"1334","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Fractured Paths, Unrealised Potentials: Teacher Education and Equality of Challenge"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Carrie","family":"Winstanley","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Education, University of Roehampton, London SW15 5PJ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ambrose, D., Sternberg, R. J., and Sriraman, B. (2012). Confronting dogmatism in gifted education, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203809327"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tics.2006.02.007","article-title":"Bridges over troubled waters: Education and cognitive neuroscience","volume":"10","author":"Ansari","year":"2006","journal-title":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"215","DOI":"10.1080\/0268093022000043065","article-title":"The teacher\u2019s soul and the terrors of performativity","volume":"18","author":"Ball","year":"2003","journal-title":"Journal of Education Policy"},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Biesta, G. J. J. (2010). Good education in an age of measurement: Ethics, politics, democracy, Paradigm Publishers."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Gernsbacher, M. A., Pew, R. W., Hough, L. M., and Pomerantz, J. R. (2011). Making things hard on yourself, but in a good way: Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning. Psychology and the real world: Essays illustrating fundamental contributions to society, Worth Publishers."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sternberg, R. J., and Davidson, J. E. (2005). Gifted education without gifted children. Conceptions of giftedness, Cambridge University Press. [2nd ed.].","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511610455"},{"key":"ref_7","unstructured":"Plucker, J. A., and Callahan, C. M. (2014). Identification of gifted students. Critical issues and practices in gifted education: What the research says, Prufrock Press. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pfeiffer, S. I., Shaunessy-Dedrick, E., and Foley-Nicpon, M. (2018). A history of giftedness: A century of quest for identity. APA handbook of giftedness and talent, American Psychological Association.","DOI":"10.1037\/0000038-000"},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Department for Education (2025, July 01). Teachers\u2019 standards, Available online: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/teachers-standards."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Department for Education (2025, July 01). Carter review of initial teacher training (ITT), Available online: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/carter-review-of-initial-teacher-training."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Department for Education (2025, July 01). Early career framework, Available online: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/early-career-framework."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Department for Education (2025, July 01). Initial Teacher Training (ITT) core content framework, Available online: https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/media\/6061eb9cd3bf7f5cde260984\/ITT_core_content_framework_.pdf."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"Department for Education (2025, July 01). Teachers\u2019 standards: Guidance for school leaders, school staff and governing bodies, Available online: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/teachers-standards."},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"Department for Education (2025, July 01). 2024 updated combined framework: Initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF), Available online: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/initial-teacher-training-and-early-career-framework."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education, Macmillan."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"Education Endowment Foundation (2018). New guidance report published: How to develop pupils\u2019 metacognitive skills, Education Endowment Foundation. Available online: https:\/\/educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk\/news\/new-guidance-on-how-to-develop-pupils-metacognitive-skills."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Education Endowment Foundation (2021). ECF\u2014Exploring the evidence: \u2018Adaptive teaching\u2019 and effective diagnostic assessment, Education Endowment Foundation."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Freeman, J. (2010). Gifted lives: What happens when gifted children grow up, Routledge.","DOI":"10.1080\/15332276.2010.11673582"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Glazzard, J., and Stones, S. (2020). Mythbusting for trainee teachers, Learning Matters.","DOI":"10.4135\/9781529730241"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gross, M. U. M. (2004). Exceptionally gifted children, RoutledgeFalmer. [2nd ed.].","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203561553"},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement, Routledge."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"817","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn3817","article-title":"Neuroscience and education: Myths and messages","volume":"15","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nature Reviews Neuroscience"},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"Immordino-Yang, M. H., Darling-Hammond, L., and Krone, C. (2019). Nurturing nature: How brain development is inherently social and emotional, and what this means for education (EdWorkingPaper: 19-106), Annenberg Institute at Brown University. Available online: http:\/\/www.edworkingpapers.com\/ai19-106."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"963","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-9280.2009.02402.x","article-title":"The wick in the candle of learning: Epistemic curiosity activates reward circuitry and enhances memory","volume":"20","author":"Kang","year":"2009","journal-title":"Psychological Science"},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"Loft, P., and Danechi, S. (2020). Support for more able and talented children in schools (UK) (House of Commons Library Briefing Paper No. 9065), Available online: https:\/\/researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk\/documents\/CBP-9065\/CBP-9065.pdf."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"Lowe, H. (2017). Guidance for parents and carers: Supporting your child with high ability, National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE)."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"McClure, R. (2011). Low threshold high ceiling tasks, NRICH, University of Cambridge."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Melander, A. (2025). Distributive values and disadvantaged potential high achievers, in \u2018Educational Decision-Making: Combining Evidence and Values\u2019 (Suite of Papers). Journal of Philosophy of Education, qhaf056.","DOI":"10.1093\/jopedu\/qhaf056"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1177\/1477878507086730","article-title":"Educational justice and the gifted","volume":"6","author":"Merry","year":"2008","journal-title":"Theory and Research in Education"},{"key":"ref_30","unstructured":"Montacute, R. (2018). Potential for success: Fulfilling the promise of highly able students in secondary schools, Sutton Trust."},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"OECD (2019). TALIS 2018 results (volume I): Teachers and school leaders as lifelong learners, OECD Publishing. Available online: https:\/\/www.oecd.org\/en\/publications\/talis-2018-results-volume-i_1d0bc92a-en.html."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Ofsted (2026, February 04). School inspection handbook, Available online: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/school-inspection-handbook."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Ofsted (2026, February 04). Education inspection framework: Overview of research, Available online: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/education-inspection-framework."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.5817\/SP2020-2-7","article-title":"\u2018Head\u2019 and \u2018heart\u2019 work","volume":"25","author":"Orchard","year":"2020","journal-title":"Studia Paedagogica"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pfeiffer, S. I. (2013). Serving the gifted: Evidence-based clinical and psychoeducational practice, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203883587"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sternberg, R. J., and Davidson, J. E. (2005). The WICS model of giftedness. Conceptions of giftedness, Cambridge University Press. [2nd ed.].","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511610455"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1080\/02783193.2022.2145400","article-title":"Giftedness does not reside within a person: Defining giftedness in society is a three-step process","volume":"45","author":"Sternberg","year":"2023","journal-title":"Roeper Review"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1177\/1529100611418056","article-title":"Rethinking giftedness and gifted education: A proposed direction forward based on psychological science","volume":"12","author":"Subotnik","year":"2011","journal-title":"Psychological Science in the Public Interest"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.29375\/01237047.5392","article-title":"What do teachers need to know about neuroscience?","volume":"27","author":"Thomas","year":"2024","journal-title":"MedUNAB [Internet]"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"477","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpp.12973","article-title":"Annual Research Review: Educational neuroscience: Progress and prospects","volume":"60","author":"Thomas","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1111\/bjep.12727","article-title":"Why does the brain matter for education?","volume":"95","author":"Thomas","year":"2025","journal-title":"British Journal of Educational Psychology"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"461","DOI":"10.1111\/mbe.12423","article-title":"Evidence, policy, education and neuroscience\u2014The state of play in the UK","volume":"18","author":"Thomas","year":"2024","journal-title":"Mind, Brain, and Education"},{"key":"ref_43","unstructured":"Wallace, B., and Adams, H. (1993). TASC: Thinking actively in a social context, Atypical Publishing."},{"key":"ref_44","unstructured":"Wiliam, D. (2018). Embedded formative assessment, Solution Tree. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_45","unstructured":"Winstanley, C. (2004). Too clever by half: A fair deal for gifted children, Trentham Books."},{"key":"ref_46","unstructured":"Hand, M., and Winstanley, C. (2008). Philosophy and the development of critical thinking. Philosophy in schools, Bloomsbury."},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"Winstanley, C. (2010). The ingredients of challenge, Trentham Books."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.21913\/JPS.v5i1.1488","article-title":"Deep thinking and high ceilings: Using philosophy to challenge \u2018more able\u2019 pupils","volume":"5","author":"Winstanley","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Philosophy in Schools"},{"key":"ref_49","unstructured":"Winstanley, C. (2019). Breaking barriers: Supporting more able learners, National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE)."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"551","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-psych-010418-102846","article-title":"Gifted students","volume":"70","author":"Worrell","year":"2019","journal-title":"Annual Review of Psychology"},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Boekaerts, M., Pintrich, P., and Zeidner, M. (2000). Attaining self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. Handbook of self-regulation, Academic Press.","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-012109890-2\/50030-5"}],"container-title":["Behavioral Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-328X\/16\/8\/1334\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,6]],"date-time":"2026-08-06T04:27:58Z","timestamp":1785990478000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-328X\/16\/8\/1334"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]]},"references-count":51,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8]]}},"alternative-id":["bs16081334"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/bs16081334","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-328X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-328X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]]}}}