ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the age-old conundrum of how we should best allocate resources in education to ensure both excellence and equity. Here, the complexity is increased by considering how we should ensure that highly able children are fully included in schools and provided with challenge appropriate to their abilities. There is an undeniable tension in striving for both equality and excellence in education. When it comes to the limited pot of education budgets and resources, who has priority? Those advocating for more able pupils are often met with criticism and sometimes even disapproval, accused of elitism and inegalitarianism. We cannot afford to ignore the comments and views of our detractors, and need to construct coherent, well-supported arguments against their charges. This chapter tackles this contentious issue head on, exploring the issues raised by inclusion of the able, and reviewing and refreshing some of the more common arguments used in discussing provision.
