It's good to be a nerd at Solway

Weekly awards recognising student achievement help banish tall-poppy syndrome in schools, a Wairarapa principal says.

Solway College principal Beth Rogerson told the Times-Age there was a big emphasis on achievement at the Masterton girls' school.

"Here, being a nerd is good," Mrs Rogerson said.

"Whether you're a sports nerd or an arts nerd or whatever sort of nerd you are, you're probably going to be successful."

Her comments follow the release of study findings which indicated some top Kiwi students hide their talents for fear of being labelled nerdy.

The Canterbury University study, carried out in 18 months by PhD student Louise Tapper, tracked 11 Year 9 students identified as gifted and talented.

Interviews with students, their parents and teachers revealed the students were often reluctant to celebrate achievements for fear of offending their peers.

Mrs Rogerson said gifted and talented students at Solway College participated in a variety of specialist programmes.

The Masterton Lands Trust provides funding to Wairarapa secondary schools as a cluster to run gifted and talented programmes, so all the students from the local secondary schools have access to places on those programmes.

The programmes included creative writing, mathematics and public speaking courses.

Mrs Tapper said several surveyed students were concerned about getting a nerdy name, and most had been called a nerd.

"Able students are encouraged to be the best they can be but, as these students have reported, they have learnt to keep quiet about their successes or else someone will turn around and be offended."

The students also reported being self-conscious about their achievements, often "experimenting" with their identities, Mrs Tapper said.

"Some resorted to fitting in with the mainstream culture at their school, others embraced being different and reclaiming the nerd role.

"In particular, the able students who had sporting ability reported that they found it easier to find a fit in the social strata of school."

The New Zealand Association for Gifted Children said many gifted and talented students struggled with social acceptance amongst peers.

President Rose Blackett, a psychologist who specialised in gifted children, recommended schools work with groups of about six gifted students within normal mixed-ability classes, which could enhance social acceptance.