CfBT Education Trust's appointment as the new managing contractor of the National Programme for Gifted and Talented Education (NPGATE) on behalf of the DfES has been officially announced. CfBT Education Trust will deliver the NPGATE programme in partnership with Twofour Communciations, Hedra and CACI.

NPGATE aims to combine the latest technology and innovation to deliver resources to around 800,000 gifted and talented (G&T) learners aged 4-19 years in maintained schools and colleges across England. This typically accounts for 10% of the school population. The programme will focus on improving both the learning experience and outcomes for learners and there will be greater emphasis on accessibility to a range of opportunities within and beyond the everyday classroom, particularly for those learners from a disadvantaged background.

Twofour, working in partnership with Hedra and CACI, will be providing innovative webTV and collaboration tools to help the various stakeholders involved in providing a service for gifted and talented young people, communicate with each other.

Neil McIntosh, Chief Executive of CfBT Education Trust, said: "We are pleased to confirm our appointment as managing contractor of the National Programme for Gifted and Talented Education. "Through consultation we have been actively planning the delivery of this exciting new programme while drawing on our extensive knowledge of gifted and talented education."

For more information about CfBT go to www.cfbt.com