Really interesting question for me as a former child and current parent. I'm in the category you refer to: my parents have no A-levels.
The number one thing I would have liked as a child would have been gifted classmates / friends / peers. My parents decided to move me from state to private at the age of 8, which was very generous of them, but I think it was probably counterproductive. The private school was tiny - fewer than 30 in an entire year group - so I was effortlessly top in everything, whereas in a large state school I probably would have had some equals just on statistical grounds. I would have loved for my intelligence to be a source of fun and challenge with a group of like-minded people, rather than a source of social isolation, and I would have liked some incentive to try hard in class rather than coasting. (This did all mean that when I got to Cambridge and got all those things it was wonderful).
I would also have liked regular access to a library (OK, there was the school library, but it was tiny and mostly stocked with early 20th century school stories). I was very lacking in new reading material. I had about a hundred books at home which I re-read far too often and knew far too well.
One thing they did which was very good was to get me a computer, and my dad taught me what he knew of programming. I had fun and learned a lot. I floundered a bit, because this was before we had the internet (with its tutorials and reference guides and Q&A forums) and I had no one to teach me where my dad was too busy or his knowledge left off; but it was still definitely a Good Thing.
Another good thing was just having people around who sometimes shared interesting things with me. My nan taught me Pig Latin and those logic puzzles with the grids, my mum taught me cryptic crosswords, and I think my grandpa taught me chess.
I now have a 3-year-old who's looking to turn out very bright as well. I think things will go better for her just because she's in Cambridge and will go to school with the children of other Cambridge people, and because we and so many of our friends and their kids are geeks of one sort or another, and can teach her things and help/encourage her with her own hobbies.
no subject
The number one thing I would have liked as a child would have been gifted classmates / friends / peers. My parents decided to move me from state to private at the age of 8, which was very generous of them, but I think it was probably counterproductive. The private school was tiny - fewer than 30 in an entire year group - so I was effortlessly top in everything, whereas in a large state school I probably would have had some equals just on statistical grounds. I would have loved for my intelligence to be a source of fun and challenge with a group of like-minded people, rather than a source of social isolation, and I would have liked some incentive to try hard in class rather than coasting. (This did all mean that when I got to Cambridge and got all those things it was wonderful).
I would also have liked regular access to a library (OK, there was the school library, but it was tiny and mostly stocked with early 20th century school stories). I was very lacking in new reading material. I had about a hundred books at home which I re-read far too often and knew far too well.
One thing they did which was very good was to get me a computer, and my dad taught me what he knew of programming. I had fun and learned a lot. I floundered a bit, because this was before we had the internet (with its tutorials and reference guides and Q&A forums) and I had no one to teach me where my dad was too busy or his knowledge left off; but it was still definitely a Good Thing.
Another good thing was just having people around who sometimes shared interesting things with me. My nan taught me Pig Latin and those logic puzzles with the grids, my mum taught me cryptic crosswords, and I think my grandpa taught me chess.
I now have a 3-year-old who's looking to turn out very bright as well. I think things will go better for her just because she's in Cambridge and will go to school with the children of other Cambridge people, and because we and so many of our friends and their kids are geeks of one sort or another, and can teach her things and help/encourage her with her own hobbies.
Summary: 1) Other clever people, 2) Books.