High potential and gifted education
The High Potential and Gifted Education Policy has been developed to optimise student growth, wellbeing and achievement across 4 domains of potential. It promotes engagement and challenge for every student in every school. The policy also identifies and addresses the learning needs of high-potential and gifted students.
Children with high potential like to be challenged. If you observe your child is more advanced than their peers, in any area or domain, it is recommended that you discuss this with your child's teacher or other professional.
A rapid rate of learning means these children may enjoy opportunities beyond the typical level of other children their age.
High potential and gifted students
Potential exists along a continuum. Differing degrees of potential require differing approaches.
High potential indicates a child's natural abilities to develop skills and knowledge faster and with greater ease than their same age peers.
Gifted children have a natural ability to develop advanced skills that significantly exceed those of age peers. Approximately 10% of students may be considered gifted.
Highly gifted children’s potential vastly exceeds that of age peers. They will achieve mastery and skills in any domain notably faster. Highly gifted students have potential assessed in the top 1% or less of age peers.
Children with high potential like to be challenged. If you observe your child is more advanced than their peers, in any area or domain, it is recommended that you discuss this with your child's teacher or other professional.
A rapid rate of learning means these children may enjoy opportunities beyond the typical level of other children their age.
Signs of high potential
High potential and gifted children may exhibit/demonstrate several of the following signs:
- curiosity
- learning new ideas or skills quickly and easily
- displaying a good memory
- asking complex questions
- being creative
- enjoying thinking in complex ways
- requiring fewer repetitions when learning new things
- becoming very focused in their area of interest or passion.
For additional support and information go to Supporting parents and carers.
The domains of potential
There are 4 domains of potential: intellectual, creative, physical and social-emotional. The 4 domains of potential often overlap and are highly influenced by one another.
Click on the relevant tab to access specific information about each domain.
Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?
Recognising potential and developing talent
Our teachers find potential and nurture our students to be the best they can be.
Tailored lessons
Each student has different abilities. Teachers respond to each student’s ability by providing extra challenges and extension activities to keep learning exciting and engaging.
Rich opportunities and activities
Students can take part in opportunities to develop their talent in the arts, sport, leadership and more.
Opening doors to wider experiences
Our students can participate in a wide range of state-wide opportunities that aim to extend and enrich student potential.
What is high potential and gifted education?
High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) is how our school supports students with advanced learning needs.
We do this through:
- effective teaching strategies like enrichment, extension and acceleration
- tailored support during lessons that stretch, challenge and inspire
- access to a wide range of opportunities both within and beyond our school.
Our high potential and gifted education opportunities
Our students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW.
Our classroom practices support and extend all students, including high potential and gifted students through:
- Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking
- Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning
- Explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem-solving strategies
- Strengths-based feedback and goal setting.
- Opportunities for leadership within the classroom
- Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance
Our school offers a range of whole-school programs that support student growth.
- Student leadership
- Wellbeing programs
- Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives
- Representative sport
- Music and performance ensembles - choir and dance groups
- Public Speaking
Our students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of programs to extend their potential.
- The Premier’s Sporting Challenge (PSC) promotes whole-school participation in physical activity.
- Participation in music ensembles hones our students’ musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.
- The Premier’s Spelling Bee promotes our students’ vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.
- PSSA events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration
Help for your high potential child
If your child shows signs of high potential, contact us. We can share how our HPGE support can guide their learning journey.
Student opportunities and activities
Discover the opportunities our students have at our school.
Learning
Find out about our approach to learning and supporting students to progress