High potential and gifted education

Some students learn faster and more easily than others. These students may shine in creativity, thinking, leadership or sport.

At our school, we recognise and nurture these strengths early. We support advanced learners with great lessons and activities to help them grow and thrive.

Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?

Teacher supporting children with learning

Recognising potential and developing talent

Our teachers find potential and nurture our students to be the best they can be.

children participating in creative activities

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.

A child participating in a ropes course at camp.

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.

In our classroom

Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking.
Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning.
Advanced learning pathways, including accelerated or compacted content.
Explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem-solving strategies.
Opportunities for abstraction, inquiry, and curriculum depth.
Tasks that promote choice, authenticity, and critical and creative thinking including cross-curricular projects.
Flexible grouping for collaborative ideation and presentation.
Differentiated movement tasks and skill refinement in PDHPE.
Targeted learning goals for coordination, agility, and control.
Opportunities to take on lead roles in physical demonstrations or team strategy.
Supportive learning environments that enable exploration and self-assessment.
Strengths-based feedback and goal setting.
Opportunities for leadership within the classroom.
Structured peer collaboration and reflection.
Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance.

Across our school

Talent development programs across the domains of intellectual, creative, physical and social-emotional.
STEM and coding activities
Debating
Public speaking competitions
Academic competitions
Performance opportunities at showcases
Band
Choir
Chess competitions
Sport teams
House competitions
Peer mentoring
Student leadership (SRC)
Wellbeing programs
Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives.

Across NSW

The Illawarra's Debating Challenge helps our students to build logical arguments and confidence in public speaking.
The ISER Dance festival is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools.
The ISER Choral Festival is a celebrated performing arts event that showcases the musical talents of students from public schools throughout NSW.
The Premier’s Sporting Challenge (PSC) promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and professional learning.
The Representative School Sport Pathway and PSSA events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.
Participation in state-wide dance ensembles develops our high potential and gifted Stage 5 dance students’ technical skills, performance presence and physical expressiveness.
Our mentoring programs connect our students with trusted adults including local community membrs to build confidence, motivation, and interpersonal skills.