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 Girraween Public School, we recognise and nurture these strengths early. We support advanced learners with great lessons and activities to help them grow and thrive.
We understand, every learner’s potential is our priority. Many students have high potential, and we help that potential to grow into something powerful.
Our teachers find potential and nurture our students to be the best they can be. We are committed to developing high potential across 4 domains: creative, intellectual, physical and social-emotional. We challenge our students to think, create, lead and grow every day.
Our school is a place of diversity and opportunity, where every learner belongs. We foster a culture of high expectations and equity in excellence, ensuring every student, regardless of background, has opportunities to develop their potential into talent.
Our school has a HPGE class in Years 4-6 which focuses on the intellectual domains. At our school, high potential and gifted students are assessed through:
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ability test
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achievement tests
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adaptive tests
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rating scales
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performance-based assessments
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pre-testing and formative assessment
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teacher observations
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 Girraween Public 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.
- We are committed to recognising and nurturing high potential and gifted students, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive at Girraween Public School.
- Our classroom practices support and extend high potential and gifted students.
- We identify students' learning needs in the classroom and use evidence-informed teaching practices to challenge and extend students. We provide learning pathways, including enrichment and extension programs and acceleration.
- Our supportive classroom environments promote a sense of belonging and encourage risk-taking, creativity and collaboration.
- Our teachers engage in professional learning to support the diverse needs of all students, including our high potential and gifted learners.
- Girraween Public School recognises that every student is individual, and we provide flexible and diverse opportunities for students to explore and grow their strengths outside the classroom.
- Girraween Public School offers a range of whole-school programs that support student growth.
- Girraween Public School identifies and supports students with high potential through targeted enrichment, extension and extra-curricular opportunities such as debating, competitions, and critical thinking workshops.
- All our students, including high potential and gifted students, are encouraged to take on leadership roles through student representative council leadership and peer coaching.
- Student talent is celebrated and extended through school visual arts showcases and music ensembles.
- Our students can take part in sports gala days, coaching sessions, house competitions and differentiated Physical Education programs.
- The Premier’s Spelling Bee promotes our students’ vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.
- The Premier’s Debating Challenge helps our students to build logical arguments and confidence in public speaking.
- Our STEM Enrichment Partnerships with industry and universities deepen our students’ intellectual curiosity while developing innovation and collaboration.
- Involvement in the Game Changer Challenge empowers our students to solve future-focused problems using design thinking.
- Participation in music ensembles (e.g. Choral Music Festival, Band) hones our students’ musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.
- 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.
The Premier's Reading Challenge
The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge is a statewide initiative designed to encourage and inspire students to develop a lifelong love of reading. It invites students from Kindergarten to Year 9 to read a set number of books within a specified time, choosing from a curated list that includes a wide range of genres and topics suitable for different age groups and reading levels. The challenge aims to improve literacy skills, foster imagination, and build confidence in reading by making it a fun and rewarding experience.
Participation in the challenge is voluntary and open to all students in NSW schools. By taking part, children not only enhance their reading abilities but also gain a sense of achievement and motivation as they work towards completing the challenge. Parents play a supportive role by encouraging their children to read regularly and discuss their books, helping to create a positive reading culture at home. Overall, the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge is a valuable opportunity to engage students with literature and support their educational growth.
The Premier’s Sporting Challenge
The Premier's Sporting Challenge (PSC) is a fun and exciting program designed to encourage students and teachers to be more active through a variety of sports and physical activities. It helps promote healthier, more active lifestyles for everyone in our school community. The goal is to get more students and staff moving and enjoying physical activity regularly.
During the 10-week challenge, students and staff record and track their physical activity as they work towards being more active, more often.
Stage 3 students can also become PSC Ambassadors, taking on a special role to promote and encourage participation in the challenge among their classmates. This leadership opportunity helps inspire others to stay active and enjoy the benefits of the program.
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