High Potential and Gifted Education
At NSGHS students learn together with other students who have similar abilities. This allows their teachers to use special teaching methods to move students through the curriculum at a faster pace and in more depth.
When learning alongside other high potential and gifted classmates, students benefit both academically and socially. Students tell us that they love learning with other students who also enjoy asking questions, delving deep into topics and being challenged academically.
Selective high schools also offer a broad range of co-curricular activities such as sports, creative and performing arts, music and special interest clubs.
The High Potential and Gifted Education Policy 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.
Implementation of the policy across the state is supported by professional learning and the HPGE implementation.
HPGE policy implementation in schools became mandatory in 2021. Developing an individual HPGE policy for your school is not required. Schools can document policy implementation procedures, programs and practices for their context.
The High Potential and Gifted Education Policy has been developed after consultation with parent organisations. These included the Federation of Parents and Citizens Association of NSW, Gifted Families Support Group and Gifted Learners with Disability Australia.
Signs of high potential
High potential and gifted children tend to:
- be very curious
- learn new ideas or skills quickly and easily
- display a good memory
- ask complex questions
- be creative
- enjoy thinking in complex ways
- require fewer repetitions when learning new things
- become very focused in their area of interest or passion.
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.
Resources are available to support your child at school and at home.
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:
- explicit and effective teaching strategies like enrichment, extension and acceleration
- 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 supportive classroom environments promote a sense of belonging and encourage risk-taking, creativity and collaboration.
- Groups are flexible for collaboration and presentation, students take lead roles, and feedback is strengths-based with clear goals and self-assessment.
- Students learn from tasks that promote choice, authenticity, and critical and creative thinking.
- When evidence shows a need for more, students are extended and have the opportunity to access advanced pathways.
- We measure impact, not anecdotes, through student work, reflections and progress checks.
Our 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.
- All our students are trained and encouraged to take on leadership roles through our many student voice groups.
- Opportunities to explore STEM pathways are extensive and include our STEM engineering courses, First Lego League robotics team , mathematics and science enrichment programs including olympiad training.
- Talent in the arts is celebrated and extended through CI Showcase, music ensembles, choir and dance programs.
- Premier’s Debating Challenge, public speaking competitions and creative writing competitions sharpen voice and argument.
- Our extra curricular sporting programs in rowing, dance, basketball, netball, taekwando, hockey and badminton not only develop skills in and a passion for particular sports but coaching and umpiring opportunities develop leadership capacity and the social and emotionals skills of our students.
Our students can participate in a wide range of state-wide programs that aim to extend and enrich student potential.
- NSGHS continues to prioritise sporting participation in a multitude of competitions including gala days, combined high schools knock out competitions and selection through to zone, regional and state carnivals.
- NSGHS students participate inmany competitions across all subjects.
- The Premier’s Sporting Challenge promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and collaborative learning. Students reflect and share their learning, so experiences build knowledge and character, contributing to the identity of themselves and their school.
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