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.

Official identification of HPGE students involves a combination of teacher observations, assessment data, student work, and sometimes standardised testing or external assessments. At Balmain Public School, we have a whole-school approach to identification working with the HPGE team and the Learning and Support Team. From here, we are able to work with teachers, students and parents to run through the identification process and to provide support for the student’s learning through a differentiated curriculum, enrichment programs, acceleration options, and opportunities for social and emotional growth to ensure that they remain engaged, challenged, and supported in their learning journey.

The NSW Department of Education’s has an HPGE policy which provides guidelines for schools to implement inclusive strategies that foster the growth of gifted learners alongside their peers in a supportive and stimulating environment. We use this in our planning for and support in teaching HPGE students.

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.

In our classroom

Differentiated Learning Tasks and Flexible Grouping

Learning activities are designed with varying complexity, allowing students to work individually, in pairs, or flexible groups based on interests or abilities, ensuring appropriate challenge, fostering collaboration, leadership, motivation, and social skills.

High Expectations Embedded in Lesson Planning

Teachers explicitly communicate high expectations by designing learning objectives that foster higher-order thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, encouraging students to set personal goals and reflect on their progress, which promotes a growth mindset, resilience, and self-efficacy, leading to deeper learning and higher achievement.

Ongoing Professional Learning and Collaboration

Teachers regularly engage in professional development on HPGE strategies and collaborate to share best practices and design differentiated curriculum units, strengthening instructional quality and consistency to ensure all students benefit from effective talent development.

Explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem-solving strategies

Across our school

- Investigative Learning

- Debating

- Academic Workshops and competitions - G.A.T.E.W.A.Y.S, Mind Quest, APSMO Maths Olympiad,

- STEAM lessons

- Music ensembles

- Junior & Senior Choir

- Visual & creative arts opportunities

- Student Leadership (school Ministry, class Senators, house Senators)

Across NSW

We actively participate in state-wide competitions and activities, providing our students with valuable opportunities to challenge themselves and perform at their best. Through this collaborative and enriched approach, we ensure every student’s unique talents are recognised, developed, and celebrated.

Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition

This competition encourages primary school students to explore ideas of multiculturalism in Australia while they practise their public speaking skills and improve their confidence.

NSW Premier's Reading Challenge

The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) is not a competition but a challenge for each student to read, read more, and read more widely.

NSW Premier's Debating Challenge

Helps our students to build logical arguments and confidence in public speaking.

NSW Premier's Spelling Bee

Promotes our students’ vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.

NSW PSSA School sport pathways

NSW Primary Schools Sports Association (NSWPSSA) provides opportunities for primary students to participate in competitive sport at the state level and above.

Australian Problem-Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO)