High potential and gifted education

Some students learn faster and more easily than others. These students may shine in creativity, academics, social interactions or sport.

At Parkes Public School, our High Potential and Gifted Education program offers rich, engaging opportunities that extend thinking, inspire creativity and support high achieving learners to excel.

Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?

Evidence based high potential programs

Our teachers use research informed strategies to identify and nurture high potential across intellectual, creative, social emotional and physical domains.

Opportunities to excel beyond the classroom

Students can participate in enrichment activities such as academic competitions, creative programs, leadership roles and specialised projects.

A supportive environment that values strengths

We recognise each child’s unique abilities and create an encouraging, inclusive environment where high potential learners feel challenged, supported and inspired.

Tailored extension and enrichment

We provide differentiated learning, targeted extension and challenging tasks that stretch thinking and support advanced learners.

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.

Creative domain

- Apply evidence-informed creative thinking strategies across all curriculum areas to extend and challenge high-potential learners.

- Provide diverse enrichment opportunities including Olympiads, Choral Festival, Band, Eisteddfod, Debating, Public Speaking, Visual Art groups from Kindergarten and Upstage creative workshops.

- Actively increase student representation in external creative events such as the Forbes Eisteddfod, CWA Public Speaking and regional performance opportunities.

Intellectual domain

- Embed explicit feedback, reflection and goal-setting practices to promote high expectations and continuous intellectual growth.

- Use triangulated data sources including NAPLAN, classroom assessments and work samples to identify, monitor and extend high potential learners.

- Offer access to Aurora programs where appropriate, ensuring equitable identification and participation.

Social-emotional domain

- Build strong staff capability to recognise and nurture high potential in the social-emotional domain.

- Foster a whole-school culture that intentionally develops social-emotional talent through targeted programs such as Sista Speak, Bro Speak, Zones of Regulation and Playground Pals.

- Actively monitor and support students excelling in intellectual or physical domains to ensure social and emotional wellbeing is not compromised.

Physical domain

- Provide evidence-informed physical opportunities that promote engagement, challenge and talent development.

- Set high aspirational goals through participation in diverse school and external opportunities including PSSA sporting competitions, sports carnivals, dance festivals, drumming workshops and Upstage workshops.

- Offered broad access to PSSA sports, swimming, athletics, cross country, boccia and gala days.