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?
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.
High potential and gifted education supports students who demonstrate advanced potential in one or more domains:
- intellectual: reasoning, problem‑solving, abstract thinking
- creative: imagination, innovation, expression
- social‑emotional: leadership, empathy, collaboration
- physical: coordination, technique, athletic performance.
Our goal is to nurture student strengths while ensuring appropriate challenge, engagement and wellbeing.
Our whole school approach
We embed HPGE across teaching, learning and leadership structures through:
- clear, consistent practices that help teachers identify and extend high potential learners
- strong instructional leadership and ongoing teacher professional learning
- pathways and opportunities, including early talent spotting for extension programs and local Opportunity Class preparation.
High potential and gifted education at Nowra Public School is collective, inclusive and evidence‑based.
Identifying high potential
We use a flexible, strengths‑based identification process that includes:
- classroom performance and teacher observation
- standardised and diagnostic assessments
- creativity and problem‑solving samples
- parent, teacher or self‑referral
- strengths demonstrated in sport, arts, leadership or community involvement.
Identification is ongoing and recognises growth over time.
Our high potential and gifted education opportunities
Our students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW.
- differentiated instruction with clear learning pathways
- compacting, acceleration or extension where appropriate
- inquiry‑based learning and problem‑solving projects
- flexible grouping and targeted small‑group challenge.
- STEM, robotics, podcasting, creative arts and writing programs
- public speaking, debating and leadership opportunities
- enrichment days and specialist workshops
- peer mentoring, cross‑stage inquiry and student‑led projects.
While Nowra Public School does not host an opportunity class, we:
- identify students with advanced academic potential early
- provide extension lessons that build OC‑style reasoning, literacy and numeracy thinking
- offer guidance for families applying to the OC placement process
- share transition and preparation resources to support success.
Personalised learning plans (PLPs)
High potential and gifted learners may have a personalised learning plan that outlines:
- enrichment or acceleration options
- specific learning adjustments for challenge and engagement
- goals co‑developed with the student and family
- scheduled review meetings to track progress.
PLPs ensure each student’s pathway reflects their needs and growth.
Wellbeing for high potential learners
We support the social‑emotional needs of high potential students through:
- strategies for managing anxiety, perfectionism and expectations
- resilience‑building and positive mindset programs
- leadership, mentoring and teamwork opportunities
- support for peer relationships and collaboration.
Teacher professional learning
Our staff engage in ongoing professional development in:
- identifying high potential across domains
- differentiation, task design and extension frameworks
- assessment for learning and evidence‑based decision making
- wellbeing needs of high potential learners.
School leadership actively supports high‑quality HPGE practice through coaching, collaboration and shared planning.
Partnerships and community
We work with families and community partners to broaden opportunities, including:
- sporting, creative and cultural organisations
- Illawarra‑based STEM and environmental programs
- secondary school extension and transition links.
Parents are partners in recognising strengths and supporting learning pathways.
Continuous monitoring and improvement
We evaluate the effectiveness of HPGE practices using:
- student growth data and achievement patterns
- program participation and feedback
- classroom observation and collaborative review.
Our approach is dynamic and continually refined.
Contact us
Families who would like to learn more about HPGE, discuss their child’s learning needs or explore enrichment opportunities are welcome to contact:
- your child’s classroom teacher
- the school executive team.
Together, we support every student to realise their highest potential.
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