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?
At Garden Suburb Public School, we pride ourselves on providing opportunities that promote engagement and challenge for every student. We offer talent development opportunities across all four domains identified in the High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) policy: academic, creative, social-emotional, and leadership. These domains encompass intellectual growth, innovative and artistic abilities, emotional intelligence and resilience, and the capacity to inspire and guide others.
As a small school with big opportunities, we are committed to recognising and nurturing the diverse strengths of our students. We ensure that enrichment programs are tailored to meet students’ individual needs by actively incorporating student voice and feedback. This approach reflects our dedication to creating a supportive learning environment that fosters high potential and gifted learners to reach their full capabilities consistent with the principles of the HPGE policy.
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.
We offer:
- Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking.
- Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning.
- Advanced learning pathways, including accelerated or compacted content.
- Explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem-solving strategies.
- Opportunities for abstraction, inquiry, and curriculum depth.
- Tasks that promote choice, authenticity, and critical and creative thinking including cross-curricular projects.
- Flexible grouping for collaborative ideation and presentation.
- Differentiated movement tasks and skill refinement in PDHPE.
- Targeted learning goals for coordination, agility, and control.
- Opportunities to take on lead roles in physical demonstrations or team strategy.
- Supportive learning environments that enable exploration and self-assessment.
- Strengths-based feedback and goal setting.
- Opportunities for leadership within the classroom.
- Structured peer collaboration and reflection.
- Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance.
- Extension Writing, Reading, Mathematics (Problem solving) groups
We offer:
- Debating
- Robotic Groups
- Academic competitions (ICAS)
- Biannual School Musical
- Script writing for School Musical Production
- PMI Music Program
- Biannual Art Show
- Peer mentoring (Buddy classes)
- Student leadership (SRC, Leadership Program, Aspiring Leadership Program, Junior AECG, PBL Ambassadors)
- Wellbeing programs (The Resilience Project)
- Participation in whole-school inclusion (Harmony Day)
- Sporting Carnivals - Swimming, Athletics, Cross Country
- Sporting Gala days - Oz Tag, Touch Football, Netball, Soccer
- Sporting Schools activities - Basketball, Netball, Gymnastics
- Science Fair
- Enrichment Groups - Dance, Choir, Art, Visiting local aged care, Gardening, Technology
- Aboriginal Dance Workshops, Art and Weaving lessons
- Digerido Group
- Sista Speak
We offer:
- 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.
- The Premier’s Sporting Challenge (PSC) promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and professional learning.
- Our STEM Challenge days with local schools and universities deepen our students’ intellectual curiosity while developing innovation and collaboration.
- Star Struck, The Schools Spectacular is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools.
- The Representative School Sport Pathway and PSSA events including Zone Cross Country, Swimming, Athletics, Soccer, Netball etc. to enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.
Enrichment Groups
Our Years 3–6 Enrichment Groups provide exciting opportunities for students to explore their interests and strengths beyond the classroom. Students engage in a variety of hands-on and creative experiences, including Musical Practice, Dance, Arts & Crafts, Technology, and visits to a local Nursing Home. These groups supported students in developing valuable skills in teamwork, creativity, and community engagement.
Students are invited to vote on the activities they'd most like to participate in. Options may include Singing, a Design Group, Jewellery Making, LEGO, Craft and so much more —ensuring a fresh and engaging set of experiences each term.
We are proud to offer these opportunities that foster critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
School Representative Council (SRC)
PBL Ambassadors, Sports Leaders, and the Student Leadership team, make up the SRC. They work tirelessly to represent student voice and advocate for positive changes across the school.
Academic competitions - STEM Challenge Day
The Science and Engineering Challenge presented by RYSTEM Engagement MidCoast Inc. is an event designed to give Stage 3 a hands-on, inspiring experience in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The day is filled with exciting challenges, teamwork, and opportunities for students to showcase their problem-solving skills - all supported by our generous sponsor, Telford Engineering Solutions.
Students are divided into teams, working together on a series of fun and challenging STEM activities throughout the day.
The Premier’s Sporting Challenge
A multi-faceted program including the 10 week Challenge, Race around Australia, sport leadership programs, ambassador program, teaching resources, professional learning and access to funding grants. Over 444,000 students from 1,550 schools participate annually in the Challenge, as well as over 15,000 staff from schools and corporate offices.
Music ensembles - PMI Music
PMI PLUS offers keyboard and guitar music lessons and singing lessons at Garden Suburb PS.
Instrumental music can improve your child’s school results including for reading, maths, coordination, IQ, abstract reasoning, performance confidence… and is great fun!
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.