High potential and gifted education
Our teachers are committed to identifying high potential in students by using objective, valid, and reliable measures as part of formative assessment to support and inform teaching and learning across the creative, intellectual, physical, and social–emotional domains.
Teachers actively assess and identify the specific learning needs of all high potential, gifted, and highly gifted students, ensuring that every student has access to tailored programs and support that meet their unique learning needs.
Our planning is shaped by the belief that teachers must hold high expectations for all students, recognising that every student requires differentiated and evidence-informed learning opportunities to optimise growth and achievement.
We collaborate with families, our school community, and the wider community, and engage in ongoing professional learning to build teacher capability and enhance growth and achievement for all high potential and gifted students. Through these actions, our teachers are dedicated to being the catalyst for high performance and talent development for every student. Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?
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.
High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) – Tocumwal Public School
At Tocumwal Public School, we recognise that high potential and giftedness can be demonstrated in many ways and across all learners. Our approach to HPGE is embedded within high-quality, everyday teaching and learning practices. Guided by formative assessment, explicit and evidence-based instruction, and purposeful differentiation, we ensure learning experiences are responsive to the diverse strengths, interests, and needs of every student.
Evidence-based teaching strategies used in classrooms to support all students include:
Use of Formative Assessment Tools
Teachers consistently use diagnostic assessments, observations, and student self-reflection to identify individual strengths, interests, and areas for growth across multiple domains. This timely and meaningful data informs lesson planning, targeted differentiation, and ongoing adjustments to teaching, ensuring continuous progress and engagement for all learners.
Differentiated Learning Tasks and Flexible Grouping
Learning experiences are intentionally designed with varying levels of complexity and challenge. Students work independently, collaboratively, or within flexible groupings that respond to learning needs and interests. This approach supports appropriate challenge, promotes collaboration, builds leadership and social skills, and enhances student motivation.
High Expectations Embedded in Lesson Planning
Teachers explicitly communicate and model high expectations through clearly defined learning intentions and success criteria. Lessons are designed to develop higher-order thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Students are encouraged to set personal learning goals and reflect on their progress, fostering resilience, a growth mindset, and strong learner agency.
Student Leadership and Voice
Students are provided with meaningful opportunities to take on leadership roles within classrooms and across the school. Through goal setting, self-assessment, and participation in projects and initiatives aligned to their interests, students develop confidence, ownership of learning, and leadership capabilities.
Ongoing Professional Learning and Collaboration
Staff engage in continuous professional learning focused on HPGE and effective differentiation. Teachers collaborate to share evidence-based practices, analyse student data, and co-design high-quality learning experiences. This collective approach strengthens consistency, instructional impact, and ensures all students are supported to realise their potential.
At Tocumwal Public School, High Potential and Gifted Education forms a vital part of our core business. We recognise and nurture the unique talents of every student by providing flexible, diverse, and enriching opportunities that support growth across academic, creative, social, and physical domains.
Here are some of the opportunities available to support the talent development of students at Tocumwal Public School:
Music program
Interschool sport competitions
Representative sport pathways
Student Representative Council
Public speaking
Dance
Choir
Chess
School camp
Wellbeing programs
Curriculum aligned excursions & incursions
We actively participate in statewide 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.
Here are some of the opportunities available to support the talent development of students at Tocumwal Public School:
- Tournament of Minds
- The Premier’s Spelling Bee promotes our students’ vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.
- The Premier’s Sporting Challenge (PSC) promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and professional learning.
- NSW PSSA School sport pathways
- Australian Problem-Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO)
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.