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.

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

We are committed to recognising and nurturing high potential and gifted students, ensuring every student can thrive at our school.

Staff regularly use differentiated tasks within their programming and teaching that adjust pace, tasks and complexity.

Flexible groupings for collaborative ideation and presentation, targeted learning goals and strengths-based feedback is used to cater to individual learning profiles.

Penrith Public School has an opportunity class for students selected as part of the Selective Education process. More information is available here.

Across our school

Our staff regularly engage in professional development to ensure the most current research-based practices are being used.

Students are able to engage in opportunities including:

Debating
Public speaking
Peer mentoring
Student leadership opportunities
Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives
Talent Showcase
Cultural activities
Excursions and incursions
Choir
Dance groups
Lunchtime and interest-based groups
Musica Viva

Across NSW

Our Enrichment Partnerships with universities deepen our students’ intellectual curiosity while developing innovation and collaboration.

Selected students in years 3-6 are invited to participate in peer mentoring in mathematics with Penrith Selective High School.

Students can opt to join the Western Sydney Concert Band to hone their musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.

Our students are presented with opportunities to perform or submit entries to a variety of community events including the Blue Mountains Nepean Dance Festival and Penrith Show.

School-Funded Enrichment Program

The Enrichment Program is offered to high potential and gifted students from Kindergarten to Year 6. Students in the Enrichment Program are encouraged to deepen their understanding of content, to think creatively to solve a range of problems, engage in STEM tasks, and to pursue their interests and talents in a supportive environment. Some of the activities include:

Competitions - Students in grades 3-6 can participate in the Australian Maths Competition. We select students who have demonstrated an interest and aptitude in mathematics to compete in our Maths Olympiad team. The Maths Olympiad is a series of four contests in a year aimed at high achieving grade five and six students.

Peer Mentoring - We would like to thank our friends at Penrith Selective High School for their on-going support in peer-mentoring our HPGE students in mathematics.

Author Pen Pal - Penrith PS partners with an author pen pal to support students' understanding of writing as a profession. We would like to thank author/illustrator Vivien Wall for her dedication to our students through the program this year. Students have written to Vivien Wall and had all their questions answered. They have been inspired to follow their literary dreams.

STEM - Students engage in STEM challenges and are encouraged to use their skills to better our school in meaningful ways. STEM increases innovative thinking, encourages curiosity, inspires creativity and ingenuity, fosters collaboration and communication, builds confidence and experimentation while preparing students for careers of the future. Students have the opportunity to submit their application in external design competitions.

Lego Club - Students from K-4 are welcome to join our Lego Club during break times. Imagination and collaborative skills are valued and supported during this time.

Special Occasions - Several special days are recognised and celebrated throughout the year including Pi Day and National Science Week to support student understanding and engagement in these learning areas.

Leadership - Students engage in a variety of leadership opportunities throughout the year. Students develop skills such as decision-making, speaking confidently, organisation, teamwork, We had a working NAIDOC Team who ran all of the activities to promote Aboriginal education and connection in our school community.

Technology - Students have access to a range of technologies to support their learning and interests including laptops, three-dimensional printers, coding programs, bots and Lego Technic.