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.

Woronora River Public School is dedicated to ensuring that every child has their learning needs catered for. We nurture our High Potential and Gifted students in the four domains of:

The Intellectual Domain - The intellectual domain of potential refers to natural abilities in processing, understanding, reasoning, and the transfer of learning.
The Creative Domain - The creative domain of potential refers to natural abilities in imagination, invention and originality.
The Social-emotional Domain - The social-emotional domain of potential refers to natural abilities in self-management and relating to and interacting with others.
The Physical Domain - The physical domain of potential refers to natural abilities in muscular movement and motor control.

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.

At Woronora River Public School, we are committed to fostering the growth and development of all students, including those of high potential and gifted abilities. Differentiation is embedded in every lesson to ensure that the unique learning needs of students are effectively addressed. Our tailored programs are informed by current educational research and are designed to promote higher-order thinking skills while engaging and challenging every learner. Through this approach, we strive to create an inclusive and stimulating learning environment that supports academic excellence and personal growth for all students.

Enrichment programs

In partnership with local high schools, students benefit from a range of literacy and numeracy extension activities offered throughout the year.

STEM groups

Our STEM group provides an engaging and challenging opportunity for students of high potential and gifted learners to explore advanced scientific concepts and showcase their innovative projects. This event encourages critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration, allowing students to deepen their understanding of science in an inspiring and supportive environment.

Representative sport

Woronora River Public School proudly supports and encourages students of high potential and gifted abilities to participate in representative sport opportunities. Our students have the chance to compete and excel at various levels, including the Sutherland Zone, Sydney East, NSW PSSA and School Sport Australia competitions. We are committed to fostering a culture of sporting excellence that nurtures both physical and personal growth.

Leadership

Our comprehensive leadership programs provide students with opportunities to develop confidence, responsibility, and effective communication through a variety of roles and activities. By fostering these qualities, we empower students to become proactive, ethical leaders who contribute positively to our school community and beyond.

Debating

Woronora River Public School offers a dynamic debating program that caters to students of high potential and gifted abilities, providing a platform to develop critical thinking, persuasive communication, and confident public speaking skills. Through participation in local and regional debating competitions, our students engage in thoughtful discourse and learn to articulate their ideas effectively.

In our classroom

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
Opportunities for abstraction, inquiry and curriculum depth.
Safe learning environments that promote risk taking and perseverance.
Opportunities to take on leadership roles.
Structured peer collaboration and reflection.
Specific learning goals

Across our school

Student leadership
Choir
Chess Club
French lessons
Debating
Public Speaking
Enrichment
Peer mentoring
STEM club
Dance programs

Across NSW

The Premier’s Spelling Bee promotes our student’s vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.
The Premier’s Debating Challenge helps our students to build logical arguments.
Sutherland Shire Schools Music Festival is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across the Sutherland Shire.
Maths Olympiad extension groups, completing APSMO (Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads)
Participation in the music ensembles (e.g State Wind Orchestra) hones our student’s musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.
The Representative School Sport Pathway and PSSA events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national level fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.
Particpation in state wide dance ensembles developing technical skills, performance presence and physical expressiveness.

Academic competitions