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 Kincumber Public 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

High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) at Kincumber Public School

HPGE opportunities are offered across the state in all NSW Public Schools to develop student talent across the four domains of potential. These opportunities include:

enrichment, extension and extra-curricular programs
inter-school programs and competitions
system-level enrichment offerings
- representative school sport pathways
- Schools Spectacular

Domains of potential

The domains of potential describe the four broad categories of natural abilities found in Françoys Gagné's adapted model of Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent DMGT 2.0 (2009). These definitions apply to all students, including high potential and gifted students.

The domains of potential may not be mutually exclusive and are highly influenced by one another.

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

Potential exists along a continuum, where differing degrees of potential require differing approaches and levels of adjustment and intervention.

All staff at Kincumber Public School have participated in professional learning to be able to identify and cater for the learning needs of high-potential and gifted students in their classes and across the school.

Tailored lessons

As part of our implementation of the HPGE policy, Kincumber Public School offers a high potential class (Target Class) in Stages 1, 2 and 3 to cater for students who show higher levels of potential in the intellectual domain. Students in the Target class are taught the same core curriculum and are also given opportunities in each of the learning areas to extend and challenge their knowledge and skills.

Rich opportunities and activities

Kincumber Public School provides a range of opportunities for students to achieve personal excellence in the four domains of potential - Intellectual, Physical, Creative and Social-Emotional.

Intellectual

Target Class in Stages 1, 2 and 3
ICAS
Public Speaking and Debating
Premier’s Spelling Bee
Coding Club
Newcastle Permanent Primary School Mathematics Competition

Physical

Premier's Sporting Challenge
PSSA Representative Sports - individual and teams across a range of sports
PSSA Gala Days

Creative

Central Coast Dance Festival
Central Coast Choral Festival
Five Lands Walk – photography and dance
Nagoya Sister City Art Exchange
Biennial Art Show
Biennial whole school performance

Social-Emotional

Eco Warriors
School leader school tours
Tech team and library monitors
Peer support

Opening doors to wider experiences

HPGE opportunities are offered across the state in all NSW Public Schools to develop student talent across the four domains of potential. These opportunities include:

enrichment, extension and extra-curricular programs
inter-school programs and competitions
system-level enrichment offerings
- representative school sport pathways
- Schools Spectacular

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.

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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

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 leadership within the classroom.
Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance.

Across our school

Debating
STEM and coding clubs
Academic competitions
School musicals
Visual arts
Sport squads
Wellbeing programs
Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives.

Across NSW

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.
The Representative School Sport Pathway and PSSA and CHSSA events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.