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 programs in the arts, sport, leadership and more.

Opening doors to wider experiences

Our students can participate in a wide range of state-wide programs 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.

Learn more about HPGE at High potential and gifted education

Our high potential and gifted education opportunities

Our students can take part in HPGE opportunities in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW.

In our classroom

At Buxton Public School, HPGE lives in everyday practice. Many students have high potential, and we help that potential to grow into something more powerful.

- Teachers identify students’ learning needs in the classroom and use evidence-informed teaching practices to challenge and extend students. Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking.

- Our supportive classroom environments promote a sense of belonging and encourage risk-taking, creativity, perseverance and collaboration.

- Our teachers engage in professional learning to support the diverse needs of all students, including our high potential and gifted learners.

Across our school

Every student is individual, so opportunities are flexible and diverse.

- Students deepen strengths through debating, competitions, STEM and performance showcases.

- Talent is celebrated through school concerts and showcases such as Wollondilly Performing Arts Festival, Southern Tablelands Dance Festival, Operation Art, drama, visual arts, choir and dance groups.

- Leadership grows through Student Representative Council (SRC), Student Parliament, with student ministers taking on a range of roles and portfolios across the school, including environmental ministers, fundraising and peer mentoring.

- Daily life invites curiosity and belonging with open library at creaks, Breakfast Library, as well as a range of opportunities offered at lunch time, including chess club, STEM, Lego building and dancing.

- Sport matters too, with PSSA sport, swimming, athletics and cross country carnivals, engaging lesson with differentiated physical education and opportunities to trial for representative sport for Razorback.

Across NSW

Our students participate in a wide range of statewide programs to extend the enrich student potential.

- Students participate in opportunities such as Premiers’ Debating Challenge, Premier’s Spelling Bee, Premiers’ Sporting Challenge, Premiers’ Multicultural Public Speaking, Operation Art and Southern Tablelands Dance Festival.

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

- Statewide and NSW Department of Education support is available for high potential and gifted students, and we help with entries, preparation and reflection so every experience feeds back into learning.