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.
At Avalon Public School, HPGE lives in everyday practice and is a school-wide focus. We are committed to recognising and nurturing high potential and gifted students, ensuring every student can grow and thrive at our school.
- Teachers identify students' learning needs in the classroom and use evidence-informed teaching practices to challenge and extend learners. We provide individualised learning pathways, including extension programs, acceleration, and personalised student goals that engage each learner at their point of need.
- Staff regularly use differentiated tasks within their programming and teaching that adjust pace, content and complexity. Flexible groupings, feedback centred on strengths and goal setting that promotes student agency are key features of our approach.
- Our supportive classroom environments promote a sense of belonging and encourage risk-taking, creativity and collaboration.
- Our teachers engage in ongoing professional learning to support the diverse needs of all students, including our high potential and gifted learners.
At Avalon Public School, we offer a wide range of opportunities to support and enrich our High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) students to extend their learning and develop their talents across all domains of potential — intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical. These include:
Intellectual
- Avalon & Barrenjoey High School Mentorship Program (ABLE - Avalon Barrenjoey Links Enrichment)
- 9D’s Competitions and Expos
- Science Symposium
- Maths Explorer & Olympiad
- Public Speaking Competitions
- Writing Competitions
- Subject Acceleration
- STEM & Robotics Clubs
- Game Changer Challenge
- National Future Problem Solving Competition
Social-Emotional
- Chess Club
- Leadership Opportunities
- Debating
- Peer Support
Physical
- Knockout Sports Competitions
- Pittwater Zone and Sydney North Sports Trials
- PSSA Competitions
- Sport Carnivals (Swimming, Cross Country, Athletics)
Creative
- Avalon & Barrenjoey High School Mentorship Program (ABLE - Avalon Barrenjoey Links Enrichment)
- Band Program
- Choir
- Dance Groups
- Drama Club
- Music Tutoring
- Art Club
- Strings Program
Our students participate in a wide range of statewide programs to extend and enrich student potential.
- Students participate in opportunities such as DoE Arts Unit Arts Alive, APSMO Maths Olympiad & Explorer, Premiers Debating Challenge, Write On Writing Competition, DoE Arts Unit Festival of Choral and Instrumental Music, DoE Game Changer Challenge, School Spectacular, Sydney North Dance & Sport Competitions.
- 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.
Mentorship programs
The ABLE (Avalon Barrenjoey Links Enrichment) Program is a research-based strategy designed to challenge HPGE students and extend their learning in subjects like writing and mathematics. Each term, a new group of students works with high school mentors, Barrenjoey High School teachers, and Avalon Public School staff to explore and extend their learning in a particular subject.
Students take part in subject-specific activities, such as writing stories, solving tricky math's problems and completing exciting projects. The program finishes with a visit to Barrenjoey High School, where students join a high school lesson and showcase their work to peers, mentors, parents and the wider school community.
One student said, “It was really challenging, but my mentor helped me figure things out. I liked learning from them and trying things I didn’t think I could do!”
ABLE is all about helping students grow, learn, and reach their full potential while building connections with Barrenjoey High School.
Avalon dance
Avalon dance programs provide students across the school the chance to explore creativity, movement, and performance at an advanced level. With three dance groups, students are selected to develop their skills, work collaboratively, and take on challenging performance opportunities.
Known for its strong reputation for excellence, Avalon Dance students regularly represent Avalon Public School at prestigious events such as the Sydney North Dance Festival and the NSW Schools Spectacular, showcasing their talent and dedication to the wider community. The program provides a unique opportunity for students to extend themselves, build confidence and achieve their full potential.
Lucy Turner: A Success Story in Sport
Lucy Turner is a talented and determined young athlete whose dedication, focus and perseverance have led to outstanding achievements across multiple sports.
Her journey reflects what’s possible when students are encouraged to embrace opportunities, challenge themselves, and strive for excellence.
Lucy represented New South Wales at the Athletics National Championship, placing third overall in the Tetrathlon, an elite four-event competition testing endurance, skill and determination. Her performance earned her the Premier’s State Representative Award, recognising her commitment and exceptional ability.
She also represented NSW in AFL at the National Championships, where her team finished second overall after winning six of seven games, and competed at State Athletics and Cross Country, achieving top-15 results and setting a personal best in discus.
In her own words, Lucy said:
“This year I competed in many sporting events. In August I represented NSW in Queensland for AFL. We played seven games and won six, which led us to finish second overall after Victoria. I also went to Barooga for a training camp to lead up to the competition in Queensland. In athletics, I made state for four events and became age champion for the 11 girls at regionals. I’m really proud of all my sporting achievements throughout the year.”
— Lucy Turner
Lucy’s success is a reminder of the power of opportunity, hard work and belief and how young people can achieve extraordinary things when given the chance to shine.
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