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 has the opportunity to thrive at our school.
Our classroom practices support and extend high potential and gifted students.
We identify students' learning needs in the classroom and use evidence-informed teaching practices to challenge and extend students. We provide learning pathways, including enrichment and extension programs and acceleration.
Our supportive classroom environments promote a sense of belonging and encourage risk-taking, creativity 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

Our school recognises that every student is individual, and we provide flexible and diverse opportunities for students to explore and grow their strengths outside the classroom.
Our school offers a range of whole-school programs that support student growth.
Our school identifies and supports students with high potential through targeted enrichment, extension and extra-curricular opportunities such as debating, competitions, critical thinking workshops, and STEAM and coding clubs.
All our students, including high potential and gifted students, are encouraged to take on leadership roles e.g. student representative council (SRC), peer support, library monitor, school captain and prefect, intergenerational program.
Student talent is celebrated and extended through drama groups, visual arts showcases, school band performances, and dance competitions.
Our students can take part in sports training squads, coaching sessions, house competitions and differentiated Physical Education programs.

Across NSW

Our students participate in a wide range of statewide programs to extend and enrich student potential e.g. Premier's Sporting Challenge, Premier's Reading Challenge, Arts Unit's Multicultural Public Speaking Competition, In the Spotlight Dance Festival, In the Spotlight Drama Festival.
Statewide/NSW Department of Education level support is available for our high potential and gifted students.

Debating and public speaking - the Blakehurst Public School (BPS) debating teams compete in a range of interschool competitions throughout the year. BPS also hosts public speaking competitions, including the Arts Unit's Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition Local Final (the Stage 3 winner in 2025 was one of our very own) and the Metropolitan South and Southwest Public Speaking Competition Kogarah Network Final.

Intergenerational program - a BPS initiative that brings together our students and Estia Health residents to interact, share experiences, and learn from each other, fostering mutual understanding and community connection.

School bands - our dynamic training and performance bands bring energy and passion to every stage, delighting audiences at school functions and community events alike.

Dance - the BPS junior and senior dance groups perform at a variety of different venues and competitions throughout the year. The junior dance performance team has been invited to perform at the State Dance Festival held at the Seymour Centre for the past 4 years running. BPS is one of a handful of primary schools across the entire state to be selected for this prestigious festival.

Sport - students have the chance to participate in weekly Primary School Sports Association (PSSA) competitions, as well as zone carnivals, regional, and state-level events. They also have the opportunity to explore a diverse range of sports, including exciting options like mountain biking.

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.

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Student opportunities and activities

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Learning

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