High potential and gifted education
The NSW Department of Education has an extensive policy regarding the implementation of high potential and gifted education (HGPE) programs within schools.
At Concord High School, our HPGE program runs from Year 7 to Year 10 and is focused on extension and enrichment, to enable students’ potential and giftedness to be transformed into talent and high performance.
Students will experience effective evidence-based talent development programs including differentiated learning activities in the classroom and additional enrichment and extracurricular activities. Students have the opportunity to explore their unique passions and have a level of autonomy over what they learn and how they learn it. Each student co-designs an individual plan with the support of the HPGE coordinator to ensure they reach their full potential.
Students are expected to take part in various challenges and academic competitions. Students may have the opportunity to participate in advanced learning pathways and acceleration.
How does my child apply for the HPGE program?
There are several ways that students may be identified.
High potential and gifted education application process for Year 7 students 2025
HPGE applications for students entering Year 7 in 2025 will open on Tuesday 5 March 2024. The closing date has been extended to Monday 13 May 2024.
Applications involve:
For students to show us their potential, they are required to tell us what if kids ruled the world. This can be at an individual scale or a global scale. Students can tell us by uploading a video or a written text (E.g. essay-styled text, persuasive text, narrative). The video needs to be in an MP4 file or .mov file format and should be between 1 minute 30 seconds and 2 minutes. The written text should be a maximum of 600 words in PDF format.
Other files to be uploaded are:
- Year 5 semester 2 report
- Latest NAPLAN results (if the student has any)
- Most recent electricity bill as proof of residential address
- Student’s birth certificate
- Evidence of Australian citizenship if both parents of the student were born overseas
- Passport and visa for permanent residents
While copies of these documents are accepted for the HPGE application, original documents will be required later if the student is offered a formal enrolment at our school. Parents will also need to provide 100 points proof of residential address.
- The school will contact the primary school principals of selected students to endorse their applications.
- Successful applicants will be notified by the end of July 2024.
After the initial Year 7 intake
Teacher Identification: Teachers have the responsibility to monitor their students’ learning and progress. They may approach the student, parent, or HPGE coordinator to identify a possible HPGE candidate.
Self-Referral System: If students and parents wish to self-nominate their learners, they may contact the HPGE coordinator.
Concord High School also offers a growing range of HPGE activities within the school, including:
Public Speaking and Debating
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) opportunities
A wide variety of extra-curricular activities and clubs (Maths Club, Robotics Club, Enviro Club, Science Club, History Club, Girls Sports Group, B.A.S.S)
Opportunities to participate in academic competitions (ICAS, Poetry competitions, What Matters)
Participation in ongoing cross-curricular project-based learning experiences designed to stretch students’ abilities and enable them to pursue their passions. A variety of incursions and excursions (Sydney Writers Festival, Claymation, Science Week, Historical Inquiry Excursions, Entrepreneur Workshops)
Professional learning for staff in the use of High potential and gifted education strategies through GERRIC (Gifted and Talented Research Resource and Information Centre)
Goal Setting
Students in Year 7 to Year 10 who are identified as gifted or having high potential meet with expert teachers to set their SMART goals for the year. These goals are developed for each of their academic and non-academic achievements across the year. This allows students and class teachers to closely monitor performance and ensure that our talent development programs are meeting students’ identified needs.
Underperformance Referral System
Referral system High Potential and Gifted students who are not achieving their potential will be referred by classroom teachers to the HPGE Coordinator and Head Teacher Teaching and Learning. This is to support underachievement and their learning.
- The teacher identifies underperforming HPGE students and contacts home (2 points of contact must be made by the classroom teacher before HPGE coordinator contacts)
- Teacher identification of underperforming HPGE students and makes referrals on Sentral
- Follow up and referrals to other school referrals if required
- HPGE coordinator interviews student, reflects on goal setting and contacts classroom teachers, parents/guardians
- The identified student is supported by the classroom teacher and HPGE coordinator for 5 weeks. After the referral period, the HPGE Coordinator will make a recommendation of class choice to support student learning.
