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 Black Hill Public School, the identification and support of high potential and gifted students is guided by the NSW High Potential and Gifted Education Policy. Teachers use a range of objective, valid and reliable formative assessment practices to identify high potential across the intellectual, creative, physical and social–emotional domains, ensuring identification is ongoing and inclusive.
Teachers systematically assess, identify and respond to the learning needs of all students, including those who are high potential, gifted and highly gifted. Learning experiences are differentiated and evidence-informed, providing appropriate challenge, adjustment and support so that students can progress at an optimal rate and achieve personal excellence.
Teaching and learning programs at Black Hill Public School are underpinned by high expectations for all students. Teachers recognise that high potential may be demonstrated at different times and in different ways, and they plan responsive learning opportunities that promote growth, engagement and achievement for every learner.
In alignment with the policy, Black Hill Public School values strong partnerships with families, the school community and the wider community. Teachers engage in ongoing professional learning to build capability in identifying and supporting high potential and gifted students. Through these collaborative and reflective practices, our teachers are committed to fostering talent development and enabling high performance for all students.
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 Black Hill Public School, we recognise that high potential exists in many forms and may be demonstrated by students at different times and in different ways. Our approach to High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) is embedded in everyday teaching and learning and is guided by formative assessment, evidence-informed practice and purposeful differentiation to meet the diverse learning needs of all students.
Evidence-informed teaching practices used to support all students include:
Use of formative assessment practices
Teachers regularly use diagnostic assessments, observations, learning conversations and student self-assessment to identify strengths, interests and areas for growth across the intellectual, creative, physical and social–emotional domains. This ongoing data informs lesson planning and targeted differentiation to support continuous growth and engagement.
Differentiated learning tasks and flexible grouping
Learning experiences are designed with varied levels of complexity and challenge. Students work independently, in pairs or in flexible groups that may change according to learning needs, interests or readiness. This approach promotes collaboration, leadership, motivation and the development of social skills while ensuring appropriate challenge for every learner.
High expectations embedded in lesson planning
Teachers communicate high expectations through clearly defined learning intentions that promote higher-order thinking, creativity and problem-solving. Students are supported to set personal learning goals and reflect on their progress, fostering a growth mindset, resilience and self-efficacy that lead to deeper learning and improved achievement.
Student voice and leadership
Students are provided with opportunities to take on leadership roles in learning activities, projects and school initiatives linked to their interests and strengths. They are actively involved in goal setting, reflection and self-assessment, building ownership of learning and developing confidence and leadership capability.
Ongoing professional learning and collaboration
Teachers at Black Hill Public School engage in ongoing professional learning focused on HPGE and collaborate regularly to share effective practice, analyse student data and design differentiated learning experiences. This collective approach strengthens teacher capability and ensures consistent, high-quality provision for talent development across the school.
At Black Hill Public School, High Potential and Gifted Education is an essential part of our core business. We are committed to recognising, supporting and nurturing the diverse talents of all students by providing flexible, inclusive and enriching opportunities that promote growth across the intellectual, creative, physical and social–emotional domains.
A range of opportunities are provided to support student talent development, including:
- Interschool sporting competitions
- Representative sport pathways
- Student leadership opportunities
- Public speaking and debating opportunities
- School Musicals performance opportunities
- School camps that foster independence, teamwork and resilience
- Year 6 leadership and performance opportunities
- Wellbeing programs that support social and emotional development
- Curriculum-aligned excursions and incursions that extend classroom learning
Through these opportunities, Black Hill Public School creates an inclusive learning environment that encourages students to explore interests, develop strengths and strive for personal excellence.
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.
As proud members of the Gateway Learning Community we participate in the Gateway APEX Program (Advancing Potential and Exploring Excellence). The purpose of the program is to provide local opportunities for our students across all HPGE domains to develop their talent which has been identified through school processes. Gateway APEX provides a range of programs across our local schools which cover each domain, as follows:
- Creative Horizons (Creative)
- Gateway Games (Physical)
- Heartfelt Connections (Social/Emotional)
- Mind Quest (Intellectual)
In 2025 examples of our APEX events include a Gateway Games interschool sporting program to bring schools together to engage in a variety of sports, including netball, soccer, touch football, softball, and cricket, a Creative Horizons ceramics initiative, and a range of school based initiatives for student talent development.
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.