High potential and gifted education (HPGE)
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.
We are committed to recognising and nurturing high potential and gifted students, ensuring every student can thrive at our school. Our supportive classroom environments promote a sense of belonging and encourage risk-taking, creativity and collaboration.
Staff regularly use differentiated tasks within their programming and teaching that adjust pace, tasks and complexity.
Flexible groupings for collaborative ideation and presentation, targeted learning goals, and strengths-based feedback is used to cater to individual learning profiles
Our teachers engage in professional learning to support the diverse needs of all students, including our high potential and gifted learners.
- Public Speaking
- STEAM (Science, technology, Engineering, Art and mathematics) lessons for all students delivered by a specialist teacher.
- SPECTRA Science program (research- based scientific investigation program) and showcase.
- Dance lessons for all students delivered by a specialist Dance teacher.
- Dance Spectacular (whole school Dance concert every second year)
- Dance Squads/ Groups
- Band program – PHPS has 4 bands
- Strings Ensemble
- Choir Program – PHPS has 3 school choirs
- Art Show (every second year)
- Interest Groups – program run in Term 3 each year that enables students K-6 to engage in lessons and explore learnings in an area of interest and/or talent.
- Interschools Sport Competitions (PSSA)
- Sporting Carnivals with the opportunity to represent Pennant Hills PS at zone, state and regional level.
- Peer mentoring – Buddies program
- Student leadership - Year 6 student leadership, Student Representative Council (SRC) and Environment Representative Council (ERC)
- Wellbeing programs that promote emotional intelligence and competencies such as The Anxiety Project.
The Premier’s Spelling Bee promotes our students’ vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.
Participation in state-wide dance ensembles develops our high potential and gifted dance students’ technical skills, performance presence and physical expressiveness.
Participation in music ensembles such as state choirs hones our students’ musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.
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.