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.

Our school is a place of diversity and opportunity where every learner belongs, and we are committed to developing high potential across four key domains: creative, intellectual, physical, and social-emotional. We foster a culture of high expectations and equity in excellence, ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to transform their potential into talent. High potential and gifted education is integrated throughout the school, delivered in-class and supported across the entire Department. This approach ensures that all students receive the encouragement and resources they need to 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

At Pymble Public School, high potential and gifted education is embedded in daily teaching, where we nurture students’ abilities to develop their potential into meaningful achievements.

● Differentiated tasks that vary in pace, complexity, and promote higher-order thinking.

● Use of formative assessment to track progress and tailor learning experiences.

● Explicit instruction in critical thinking and problem-solving techniques.

● Flexible grouping to encourage collaboration, idea-sharing, and presentations.

● Supportive and safe learning environments that foster exploration, self-assessment, confidence, and perseverance.

Across our school

Every student is individual, so opportunities are flexible and diverse.

● Students deepen strengths through debating, competitions, critical thinking workshops, and STEM and coding pathways in clubs such as Robotics.

● Talent is celebrated through school spectaculars and showcases such as PPS Talent Show, Art Exhibition, music ensembles, Junior and Senior choir, Junior and Senior Dance, and the Brain Race, supported by student roles in our technology and media teams

● Leadership grows through SRC, Year 6 Leaders, mentoring and peer coaching, and wellbeing is made visible with our You Can Do It ribbons and our Therapy Dog.

● Daily life invites curiosity and belonging, with Open Library and Gardening at lunch, plus clubs like Pymble Press, Chess Club and Digital Art Club.

● Sport matters too, with PSSA sport, training and coaching that include differentiated Physical Education along with our swimming program that runs in Terms 1 and 4 and Dance 2BFit in Term 1.

Across NSW

Our students participate in a wide range of statewide programs to extend and enrich student potential.

● The Premier’s Spelling Bee promotes our students’ vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.

● The Premier’s Debating Challenge helps our students to build logical arguments and confidence in public speaking.

● The Schools Spectacular is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools.

● Participation in state-wide dance ensembles (Sydney North Schools Dance Festival) develops our high potential and gifted dance students’ technical skills, performance presence and physical expressiveness.

● Lights Up Drama Festival

● Participation in music ensembles (e.g. Primary Proms, Festival of Children’s Music, Arts Alive) hones our students’ musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.

● The Representative School Sport Pathway and PSSA events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.

● APSMO Maths Olympiad