High potential and gifted education

In our classroom

Opportunities for All Students to Develop Their Potential

Our school operates four distinct specialist programs designed to support students with diverse needs: a Support Class Autism program (K-6), a Primary ILS MH program (K-6), a ILSB program (Years 7-10), and a ILSMH program (Years 7-12). Two of these programs follow an integrated model, where students attend the specialist program four days a week and spend one day per week integrating into their home schools or work placements. This unique approach ensures that students, including those identified as High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE), can access a broad range of opportunities within their home school environment while receiving tailored support to foster their learning, capability, and growth.

Creative Domain – we support students by nurturing their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills with activities including art, music, drama, creative writing, project-based learning tasks and experiments.

Intellectual (Cognitive) Domain – we foster challenging learning experiences and intellectual curiosity by connecting students with mentors or peer groups to foster intellectual growth and offer activities such as participation in academic competitions, STEM lessons, independent study opportunities on topics of interest, puzzles and games

Physical domain – we recognise and promote our students’ physical abilities, coordination and motor skills by differentiating PE lessons to match their skills and fitness levels, provide quality resources to promote physical activities, offer multi-sport opportunities for students to enhance their skills and provide specialist trained staff to lead physical education lessons. Additionally, we foster healthy lifestyle habits and physical wellbeing by teaching students about nutrition, mental health, personal

safety, and relationships, role modelling by staff demonstrating healthy behaviours and offering healthy food options

Social-Emotional domain – we nurture students by implementing our Whole School Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) framework, The Berry Street Education Model, and The Zones of Regulation curriculum in every classroom, promoting a safe and inclusive environment that fosters emotional wellbeing, social skills, self-awareness, and resilience. All students have an individualised Learning and Support plan and can access counselling and wellbeing support. Students participate in social skills groups, group and class projects, leadership programs, class buddy opportunities and creative expression opportunities including, drama, art, or writing to explore emotions.

For our students who integrate back into their home schools they also have the opportunity to participate in some of the additional activities with their home school peers:

Academic Competitions and Programs:

Mathematics competitions (e.g. Maths Olympiad)

Spelling Bees and Literacy Challenges

Science fairs and STEM programs

Writing competitions

Creative Arts:

Music ensembles and choirs

Drama and theatre groups

Visual arts clubs and competitions

Dance groups and performances

Sporting Activities:

School sports teams (e.g. netball, soccer, rugby, basketball)

Swimming carnivals and athletics carnivals

Cross country running

Representation in regional, state, and national school sports events

Leadership and Personal Development:

Student leadership programs (e.g., student councils, captains)

Peer support and mentoring programs

Camps and outdoor education experiences

Cultural and Community Programs:

NAIDOC Week and other Indigenous cultural activities

Language programs (e.g., learning additional languages)

Community service initiatives and environmental programs

Technology and Coding:

Coding and robotics clubs

Digital literacy workshops

Wellbeing and Social Skills Programs:

Social skills groups

Mindfulness and wellbeing programs

Anti-bullying initiatives

Excursions and Incursions:

Educational excursions related to curriculum units

Guest speakers and workshops

Debating Competitions

Across our school

How do we support HPGE students?

Cook School is a specialised and supportive educational setting. We have a dedicated and highly skilled team of staff who are committed to working together in order to provide a safe, highly achieving, inclusive environment where all students are nurtured and encouraged to achieve their personal best in all they do.

Our staff have embraced HPGE through a shared lens for recognising potential in students with complex needs and we ensure our teachers have time to engage in professional learning to build their experience and ensure they can assess and recognise potential in the classroom and school setting.

Our school:

• Fosters positive relationships with families and communities to support all students to reach their potential.
• Creates inclusive environments to support all students by recognising, respecting and valuing diversity.
• Provides targeted support helps students to build confidence and develop the skills they need to succeed.
• Strives to know our students to ensure that the full range of their abilities and needs is recognised.
• Supports students’ individual social and emotional needs through the implementation of personalised learning plans that incorporate quality teaching practices.
• Promotes a whole school trauma informed approach to improve student wellbeing, self-regulation relationships and academic achievement by using The Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) and teaching the Zones of Regulation
• Cultivates differentiation in every classroom as it is an essential approach that recognises and addresses the diverse learning needs, interests, and abilities of students. By tailoring instruction, content, and assessment strategies, teachers create inclusive classroom environments where every student can engage meaningfully and reach their full potential.
• Encourages high expectations to prevent underachievement by motivating students to believe in themselves and strive for success. When teachers set challenging goals, students become more confident, engaged, and persistent, leading to better learning outcomes and higher achievement.
• Offers personalised educational programs that are uniquely tailored for each student in the 7 – 12 High School program. Cook School (Acacia Secondary Campus) has partnered with Big Picture Learning Australia whose philosophy is grounded in educating One Student at a Time in a Community of Learners. All students have an individualised learning plan that includes their passions, interests and any future career and social goals. Their learning is then tailored to their needs with the emphasis on engagement in authentic educational opportunities.
• Conducts initial screening to identify where a student is currently at with their learning, their capability and growth

Statewide

High potential and gifted education (HPGE)

The department is committed to ensuring equitable access to high potential and gifted education for all students, regardless of background or location. Clicke here to view the DoE HPGE policy

Cook School is a place of diversity and opportunity, where every learner belongs.

Our school strives to create confident, respectful and responsible students that contribute positively to their community, through the provision of a quality education that is safe, supportive, engaging and consistent, using trauma-informed practices that support their cognitive, academic social and emotional wellbeing.

We foster a culture of high expectations and equity in excellence, ensuring every student, regardless of background, has opportunities to develop their potential into talent.

The High Potential and Gifted Education Guiding Principles

At our school, we follow the High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) guiding principles to support students who learn in different and advanced ways. These principles help us make sure every student’s unique talent and need are recognised and encouraged. We believe all students should have opportunities to explore their strengths, be challenged in their learning, and feel supported by teachers who understand how to help them grow. By following these principles, we create a welcoming and inclusive environment where every child can reach their full potential and enjoy learning at their own pace.

The guiding principles are:

• All students, regardless of background or personal circumstances, require access to learning programs that meet their learning needs and support to aspire to, and achieve, personal excellence.
• Our commitment to high expectations for all students includes high potential and gifted students.
• Achieving excellence for high potential and gifted students is underpinned by effective school environments including quality teaching, learning and leadership.
• Potential exists along a continuum, where differing degrees of potential require differing approaches and levels of adjustment and intervention.

High potential vs gifted vs highly gifted

The NSW Department of Education recognises four important domains in High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) to support students’ unique strengths.

• The Creative domain involves natural talents in imagination, invention, and originality.
• The Intellectual domain focuses on abilities in understanding, reasoning, and applying learning in new ways.
• The Physical domain highlights skills in movement, coordination, and motor control.
• The Social-Emotional domain relates to skills in managing oneself and building positive relationships with others.
• By understanding and nurturing these four areas, we help every student reach their full potential.

High potential students

High potential students are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains. Their potential may be assessed as beyond the average range across any domain. They may benefit from an enriched or extended curriculum and learning opportunities beyond the typical level of students the same age.

Gifted students

Gifted students’ potential significantly exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains. Gagné and others commonly estimate 10% of students may be considered gifted. These students typically develop talent and achieve mastery notably faster than their age peers. They may benefit from an extended curriculum and learning opportunities significantly beyond the typical level of students the same age.

Highly gifted students

Highly gifted students’ potential vastly exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains. Highly gifted students have potential assessed in the top 1% or less of age peers. Highly gifted students may require specific and more significant curriculum adjustments to meet their learning and wellbeing needs.

Gifted and highly gifted students are sub-groups of high potential students.