High potential and gifted education

In our classroom

At Mount Hutton Public School, High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) strategies are embedded in teaching and learning programs and activities. We are committed to recognising and nurturing high potential and gifted students, ensuring every child thrives at our school.

A focus on high expectations and the achievement of personal excellence ensures we provide an inclusive and supportive learning environment that challenges and extends all learners, so that they are engaged, motivated, and able to reach their full potential.

• Teachers engage in professional learning which supports the diverse needs of all students, including our high potential and gifted students.

• Teachers use effective assessment strategies to identify each student’s learning needs and apply evidence-based teaching strategies to extend and challenge their abilities.

• Staff regularly use flexible grouping and differentiated tasks that adjust pace, tasks and complexity. The enriched curriculum and learning opportunities provided are beyond the typical level of students the same age.

• Our supportive classroom environments encourage creativity and collaboration.

• Learning pathways include acceleration, where appropriate.

Across our school

Every student is individual, so opportunities are flexible and diverse. Our programs are designed to identify and nurture giftedness across four domains.

• Creative Domain: We provide opportunities for students to develop innovative thinking and artistic expression, encouraging originality and problem-solving through diverse creative activities. These include the Creative Arts Show, Whole-school Performance, Claymation movie making, STEM and robotics.
• Intellectual Domain: We challenge students with enriched learning experiences that promote higher-order thinking, deep inquiry, and advanced knowledge across the curriculum. Among these are flexible grouping, Little Scribe book publishing, literacy and numeracy extension sessions led by the Assistant Principal, Curriculum & Instruction.
• Physical Domain: Recognising the importance of physical development, we support students in enhancing their coordination, health, and physical skills through targeted activities and sports. Such as Sporting Schools specialist coaches provide skill development in a range of sports.
• Social-Emotional Domain: We prioritise the emotional wellbeing and social development of high potential and gifted students, fostering resilience, self-awareness, and positive relationships to help them thrive within our school community. These consist of targeted social-emotional learning programs, our Gardening Club, the Big Buddy system, student leadership development, the Year 6 elected leadership team, and incorporating student voice through Junior AECG, and the Student Representative Council.

Across NSW

At Mount Hutton Public School, we offer a wide range of opportunities in the wider community to support and enrich our High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) students. These include:

• Star Struck

• Waiyarang Community of Schools Art Competition

• Drawing Us Together book illustrating

• Charlestown Square murals

• Public Speaking and Spelling Bee competitions

• Newcastle Permanent Mathematics Competition

• Representation in PSSA sporting teams, such as gala days and zone, regional and state carnivals

• NSW Department of Education School Sport Unit Boccia and Tenpin Bowling tournaments