High potential and gifted education

Some students grasp new ideas quickly and excel in areas such as creativity, critical thinking, leadership or sport. At our school, we identify and nurture these strengths early, providing engaging learning experiences that help advanced learners grow and succeed.

At Valentine Public School, we are committed to implementing the NSW Department of Education’s HPGE policy through a holistic, student-centred approach that supports potential across four key domains:

Creative Domain: We foster imagination, originality and artistic expression by offering rich opportunities for students to think creatively, explore ideas and solve problems in innovative ways.

Intellectual Domain: We extend students’ learning through challenging tasks that promote higher-order thinking, deep investigation and advanced understanding across all subject areas.

Physical Domain: We value physical development and provide pathways for students to build coordination, skill, fitness and confidence through focused programs and sporting opportunities.

Social-Emotional Domain: We prioritise the wellbeing and social growth of high-potential learners by supporting resilience, self-awareness and positive relationships, helping students to flourish within our school community.

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

Differentiated learning tasks that vary in pace, complexity and cognitive demand to extend higher-order thinking.
Ongoing formative assessment to track progress and tailor instruction to student needs.
Explicit teaching of critical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving strategies.
Opportunities for advanced learning pathways, including accelerated content, deep inquiry and curriculum enrichment.
Learning experiences that offer choice, authenticity and opportunities for creative and critical thinking, including cross-curricular projects.
Flexible grouping structures that support collaboration, idea generation and effective presentation skills.
Differentiated movement activities and targeted skill development in PDHPE.
Opportunities for students to take on leadership roles in demonstrations, teamwork and strategy development.
Supportive learning environments that promote exploration, self-evaluation and independence.
Strengths-based feedback and personalised goal setting.
Opportunities for leadership and responsibility within classroom learning.
Structured peer collaboration, dialogue and reflective practices.
Safe, encouraging environments that build confidence, resilience and a willingness to take positive learning risks.

Across our school

Intellectual Domain

Differentiated teaching and learning in the classroom
PACE Maths groups
Participation in external competitions and events such as Newcastle Permanent Maths competitions, ICAS, Public Speaking, Debating, Chess, UON Engineering Challenge, DaVinci Decathlon and STEM incursions
School PBL awards
Hunter Super Nova GATS Camp
High School Transition programs
BYOD Program - Year 3-6
The Academy - online enrichment program

Creative Domain

Differentiated teaching and learning in the classroom
Participation in extra-curricular activities and events such as: band, choir, Star Struck, rock bands, whole school concerts, Acting Ensemble productions
Band Fest
Band Camp
Mentorship
Collaboration with external experts (Hunter Drama)
School PBL awards
Hunter Super Nova GATS Camp
Onsite dance classes with an external provider
Expert CAPA Teachers

Differentiated teaching and learning in the classroom
Leadership opportunities such as the Senior Student Executive, Student Parliament
Class-based and whole school opportunities
Mentoring/ Buddy Program
School PBL awards
Nature Play
Student voice
Harmony Day and Anti-bullying Day
High expectations in regards to attendance
Participation in community service projects - Seahorse Project & Humble Hive Bee program
Hunter Super Nova GATS Camp
Environmental Clubs

Physical Domain

Differentiated teaching and learning in the classroom
Participation in a wide range of team and individual sports at a local, regional, state and national level.
PSSA Pathways in 3-6
Premier's Sporting Challenge
Hunter Sports Awards
Opportunities for participation and success in athletics, swimming and cross-country
School PBL awards
Supporting programs in our partner primary schools
Hunter Super Nova GATS Camp
Unique school sports opportunities
Expert PDHPE programs

Across NSW

The Premier’s Spelling Bee promotes our students’ vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.
The Premier's Debating Challenge develops essential skills such as critical thinking, public speaking, research, teamwork and active listening. Students represent their schools in state-wide competitions.
Starstruck is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools.
The Premier’s Sporting Challenge promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and professional learning.
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.