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.

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.

At Mullaway Primary School, we understand that some students learn quickly and show natural talent in areas such as thinking, creativity, leadership, or sport. These high potential and gifted learners may excel in one or more areas—intellectual, creative, physical, or social-emotional.

We are proud to align with the NSW Department of Education’s High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) policy, which supports the development of the whole child. Our approach focuses on recognising strengths early and providing engaging, challenging, and supportive learning experiences to help every student grow and thrive.

By nurturing talent across all four domains, we aim to create an inclusive environment where students feel motivated, valued, and prepared for lifelong success.

In our classroom

At Mullaway Primary School, High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) lives in everyday practice. We are committed to recognising and nurturing the diverse abilities of our students, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive. Our teachers use evidence-informed practices to identify learning needs and provide challenging, differentiated learning pathways. A strong sense of belonging is fostered in our classrooms, where risk-taking, collaboration, and creativity are encouraged. Ongoing professional learning ensures our staff are equipped to support all learners, including those with high potential and giftedness.

· Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking.

· Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning.

· Explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem-solving strategies.

· Opportunities for abstraction, inquiry, and curriculum depth.

· Tasks that promote choice, authenticity, and critical and creative thinking including cross-curricular projects.

· Flexible grouping for collaborative ideation and presentation.

· Strengths-based feedback and goal setting.

· Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance.

Across our school

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

· Student leadership – SRC and Junior AECG

· School musicals

· Performance opportunities including Eisteddfods, MNC Dance Festival, Northern Beaches Community of Schools Showcase

· Choir

· Dance – Stage 2, 3 and boys dance groups

· Drumming group

· Lunchtime interest-based groups – coding, card club, Pokémon, Lego, skipping, chess

· Debating program

· STEM and coding built into technology programs

· Academic competitions

· Theatrical Minds

· Large variety of sporting teams

· Wellbeing programs – Smiling Minds, Seasons for Growth

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 Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition helps our students explore ideas of multiculturalism in Australia while they practise their public speaking skills and improve their confidence.

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