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

At Karuah Public School we provide opportunities for students in line with the Department of Education's High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) policy by assessing and identifying the specific learning needs of high potential and gifted students across all domains of potential, including creative, intellectual, physical, and social-emotional.

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.

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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.

Our Commitment

At Karuah Public School, we are committed to identifying, nurturing and extending students’ potential across all four HPGE domains. Our programs provide rich, engaging and inclusive opportunities that recognise talent, build confidence and support every learner to thrive.

Inside our Classrooms

📚 In the Classroom

📊 Consistent use of National Literacy and Numeracy Progression data walls in all classrooms to challenge students and extend learning beyond expected grade levels.

🧩 Differentiated learning tasks that adjust pace, complexity and levels of higher-order thinking to meet individual student needs.

📝 Ongoing formative assessment practices used to monitor growth, provide feedback and adapt teaching to maximise impact.

📘 Explicit teaching that clearly articulates learning intentions, success criteria and next steps.

👥 Flexible grouping to promote collaboration, peer learning and targeted instruction.

🌱 Supportive learning environments that encourage exploration, reflection and self-assessment.

⭐ Strengths-based feedback and individualised learning goals that build motivation, confidence and ownership of learning.

🎖 Opportunities for student leadership within the classroom to develop agency and responsibility.

🛡 Safe, inclusive learning environments that foster confidence, perseverance and a willingness to take learning risks.

Across our school

🧠 Intellectual

Students are challenged to think deeply, reason critically and apply their learning in authentic contexts through:

Debating and public speaking
Academic competitions, including the Newcastle Permanent Mathematics Competition
Rotary Club Writing Competition
STEM Kits and inquiry-based learning
Extension grouping in literacy and numeracy
RoboCup and robotics challenges
Gathang language lessons

🎨 Creative

Creativity is celebrated and nurtured through a wide range of expressive and performance-based opportunities:

School dance performances
Creative Arts showcases
Film By the Waters participation
Student-designed artworks featured in the school calendar
Choir
HPGE writing workshops
Aboriginal Dance Group, connecting creativity with culture and identity

🏃 Physical

Students with physical potential are supported through competitive and leadership-based sporting opportunities:

Sporting house competitions, including Cross Country, Athletics and Swimming
Junior sport captains
Organised sport during breaks
Participation in gala days and representative pathways

Leadership, wellbeing and connection are fostered through programs that build confidence, responsibility and resilience:

Student leadership opportunities, including AECG representation and the School Leadership Team
Wellbeing programs such as DRUMBEAT and Zones of Regulation
Year 4 / Kindergarten Buddies program
Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

✨ Our HPGE programs are inclusive, strengths-based and grounded in high expectations—ensuring every student has the opportunity to shine academically, creatively, physically and socially.

Across NSW

🏅 Representative Sport Pathways

Students trial and compete through PSSA and CHSSA pathways at regional, state and national levels, building discipline, resilience, teamwork and commitment to excellence.

🎤 Public Speaking

Opportunities to develop confidence, clarity and persuasive communication, preparing students to articulate ideas with purpose and impact.

🎬 Film By the Waters

Students engage in authentic creative storytelling through film, developing technical skills, collaboration and creative voice within a professional arts context.

🗣️ Premier’s Debating Challenge

Participation in the Premier’s Debating Challenge builds critical thinking, logical reasoning and confident public speaking, strengthening intellectual rigour and student voice.

🔬 STEM Partnerships – Deadly Science

Through our partnership with Deadly Science, students deepen scientific thinking, innovation and curiosity, while strengthening collaboration and real-world problem-solving skills.