High potential and gifted education policy implementation

Learn more about high potential and gifted education policy implementation at Stanmore Public School.

Rationale

At Stanmore Public School, we support every student to achieve their educational potential, regardless of background, through the provision of explicit teaching strategies and quality teaching in a supportive learning environment.

We aim to provide learning environments which support the social-emotional and wellbeing of high potential and gifted students, enabling them to connect, succeed and thrive.

We aim to optimise the growth and achievement of high potential and gifted students across all domains of potential, through evidence-based talent development opportunities and differentiated teaching and learning practices, to ensure that their specific learning and wellbeing needs are met.

Definition

High potential 

High potential students are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains (creative, physical, socio-emotional and intellectual). 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

Gifted students’ potential significantly exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains. Leading gifted education experts commonly estimate that 10% of students may be considered gifted. They typically develop talent and achieve mastery notably faster than their age peers.

Highly gifted

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.

Identification procedures

Identification of high potential and gifted students should be objective, valid and reliable. A mix of quantitative data (internal and external assessment data) and qualitative (teacher judgement) is considered. Assessment and data are used in an ongoing manner to inform learning and teaching across all domains of potential. The use of various data sources, with a high number of stakeholders providing input ensures that students from diverse cultural, linguistic, socio-economic backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students with disabilities are provided with equal opportunities.

Quantitative

Assessment of Ability

• ACER General Ability Tests (AGAT)
• Music and dance auditions, visual arts portfolios, sporting trials (for talents in specific domains)

Assessment of Achievement

• Progressive Achievement Tests – Comprehension and Numeracy
• Standardised tests, eg NAPLAN Year 3 and Year 5, Best Start
• School-based assessments across KLAs
• Psychometric assessments and ICAS test results (note: these are not expected or required, but may be considered if provided)

Qualitative

Teacher identification of potential/giftedness (Michael Sayler checklist)

Teachers can access the identification checklist in the High Potential and Gifted folder on the school’s shared Google Drive. Completed teacher checklists are sent to the Enrichment Teacher.

Parent identification of potential/giftedness (Michael Sayler checklist)

Parents can access the identification checklist through the school website or on request from the office. Completed parent checklists are sent to the Enrichment Teacher.

Student self-assessment (brilliant behaviour checklist)

Teachers are encouraged to provide this checklist to students who are self-advocating for more challenging learning experiences. Students who have been identified by parents and/or teachers may also be given the opportunity to complete this checklist.

Teacher Responsibilities

• Use assessment and data to identify the specific learning needs of high potential and gifted students across all domains of potential.
• Apply evidence-based approaches that extend and challenge high potential and gifted students beyond their current level of mastery 
• Develop, design and teach differentiated learning programs and provide experiences that meet the advanced learning needs of students.
• Participate in school provided professional learning that enhances their expertise in planning and programming effective learning experiences for high potential and gifted students 
• Collaborate with families, other schools and the wider community to support the learning and wellbeing of high potential and gifted students
• Communicate assessment and identification information to support the transitions of high potential and gifted students

Provisions for High Potential & Gifted Students

The school coordinates the provision of developmentally appropriate and engaging programs for students who are gifted and talented in the intellectual, creative, socio-emotional and physical domains. Teachers select and implement a variety of teaching strategies and learning experiences to engage the interest of gifted and talented students, challenge their capabilities and enrich their daily experience of schooling. This is achieved through a variety of strategies at a whole school, classroom and extra-curricular program level.

Whole school

The school implements evidence-based programs, practices and procedures so that high potential and gifted students’ specific learning needs are identified and catered for.

The school staff includes a range of specialist teachers, including a school-funded enrichment programs teacher, music, drama and languages teachers, to cater for high potential and gifted students across a range of domains.

The school facilitates opportunities and encourages participation in programs beyond the school to provide opportunities for high potential and gifted learners in a range of domains.

The collaborative planning process enables the creation of differentiated learning programs which support the needs of HPG students. There is a strong focus across the school on promoting creative and critical thinking and rich and open-ended tasks, through the widespread use of Cultures of Thinking protocols and project-based learning.

The school may form one or more classes which are aimed at providing a specialised learning environment that enhances and broadens the curriculum and caters to the specific learning and wellbeing needs of identified HPG students.

For highly gifted students, curriculum compacting, mentoring and acceleration may be implemented in certain circumstances.

All classrooms

All teachers develop, design and implement differentiated learning programs with deliberate adjustments to content, process, product and learning environment, to meet the specific learning needs of HPG students. Through ongoing data collection, teachers analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of differentiated programs and provisions.

The Differentiation adjustment tool is used by teachers to inform their programming.

Teachers use assessment data to implement flexible and purposeful grouping practices. Teachers are expected to offer differentiation to meet student needs, including HPG students with disability.

Flexible grouping strategies may include needs-based or task-oriented grouping – students may be grouped and regrouped frequently, according to formative assessment and learning progress. Extension groups may be formed for specific purposes, aimed at catering for students with particular strengths and talents. 

In order to achieve the best, all students need to be challenged to learn and master new skills and feel a sense of success, wellbeing and belonging in a supportive learning environment. Some HPG students may experience specific social challenges related to their advanced ability and development, and this needs to be proactively addressed by all teachers in collaboration with parents and carers.

Enrichment teacher

A specialist enrichment teacher is funded by the school to build teachers’ capacity to cater for the needs of HPG students and design and implement targeted enrichment and extension programs and activities for identified students.

The enrichment teacher will provide mentoring and programming support to stage teams across the school, aimed at increasing teachers’ knowledge and confidence in differentiating beyond students’ current level of mastery.

The enrichment teacher also seeks out and provides links with programs and mentoring opportunities involving other schools and organisations to benefit all students who would benefit from these opportunities.

Enrichment classes

The school may form one or more classes which are aimed at providing a specialised learning environment that enhances and broadens the curriculum and caters to the specific learning and wellbeing needs of identified HPG students. The school will form one enrichment class in Stage 2 (Year 3/4), and one enrichment class in Stage 3 (Year 5/6).

Students are considered and selected based on a range of selection criteria. All criteria are considered to make an on-balance judgement about the students best suited to the class. Gifted students with a disability will be equally considered for possible inclusion, taking professional reports into account.

Quantitative criteria

• AGAT
• PAT-R and PAT-M
• Common writing assessment 
• School maths assessment
• Running records (Reading levels)
• NAPLAN/Check in results
• Academic reports – grades
• Psychometric assessments and other health reports (if available)

Qualitative criteria

• Teacher observation and consultation, reflected on internal database of identified HPG students
• Social and emotional needs/friendships
• Previous inclusion in enrichment class
• Academic reports – comments

Selection of students for enrichment classes

1. Spreadsheet created showing students in Years 2-5 who have been identified as high potential students, showing relevant comparative data. 
2. A committee comprising the principal, deputy principal, stage supervisors and enrichment teachers, reviews the quantitative and qualitative assessment data and selects a group of students for each year level. 
3. Students and parents will be informed of their class placement at the beginning of the school year. If a Year 4 student is offered a place at an Opportunity Class for Year 5, they may be notified of their class placement at Stanmore Public School to enable an informed decision.

Potential co-curricular/external provisions

Intellectual Domain

Creative & Physical Domains

Gifted Education Resources

Further information to support parents of high potential and gifted students can be found here.

Stanmore Public School does not officially endorse any for the following programs, but encourages parents to use this list as a springboard for their own research and investigations. Currently due to Covid-19 restrictions, many holiday programs are either cancelled or altered.

Classes at GERRIC and Thinktable begin from Year 3.