High potential and gifted education

At Taree West Public School, we are committed to helping every child shine. We proudly follow the NSW Department of Education’s High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) policy, which recognises that students can show talent and potential in many different ways. Our goal is to create a supportive and engaging learning environment where all students are encouraged, challenged, and inspired to do their best.

We understand that giftedness can look different for every child. That’s why our programs aim to identify and nurture each student’s strengths across four key areas:

Creative Domain
We give students lots of opportunities to express their ideas, think creatively, and explore the arts through activities that encourage imagination and problem-solving.

Intellectual Domain
Students are supported and extended through rich learning experiences that promote curiosity, deep thinking, and a love of learning across all subjects.

Physical Domain
We value the importance of physical development and wellbeing. Students can grow their coordination, fitness, and confidence through sports, games, and movement-based activities.

Social-Emotional Domain
We help students build strong social skills, resilience, and emotional awareness so they can feel confident, connected, and supported at school.

At Taree West Public School, we are proud to support the growth of the whole child. By following the HPGE policy, we work to nurture each student’s unique potential and set them up for success both at school and in life.

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 tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking
Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning
Tasks that promote choice, authenticity, and critical and creative thinking including cross-curricular projects
Flexible grouping for collaborative ideation and presentation
Structured peer collaboration and reflection
Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance

Across our school

Debating
STEM and coding clubs
Academic competitions
Student leadership (SRC)
Wellbeing programs
Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives

Across NSW

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 Schools Spectacular 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 (PSC) promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and professional learning.