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.

In our classroom

At CHPS we are able to deliver small group High Potential and Gifted Education opportunities, offering a focused and effective way to meet the diverse learning needs of gifted students. Our small group settings allow our teachers to tailor instruction and activities specifically to students’ strengths and interests, encouraging students to develop a deeper engagement and advanced skill development, that is not always feasible in large class settings.

We incorporate HPGE strategies such as project-based learning, differentiated tasks, and inquiry-based activities, complex problem-solving tasks, in order to foster a culture of academic excellence and creativity, helping gifted students to achieve their full potential.

Students at Colo Heights Public School:-

conduct scientific research through our International Connecting Minds project,
attend local projects focusing on environmental issues at the Longneck Lagoon Environmental Centre,
and participate in problem-solving challenges that promote critical thinking and collaboration through our open-ended Mathematical investigation projects

These opportunities not only enhance learning outcomes for gifted students but also builds their confidence and motivation, empowering them to reach their full potential.

Across our school

Our small school is uniquely positioned to provide ability groups that cater to the diverse learning needs of our students. These exist for literacy, numeracy and wide range of learning areas for our interest groups. By organising students into small, focused groups based on their skill levels and learning styles, teachers can deliver tailored instruction that challenges each student appropriately. These groups allow for more personalised teaching approaches, enabling students who excel in certain areas to deepen their understanding while also supporting those who may need additional assistance. In our small school setting, flexibility in grouping promotes close teacher-student relationships and frequent feedback, which enhances learning outcomes. Ultimately, our ability grouping across our school helps to create an inclusive and supportive environment where all students can thrive academically and develop confidence in their abilities.

Across NSW

CHPS participates in several Statewide High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) programs tailored for small schools, designed to provide exciting opportunities for gifted students.

These programs bring a world of possibilities to our small school community. Students are able to participate in engaging challenges, connect with other high-potential learners across the state, country and globe, developing advanced skills across all HPGE domains.

Students at CHPS experience and participate in:-

International Connecting Minds STEM Research Project
Australian STEM Video Challenge
PSSA State and Regional Athletics and Swimming Competitions
PSSA State and Regional Chess Tournaments
Hawkesbury Learning Community Young Writers Competition

These programs allow our students to build vibrant networks outside of our community and experience environments where students and teachers inspire each other. The result is a positive, inclusive environment that empowers gifted learners to excel academically, grow socially, and confidently pursue their passions—showing that our small school students can achieve remarkable successes.