High potential and gifted education

Ulladulla High School is committed to nurturing the talents of all students through our comprehensive High Potential and Gifted Education program. We recognise and develop student potential across four key domains: intellectual, creative, physical, and social-emotional.

Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?

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Our Approach

At Ulladulla High School, we believe every student has unique talents waiting to be discovered and nurtured. Our comprehensive High Potential and Gifted Education programme recognises potential across four key domains: intellectual, creative, physical, and social-emotional. Our whole-school model ensures that high potential education is woven into everything we do, from differentiated classroom learning to enrichment programmes, giving every student the opportunity to excel in their areas of strength.

We use multiple data sources to build a complete picture of each student's abilities and interests across all four domains. Whether your child demonstrates intellectual curiosity, creative innovation, physical excellence, or social-emotional leadership, we have the expertise to recognise and nurture their gifts.

Recognising potential and developing talent

Our teachers find potential and nurture our students to be the best they can be. Our identification process is ongoing and inclusive, acknowledging that potential can emerge at different times. Once identified, we work collaboratively with families to map programmes that comprehensively develop each student's talents.

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. Our educators deliver differentiated learning experiences tailored to individual needs and abilities. Students working at advanced levels receive appropriate challenges through extension activities and advanced coursework whilst remaining part of their regular classroom community. We design learning that encourages risk-taking and original thinking, allowing students to explore topics in greater depth. By adapting our teaching to each learner, we ensure that every student engages with content that genuinely excites and stretches them.

Rich opportunities and activities

Students can take part in opportunities to develop their talent in the arts, sport, leadership and more. We offer enrichment and extension programmes across all subject areas, including academic competitions that challenge students to excel beyond the classroom. Students can participate in student leadership and mentoring opportunities, developing both their talents and character. Our creative and innovative projects provide safe spaces for experimentation and original thinking, building resilience alongside excellence.

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. Our community engagement and real-world learning experiences give students the chance to apply their talents in meaningful contexts. Whether collaborating with local organisations, participating in external programmes, or contributing to community projects, we actively seek opportunities that broaden horizons beyond school.

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 HPGE programme is thoughtfully designed and continually evolving. We've built our approach on staff expertise aligned with NSW Department of Education guidelines, ensuring best practice in gifted education. Throughout the year, we roll out differentiated teaching strategies, enrichment programmes, and student-led initiatives across all year groups. We regularly evaluate student outcomes and refine our approach based on feedback from students, families, and staff, providing targeted support that meets each student's learning and wellbeing needs whilst helping them reach their full potential.

In our classroom

Differentiated learning experiences tailored to individual needs and abilities

Enrichment and extension programs across all subject areas
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.
Differentiated movement tasks and skill refinement in PDHPE.
Targeted learning goals for coordination, agility, and control.
Supportive learning environments that enable exploration and self-assessment.
Strengths-based feedback and goal setting.
Opportunities for leadership within the classroom.
Structured peer collaboration and reflection.
Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance.

Across our school

Student leadership and mentoring opportunities

Creative and innovative projects that encourage risk-taking and original thinking
Academic competitions and advanced coursework
Community engagement and real-world learning experiences
Music ensembles
Visual arts and drama showcases
Creative writing groups
Sport squads
House competitions
Performance-based movement groups
Peer mentoring
Student leadership (SRC)
Wellbeing programs
Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives.

Across NSW

The Schools Spectacular is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools.

Participation in (state/regional) drama ensembles promotes character exploration, storytelling and expressive freedom for our Stage 5 high potential and gifted drama students.
Participation in music ensembles (e.g. State Wind Orchestra, State Choirs) hones our students’ musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.
The Premier’s Sporting Challenge (PSC) promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and professional learning.
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.
Participation in state-wide dance ensembles develops our high potential and gifted Stage 5 dance students’ technical skills, performance presence and physical expressiveness.

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