High potential and gifted education

At Chatswood Public School, we are committed to nurturing confident, responsible individuals inspired to reach their full potential. Our students learn in a safe, supportive environment where every individual is valued, and progress is celebrated as part of our vibrant community.

We recognise that our high-potential and gifted students come from diverse cultural, linguistic, and geographic backgrounds. These students are identified and supported across a broad spectrum of domains, including creative, intellectual, physical, and social-emotional. Through a thoughtful combination of assessment and identification practices, we ensure that each student’s potential is recognised and nurtured within our thriving learning community.

Our leaders and educators are committed to ongoing professional development aimed at enhancing their skills to foster the growth and achievement of all students, including those with high potential and giftedness. Our teaching and learning programs are grounded in research-based strategies that promote high achievement and talent development.

Chatswood Public School has a proud tradition of excellence in the creative arts, featuring outstanding music programs and a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities. Our engaged parent community plays a vital role in fostering an inclusive culture that supports every student to excel and achieve their personal best.

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.

Opportunity class

Through targeted programs, enrichment opportunities and adjusted teaching, we aim to help every student readh their full 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

We are committed to recognising and nurturing high potential and gifted students, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive at our school. Some of the adjustments and strategies that form part of everyday teaching to develop the talent of students at Chatswood Public School include:

Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning:

By regularly gathering evidence of student progress through observations, questioning, quizzes, or self-assessments, teachers can identify learning gaps and strengths in real time. This allows them to adjust pace, content, and teaching approaches to better meet students’ evolving needs, ensuring continuous challenge and support for high potential and gifted learners.

Explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem-solving strategies:

Teachers explicitly teach students specific frameworks and approaches to tackle complex problems. This may include strategies such as reasoning logically, identifying assumptions, evaluating evidence, brainstorming multiple solutions, and breaking problems into manageable parts. Teaching these skills directly helps gifted students develop metacognitive awareness and autonomy in their learning.

Opportunities for inquiry and curriculum depth:

Gifted learners benefit from a curriculum that promotes deep understanding and conceptual thinking. Inquiry-based learning encourages curiosity and investigation through questioning, research, and experimentation. Providing curriculum depth lets students explore topics in detail, exceeding surface-level engagement and fostering intellectual growth.

Flexible grouping for collaborative ideation and presentation:

For gifted students, collaborative groups can provide opportunities to share ideas, challenge each other, and co-create outcomes such as presentations or projects. These dynamic groupings build social skills, communication, and the ability to work with peers of differing strengths and viewpoints.

Strength-based feedback and goal setting:

Strength-based feedback acknowledges effort, creativity, and successful strategies, encouraging students to leverage what they do well. Integrating feedback with goal setting empowers students to plan next steps and take ownership of their learning journey.

Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance:

Emphasising a growth mindset, celebrating effort, and nurturing positive relationships contribute to resilience and sustained engagement for gifted learners.

Across our school

Our school recognises that every student is individual, and we provide flexible and diverse opportunities for students to explore and grow their strengths outside the classroom. Some of the opportunities available to support the talent development of students at Chatswood Public School include:

Mandarin classes

Korean bilingual classes

Year 6 leaders excursion

Interschool sport competitions

Representative sport pathways

Student Representative Council

Music ensembles and bands

Creative arts events

Performing Arts Showcase

Choirs

Public speaking

Debating

Dance groups

Green Thumb Club

Chess Club

School camps

Curriculum-aligned excursions and incursions.

Across NSW

Our students participate in a wide range of statewide programs to extend and enrich student potential, ensuring student’s unique talents are recognised, developed and celebrated. Some of the opportunities available to support the talent development of students at Chatswood Public School include:

Premier’s Spelling Bee

Maths Olympiad

NSW Primary Schools Sport Association fosters discipline and the development of advanced skills

WriteOn Competition

Sydney North Dance Festival

Festival of Instrumental Music

Festival of Children’s Music

Festival of Choral Music

Primary Proms

Sydney NorthWest Arts Festival

Sydney Eisteddfod - music ensembles

Ryde Eisteddfod - music ensembles