High Potential And Gifted Education (HPGE)

Introduction to HPGE

At Farrer, we recognise that every student has a unique profile of strengths and abilities. The NSW Department of Education’s High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) Policy supports schools to identify, nurture and extend students who show high potential or giftedness in one or more areas of natural ability. Our approach ensures that students are engaged, challenged and supported to develop their talents across learning, wellbeing and personal development. Additionally, our approach is deeply promoted through our Student Learning Action Plan (SLAP) program where our HSC students are mentored and individually supported through their HSC Year. 

All students, regardless of background or personal circumstances, require access to learning programs that meet their learning needs and support to aspire to, and achieve, personal excellence. Achieving excellence for high potential and gifted students is underpinned by Farrer’s school environments including quality teaching, learning and leadership. Potential exists along a continuum, where differing degrees of potential require differing approaches and levels of adjustment and intervention.

Key aspects of the policy that make a difference to the students at Farrer:

• Recognition of the magnitude of ways that students learn.
  
• High expectations in our school of students and teachers.
  
• Building student capacity and capabilities they carry the rest of their lives.
  
• Recognition of students’ abilities, and enable teachers to promote and nurture these.
  

Difference between High Potential; Gifted; and Highly Gifted:

• High Potential - exists along a continuum, where given optimal conditions, can lead to high performance and achievement. High potential are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age. They may benefit from an enriched or extended curriculum and learning opportunities beyond the typical level of their age peers.
  
• Gifted - are those whose potential significantly exceeds that of students of the same age. They typically develop talent and achieve mastery notably faster than their age peers.
  
• Highly Gifted - are those whose potential vastly exceeds that of their age peers. Highly gifted students may require specific and significant curriculum adjustments to meet their learning and wellbeing needs.
  

When teachers and school leaders recognise high potential, providing optimal learning conditions makes the difference in supporting the development of talent. Find the potential, develop the talent, make the difference.

The Four Domains of Potential

The HPGE framework identifies four broad domains in which students may demonstrate high potential. These domains are interconnected, and many students show advanced ability in more than one area. NSW Education videos and information

1. Intellectual Domain

Students with high potential in the intellectual domain demonstrate advanced cognitive abilities including complex thinking, reasoning, logic, problem-solving, pattern recognition and the ability to transfer learning across contexts. This may be seen in academic pursuits such as mathematics, science, advanced literacy, strategic thinking and deep comprehension skills. 

At Farrer:
As we are a selective school, many of our learners already exhibit high academic ability. Farrer offers a broad curriculum including STEM, agricultural sciences, humanities, robotics, languages and the arts that allows students to explore depth, complexity and higher-order thinking. 

Characteristics:

• capacity for greater analytical depth
  
• fewer repetitions needed for mastery
  
• greater capability in abstract reasoning
  
• relative ease in making connections between disciplines
  
• advanced reading ability and comprehension
  
• knowledgeable in areas of passion
  
• processes information in complex ways
  
• enjoys hypothesising
  
• thrives on complexity and can see many points of view
  
• thinks in analogies
  

NB: These learning characteristics should be used as only one source of evidence to assess and identify student needs. This is not an exhaustive list nor is it a checklist.

2. Creative Domain

Creative potential refers to a student’s ability to generate original ideas, think imaginatively, take intellectual risks and innovate across disciplines. This includes artistic expression, design thinking, inventive problem-solving and multimedia creation. 

At Farrer:
Our creative offerings - from visual arts and drama to digital media and robotics, wood and metal projects - encourage original thinking and innovation. Students are encouraged to explore and develop creative solutions in real-world contexts including agricultural technology and sustainability projects.

Characteristics:

• advanced organisational and management skills
  
• advanced social and communication skills
  
• emotional stability
  
• empathy
  
• demonstrated leadership and decision-making skills
  
• resilient and self-aware
  
• foresees consequences and implications of decisions
  
• respected by peers
  
• self-confident
  
• task analysis and backwards mapping abilities
  
• social justice advocacy
  

NB: These learning characteristics should be used as only one source of evidence to assess and identify student needs. This is not an exhaustive list nor is it a checklist.

3. Physical Domain

The physical domain describes natural abilities in movement, motor coordination, athletic performance and physical skills. This includes sport, physical problem-solving, kinaesthetic learning and excellence in physical pursuits.

At Farrer:
Physical potential is honoured through a range of sporting programs, NSWCHS and All-Schools competitions, aquatics, strength and conditioning, and participation opportunities across individual and team sports. Our extensive facilities support students to pursue sporting excellence alongside academic and personal growth.

Characteristics:

• subtlety in movement and control of body
  
• self-disciplined
  
• coordinated, balanced and confident in physical activities
  
• high energy levels
  
• superior understanding of spatial relationships
  
• endurance, stamina and persistence in physical activities
  
• suitability of body build for area of physical high potential
  
• demonstrates prowess in physical activities common amongst age peers
  
• competitive
  
• ‘hands on’ learning preference
  

NB: These learning characteristics should be used as only one source of evidence to assess and identify student needs. This is not an exhaustive list nor is it a checklist.

4. Social-Emotional Domain

Social-emotional potential is shown through self-management, interpersonal skills, leadership, empathy, resilience and emotional intelligence. Students with strength in this domain can lead teams, manage complex social interactions and contribute positively to community wellbeing. 

At Farrer:
Our wellbeing programs, leadership pathways, prefect system and community service initiatives help students develop self-awareness, resilience and the capacity to work effectively with others. Additionally, our Aboriginal and cultural programs promote cultural awareness, engagement and mentoring. Boarding life also reinforces social-emotional maturity, independence and personal responsibility. 

Characteristics:

• advanced organisational and management skills
  
• advanced social and communication skills
  
• emotional stability
  
• empathy
  
• demonstrated leadership and decision-making skills
  
• resilient and self-aware
  
• foresees consequences and implications of decisions
  
• respected by peers
  
• Self-confident
  
• task analysis and backwards mapping abilities
  
• social justice advocacy
  

NB: These learning characteristics should be used as only one source of evidence to assess and identify student needs. This is not an exhaustive list nor is it a checklist.

How We Support HPGE at Farrer

Farrer supports High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) through a whole-school approach that includes:

Differentiated Teaching and Learning

Our teachers plan with variable learning needs in mind, embedding enrichment and extension tasks, open-ended challenges and opportunities for accelerated learning within the curriculum. 

• Graded classes Years 7-10
  
• Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking​
  
• Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning​
  
• Advanced learning pathways
  
• 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​
  
• Supportive learning environments that enable exploration and self-assessment
  
• Strengths-based feedback and goal setting
  
• Opportunities for leadership within the classroom and across the school​
  
• Structured peer collaboration and reflection.
  
• Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance​
  
• Stage 6 Advanced and Extension English and Mathematics Classes
  
• Commerce School Market Day
  
• HSC Exam Technique and Revision Workshops
  
• PASS Coaching Primary School Students
  
• Agricultural Centre of Excellence

Enrichment Opportunities 

Students can participate in competitions such as:

• ICAS Assessments and other academic competitions
  
• Robotics and STEM challenges
  
• Creative and performing arts showcases
  
• Leadership and community initiatives
  
• National History Competition
  
• Robotics competitions
  
• Debating and Public Speaking Competitions
  
• Premier's Reading Challenge
  

These opportunities allow students to expand their skills outside the classroom

Sport, Wellbeing and Leadership Programs 

Sporting pathways and structured wellbeing programs support students to excel physically, socially and emotionally. Leadership roles — including the prefect system and community service engagements — cultivate confidence and interpersonal strengths. 

• Aboriginal Programs
  
• Rock’n Science Club
  
• Library Games Day
  
• Peer Support Leadership Program 
  
• Year 6 into 7 transition days
  
• School Open Day and Experience Days
  
• Public Speaking Competitions
  
• Student Representative Council
  
• White Card Training
  
• Year 7 Orientation Camp
  
• Year 11 Leadership Camp
  
• SLAP Year 12 Mentor Program – individual student mentoring
  
• ODAS

Sport:

• Athletics
  
• Basketball
  
• Chess
  
• Clay Target Shooting
  
• Cricket
  
• Cross Country
  
• Equestrian/Horse Sports
  
• Football/Soccer
  
• Golf
  
• Hockey
  
• Mountain Biking
  
• Rifle Shooting
  
• Rugby League
  
• Rugby Union
  
• Steer Team
  
• Swimming
  
• Tennis
  
• Touch Football
  
• Water Polo
  
• School Carnivals - Athletics Carnival, Swimming Carnival, Cross Country Carnival
• Combined High Schools and NSW All-Schools Sport Competitions, including:
• North-West, Greater Western, NSWCHS and Australian Sport Representation
  

Boarding Community 

Boarding life presents extended opportunities for independence, collaboration and personal growth, reinforcing HPGE aims across daily routines and community life.

How do we identify High Potential and Gifted students?

At Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School, identification of High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) students is ongoing, inclusive and evidence-based. We recognise that potential can emerge at different times and in different ways.

Students may be identified through a combination of:

• teacher observation and professional judgement
  
• classroom assessments and academic performance data
  
• demonstrated strengths in creative, sporting or leadership contexts
  
• student interests, motivation and engagement in learning
  
• participation and achievement in co-curricular, enrichment or extension activities
  
• social-emotional skills such as leadership, collaboration and resilience

Identification is not a one-off process. Students are continually reviewed to ensure they receive appropriate challenge and support as they grow and develop.

• The High Potential and Gifted Education Policy applies to all departmental staff and schools. It recognises that high potential and gifted students require evidence-based talent development to optimise their growth and achievement.
  
• Talent development is the deliberate, systematic process or program by which a student’s potential in a specific domain (creative; socio-emotional; physical; intellectual)
  
• The goal of talent development is to translate potential into actual performance, so a student is able to achieve personal excellence.
  
• The development of talent however, can either be supported or inhibited by eternal or internal factors.
  
• Specific research concludes that the development of talent cannot be left to chance, as students, including high potential and gifted students will not become outstanding achievers by themselves
  
• Therefore, families, educators, peers, mentors, events and/or programs can play a particularly important role in supporting the talent development.
  
• By deliberately and explicitly supporting talent development in students, we ensure that all students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to achieve their educational potential
  
• Capitalising on curiosity and interest, ensuring high potential and gifted students are challenged and engaged, as well as supporting wellbeing are all important factors in maximising the development of talent.
  
• By providing optimal learning conditions, teachers and school leaders make a difference in supporting the development of talent to our high potential and gifted students.
  
• The importance of teachers knowing their students and how they learn is a core concept of the High Potential and Gifted Education Policy, and plays a pivotal role in supporting our students achieve their potential in any of the Domains.