High potential and gifted education

At Lyndhurst Public School, HPGE lives in everyday practice. We recognise that every student has unique strengths, talents and learning potential. Our teachers use evidence-informed practices to identify students’ needs and provide purposeful challenge to help them think deeply, take risks and excel.

In our classroom HPGE is supported through:

• Targeted enrichment and extension that stretches thinking, promotes creativity, and encourages students to apply their learning in new and meaningful ways.
• Flexible learning pathways, including project-based learning, problem-solving challenges, subject extension and, where appropriate, acceleration.
• Supportive, inclusive learning environments where students feel safe to express ideas, collaborate, and take intellectual risks.
• Student voice and leadership, with opportunities for students to lead learning, mentor peers and pursue individual areas of passion and talent.
• Strengths-based feedback and goal-setting, helping students reflect on their progress, refine their skills and set personal goals for growth.

At Lyndhurst Public School, we aim to nurture talent, spark curiosity and create pathways for students to thrive.

Across our school, HPGE may include:

• Students who show high ability, strong interest or passion in a particular learning area are provided with enrichment and extension opportunities that deepen thinking and promote high-level achievement. This may include advanced learning tasks in literacy, numeracy, STEM, the creative arts and real-world problem solving that require students to think critically, analyse, create and apply their learning in new ways.

  When a student is working above year-level expectations or demonstrates a strong talent or curiosity in an academic area, we tailor their learning through individualised goals, targeted feedback and extension pathways. Students are supported, guided and encouraged to move beyond surface learning toward deep understanding and high-level achievement.

• We support students with high potential in the social–emotional domain by nurturing leadership, empathy, teamwork and interpersonal skills. Students are encouraged to take on leadership roles, support and mentor their peers, and collaborate with like-minded students across our small school network. We provide opportunities for students to develop confidence and voice through public speaking, student leadership initiatives and events such as the National Young Leaders Day, helping them grow as respectful, compassionate and capable young leaders.

• We nurture students’ creativity by providing meaningful opportunities to explore, develop and showcase their talents across the creative arts. Throughout the year, students engage in music, drama, dance and visual arts as part of our curriculum, with additional enrichment experiences designed to extend creative potential. Students may participate in local creative arts competitions and community events and the Cowra Small Schools Performing Arts Concert, collaborating and performing with peers from neighbouring schools. Students also express their creativity through STEM and design projects, public speaking and arts-based inquiry, developing innovative thinking and confidence. Opportunities such as local eisteddfods and performance events help students discover and build on their talents in authentic settings.

• Sporting talent opportunities are also available through our school. Students can showcase their sporting talents through our school athletics, swimming and cross-country carnivals, with pathways to higher levels of competition. We also particpate in events such as the Heritage Small Schools Active Kids Day, where students learn new skills alongside specialist coaches and try a variety of sports.

Our school participates in a wide range of statewide programs to extend and enrich student potential.

• Students particupate in opportunities such as Premier's Spelling Bee, Premiers Sporting Challenge, National Young Leaders Day.
• Statewide and NSW Department of Education support is available for high potential and gifted students, and we help with entries, preparation and reflection so every experience feeds back into learning.