High Potential and Gifted Education

High potential and gifted education

At Turramurra High School, we are proud to implement the NSW Department of Education’s High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) Policy, which celebrates the diverse talents, abilities, and aspirations of all learners. Our approach reflects our commitment to equity, inclusion, and excellence, ensuring that every student is challenged, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.

We are committed to delivering high potential and gifted education that encompasses a wide range of activities and opportunities designed to challenge and inspire our students. Through authentic, evidence-informed teaching and learning practices, we nurture giftedness across multiple domains, recognising that potential extends beyond academic success to include creativity, leadership, physical performance, and social-emotional growth. Our teaching and learning approaches are designed to engage students in meaningful experiences that build confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning.

Our HPGE framework focuses on four key domains:

Intellectual Domain

High potential learners are challenged through enrichment and acceleration opportunities embedded in classroom learning and supported by co-curricular opportunities, designed to inspire curiosity, foster critical and analytical thinking, and promote academic excellence. Examples include differentiated learning in all classes, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) programs, and many curriculum-based competitions and challenges.

Social-Emotional Domain

We prioritise student wellbeing and leadership development, cultivating resilience, empathy, and collaboration through programs such as the School Leadership Team and various wellbeing programs such as Peer Support, Rural Fire Service cadets, and the Duke of Edinburgh program.

Physical Domain

We recognise and develop students’ strengths in sport, movement, and physical performance through targeted programs such as our Big Hill Gym , whole-school, knockout, zone and representative sport, and health-focused initiatives.

Creative Domain

Students are encouraged to think innovatively and express their individuality through creative problem-solving, design thinking, and artistic expression across subjects and co-curricular programs. Examples include a comprehensive co-curricular music program, drama opportunities and engineering programs.

At Turramurra High School, our vision for High Potential and Gifted Education is to provide a comprehensive, student-centred approach that values the whole learner.

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 opportunitiesboth within and beyond our school.

This is explained further in “Our high potential and gifted education opportunities”, see below

Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?

At Turramurra High School, high potential and gifted education is delivered through a combination of in-class, whole-school and system level programs, practices and procedures. It represents a broad and inclusive approach to HPGE implementation and includes the following strategies:

1. In the classroom - Quality differentiation in all classes

2. Across the school –

Co-curricular activities
Macquarie University Partner School
Years 7-10 – NOVA program (Nurturing Outstanding and Visionary Achievers).

3. Across NSW and beyond - engaging at the highest levels of competition and collaboration

Our high potential and gifted education opportunities

Our students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW.

In the classroom – Quality differentiation

At Turramurra High School, our classrooms are vibrant, inclusive, and future focused learning environments where every student is encouraged to think deeply, take risks and pursue excellence.

Quality differentiation in all classes ensures that learning programs and teaching practices meet the learning needs and support for all students to aspire to, and achieve, personal excellence. Our highly trained staff are dedicated to meeting the diverse learning needs of every student, ensuring they are challenged, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.

Turramurra High School empowers students to think innovatively through individualised, enquiry-based learning. Fostering creativity, collaboration and critical thinking

Turramurra High School empowers students to think innovatively through individualised, enquiry-based learning. Fostering creativity, collaboration and critical thinking

Across the school

Co-curricular activities (currently totalling 41 separate initiatives) which target all four domains of high potential and giftedness. These activities empower students to enrich their learning in their own areas of interest, grow their passions, and foster talent development. Many operate over extended periods of time throughout the school year; others operate at key times throughout the year. The “Guide to Co-curricular activities” provides further detail.

Guide to Co-curricular activities

Macquarie University Partner School

Becoming a Macquarie University Partner School in 2025 has opened up a range of further opportunities for students to support their pathways into further education, including dedicated study sessions with university ambassador students as HSC preparation.

N.O.V.A program (Nurturing Outstanding and Visionary Achievers). Commencing in Term 2, 2026 this exciting new initiative will provide a rich opportunity for students in Years 7-10 to hear from community and professional leaders in their field of endeavour and aims to inspire and enrich students’ in-class learning experiences. Further details will be available in Term 1, 2026.

Across NSW and beyond – engaging at the highest levels of competition and collaboration

Students at Turramurra High School regularly have opportunities to engage at the highest levels of competition and collaboration. Some of our state, national or international level engagements include:

Students competing across zone, regional and state sport pathways, sharpening teamwork, resilience and excellence.
Our debating and public speaking teams stepping into prestigious state-wide challenges and forums.
Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program encouraging personal goal development and achievement across the four key areas of physical recreation, skill development, voluntary service, and an adventurous journey.

State Arts Unit ensembles in Music and Drama
International Music and Languages tours and hosting opportunities

A comprehensive list of opportunities are included in the “Guide to Co-curricular Activities” booklet

Guide to Co-curricular activities

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