18-05-2025
New toolkit: renewed policy for identifying high-potential, gifted students
A RENEWED policy is set to benefit thousands of students across the Hunter, providing more opportunities for high-potential and gifted education (HPGE).
Hundreds of teachers, support staff and leaders from across the Callaghan College network formed for a staff development day on April 28 to discuss the new changes and how they will be implemented across the classroom.
Callaghan College principal Dr Kylee Owen said while HPGE had always been embedded in the Department of Education, a renewed and refreshed approach will strengthen educators' capacity to identify, support and challenge students.
"It's not a new area, but the Department has taken an approach this time to ensure it's about unlocking the potential for every student," she said.
HPGE students can be identified across four intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical domains.
Dr Owen said in the Callaghan network, for example, there were enrichment and extension opportunities in the creative domain, such as concert bands and drama clubs.
"... or it might be through the physical domain, where we have our extension program around sports. Or the intellectual domain where we offer extension courses through our partnership with the University of Newcastle," she said.
Dr Owen said HPGE students can also be identified through their classroom teacher or parents at home, but there's no one-size-fits-all approach.
"A teacher is a strong identifier in terms of the student's knowledge and expected level at that particular age group. They might say a student is demonstrating what is beyond that level. It's also about getting a sense of that young person and what they're like at home," she said.
She said the renewed policy was about ensuring that every student has the capacity and opportunity to go above and beyond.
"And to be able to leave school in a confident and capable place where they're going to be amazing young people and citizens of the world," she said.
"We are committed to unlocking the full potential of every learner."
A RENEWED policy is set to benefit thousands of students across the Hunter, providing more opportunities for high-potential and gifted education (HPGE).
Hundreds of teachers, support staff and leaders from across the Callaghan College network formed for a staff development day on April 28 to discuss the new changes and how they will be implemented across the classroom.
Callaghan College principal Dr Kylee Owen said while HPGE had always been embedded in the Department of Education, a renewed and refreshed approach will strengthen educators' capacity to identify, support and challenge students.
"It's not a new area, but the Department has taken an approach this time to ensure it's about unlocking the potential for every student," she said.
HPGE students can be identified across four intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical domains.
Dr Owen said in the Callaghan network, for example, there were enrichment and extension opportunities in the creative domain, such as concert bands and drama clubs.
"... or it might be through the physical domain, where we have our extension program around sports. Or the intellectual domain where we offer extension courses through our partnership with the University of Newcastle," she said.
Dr Owen said HPGE students can also be identified through their classroom teacher or parents at home, but there's no one-size-fits-all approach.
"A teacher is a strong identifier in terms of the student's knowledge and expected level at that particular age group. They might say a student is demonstrating what is beyond that level. It's also about getting a sense of that young person and what they're like at home," she said.
She said the renewed policy was about ensuring that every student has the capacity and opportunity to go above and beyond.
"And to be able to leave school in a confident and capable place where they're going to be amazing young people and citizens of the world," she said.
"We are committed to unlocking the full potential of every learner."
A RENEWED policy is set to benefit thousands of students across the Hunter, providing more opportunities for high-potential and gifted education (HPGE).
Hundreds of teachers, support staff and leaders from across the Callaghan College network formed for a staff development day on April 28 to discuss the new changes and how they will be implemented across the classroom.
Callaghan College principal Dr Kylee Owen said while HPGE had always been embedded in the Department of Education, a renewed and refreshed approach will strengthen educators' capacity to identify, support and challenge students.
"It's not a new area, but the Department has taken an approach this time to ensure it's about unlocking the potential for every student," she said.
HPGE students can be identified across four intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical domains.
Dr Owen said in the Callaghan network, for example, there were enrichment and extension opportunities in the creative domain, such as concert bands and drama clubs.
"... or it might be through the physical domain, where we have our extension program around sports. Or the intellectual domain where we offer extension courses through our partnership with the University of Newcastle," she said.
Dr Owen said HPGE students can also be identified through their classroom teacher or parents at home, but there's no one-size-fits-all approach.
"A teacher is a strong identifier in terms of the student's knowledge and expected level at that particular age group. They might say a student is demonstrating what is beyond that level. It's also about getting a sense of that young person and what they're like at home," she said.
She said the renewed policy was about ensuring that every student has the capacity and opportunity to go above and beyond.
"And to be able to leave school in a confident and capable place where they're going to be amazing young people and citizens of the world," she said.
"We are committed to unlocking the full potential of every learner."
A RENEWED policy is set to benefit thousands of students across the Hunter, providing more opportunities for high-potential and gifted education (HPGE).
Hundreds of teachers, support staff and leaders from across the Callaghan College network formed for a staff development day on April 28 to discuss the new changes and how they will be implemented across the classroom.
Callaghan College principal Dr Kylee Owen said while HPGE had always been embedded in the Department of Education, a renewed and refreshed approach will strengthen educators' capacity to identify, support and challenge students.
"It's not a new area, but the Department has taken an approach this time to ensure it's about unlocking the potential for every student," she said.
HPGE students can be identified across four intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical domains.
Dr Owen said in the Callaghan network, for example, there were enrichment and extension opportunities in the creative domain, such as concert bands and drama clubs.
"... or it might be through the physical domain, where we have our extension program around sports. Or the intellectual domain where we offer extension courses through our partnership with the University of Newcastle," she said.
Dr Owen said HPGE students can also be identified through their classroom teacher or parents at home, but there's no one-size-fits-all approach.
"A teacher is a strong identifier in terms of the student's knowledge and expected level at that particular age group. They might say a student is demonstrating what is beyond that level. It's also about getting a sense of that young person and what they're like at home," she said.
She said the renewed policy was about ensuring that every student has the capacity and opportunity to go above and beyond.
"And to be able to leave school in a confident and capable place where they're going to be amazing young people and citizens of the world," she said.
"We are committed to unlocking the full potential of every learner."
