High potential and gifted education
Some students learn faster and more easily than others. These students may shine in creativity, thinking, leadership or sport.
At our school, we recognise and nurture these strengths early. We support advanced learners with great lessons and activities to help them grow and thrive.
Barooga Public School Philosophy
- At Barooga Public School, every learner’s potential is our priority.
- We recognise and nurture the high potential in many of our students, helping it grow into something powerful.
- Our teachers are dedicated to supporting students to be the best they can be across four key domains: creative, intellectual, physical, and social-emotional.
- We challenge our students daily to think critically, create, lead, and grow.
- Barooga Public School is a diverse and inclusive community where every learner belongs.
- We foster a culture of high expectations and equity in excellence, ensuring all students—regardless of background—have opportunities to develop their potential into talent.
- Our school offers a broad range of opportunities across the four domains, engaging and challenging every student with a strong focus on talent development for high-potential and gifted learners.
- High-potential and gifted education is delivered through in-class activities, whole school programs, and department-wide initiatives.
What is high potential and gifted education?
High potential and gifted education supports students across a wide ran
Creative
Develop artistic and creative skills through music, dance and drama opportunities.
Intellectual
Developing critical thinking, advanced literacy & STEM opportunities, and expressive language
Physical
Students can take part in opportunities to develop their talent in the arts, sport, leadership and more.
Socio-emotional
Our students can participate in a wide range of state-wide opportunities that aim to extend and enrich student 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.
- Student progress is monitored and teachers employ evidence-based teaching practices to support and extend students, including acceleration in targeted learning areas
- Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking
- Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning
- Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance
- Opportunities for leadership within the classroom.
- Structured peer collaboration and reflection
- Provision of music tuition faciliated by South West Music Regional Conservatorium onsite
- Student leadership including class captains, house captains, student representative council and school captains
- Student mentoring initiatives including Year 6 indergarten buddies and peer leadership activities
- Comprehensive Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program that provides opportunities for students to develop or enhance passions in horticulture and the culinary arts
- Participation in the Lions Public Speaking Competition, increasing student confidence and personal presentation skills
- Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives, providing opportunities for all students to learn self-awareness and social skills.
- Supporting access to the Aurora College program for students who benefit from enrichment in STEM
- The Premier’s Debating Challenge helps our students to build logical arguments and confidence in public speaking
- The University of NSW ICAS Assessment program provides high order opportunities for our students to demonstrate talent in a range of subject areas
- The Premier’s Reading Challenge helps our students explore a range of texts and foster a love of reading
- The PULSE Alive is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools
- The Representative School Sport Pathway and PSSA and events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration
- The NSWPSSA School Knockout format encourages student participation in sporting teams, developing talent and providing opportunities for interschool competition and networking
Spotlight on Public Speaking Excellence at Barooga Public School
Celebrating Harper Paroissien — Our State Champion!
At Barooga Public School, we pride ourselves on nurturing confident communicators through our engaging public speaking programs. This year, one of our very own students, Harper Paroissien, has taken this to inspiring new heights!
Harper recently won the prestigious State Final of the Lions District 201V6 Junior Public Speaking Competition — an extraordinary achievement that puts Barooga Public School on the map like never before!
Her incredible journey began by standing out among about 1,000 students from 72 schools at the Regional Final. Harper’s poise, insight, and eloquence propelled her all the way to the state championship — a milestone our school has never before reached.
Why Public Speaking Matters at Barooga Public School
Harper’s success highlights the exceptional opportunities available to our students in public speaking:
- Building confidence: Students learn to express ideas clearly in front of an audience.
- Critical thinking: Preparing speeches and responding to impromptu topics fosters creativity and problem-solving.
- Resilience and composure: Performing under pressure is a key life skill practiced through our program.
- Community involvement: Competitions encourage teamwork, representation, and school pride.
NSWPSSA Knockout Competitions
Celebrating Our Proud Representative Teams
At Barooga Public School, we are proud to offer our students the opportunity to participate in NSWPSSA Knockout competitions. These competitions bring together schools from across New South Wales, showcasing skill, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
Our Teams in Action!
Each year, talented students from Barooga Public School come together to form representative teams in a variety of sports, competing with dedication and enthusiasm. Through these competitions, our teams develop resilience, leadership, and a strong sense of school pride.
The Benefits of Participating in NSWPSSA Knockout Competitions
- Teamwork and Leadership: Students learn to collaborate, support one another, and build effective team strategies.
- Resilience and Confidence: Facing competitive challenges helps students grow in confidence and develop the ability to bounce back from setbacks.
- School Pride: Representing Barooga Public School strengthens our community and inspires students to give their best.
- Holistic Student Development: Sporting opportunities complement academic and creative pursuits, encouraging well-rounded personal growth.
Help for your high potential child
If your child shows signs of high potential, contact us. We can share how our HPGE support can guide their learning journey.
Student opportunities and activities
Discover the opportunities our students have at our school.
Learning
Find out about our approach to learning and supporting students to progress.