High potential and gifted education
We recognise that many students demonstrate high potential, and we support that potential to grow into talent through evidence-informed practices, targeted support and high expectations. We are committed to developing high potential across the four domains of intellectual, creative, physical and social-emotional, ensuring our students are challenged to think, create, lead and grow every day.
High potential students are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains (creative, physical, socioemotional and intellectual). Their potential may be assessed as beyond the average range across any domain. They may benefit from an enriched or extended curriculum and learning opportunities beyond the typical level of students the same age.
Gifted students’ potential significantly exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains. Leading gifted education experts commonly estimate that 10% of students may be considered gifted. They typically develop talent and achieve mastery notably faster than their age peers.
Highly gifted students’ potential vastly exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains. Highly gifted students have potential assessed in the top 1% or less of age peers. Highly gifted students may require specific and more significant curriculum adjustments to meet their learning and wellbeing needs.
Provisions for High Potential & Gifted Students
Whole school
The school staff includes a range of specialist teachers and sports coaches. In addition to the High Potential Academies Hunter Sports High School offers Enrichment Classes in Stages 4 and 5, which cater for high potential and gifted students across a range of domains. As well as opportunities for Acceleration into Stage 6 courses for Year 10 students and a High Achievers Academy in Stage 6.
Accelerated HSC courses
During Term 4, Year 9 students are provided with the opportunity to Accelerate in one HSC course beginning the following year. HSC Acceleration is offered for Biology, Investigating Science, PD/H/PE, VET Hospitality and Legal Studies.
HPGE Gifted Academy groups
Each year Hunter Sports High School will form ‘Academy’ groups for students considered to be gifted (top 10%) in the Physical, Intellectual, Creative and Social Emotional domains. Students selected in an Academy can be from all Years 7 – 12 and will meet regularly with a specialised mentor to set and review their goals. Academy mentors will communicate with parents and will support the achievement of the student’s short- and long-term goals.
The following Gifted Specialist Academies operate at Hunter Sports High School.
Tailored Academies
Hunter Sports High School's academies align strongly with the NSW HPGE Policy by identifying, nurturing and extending student potential across diverse domains with structured, equitable and innovative learning models.
Academy Structures
Learn more about our academy structures.
All classrooms
All teachers develop, design and implement differentiated learning programs with deliberate adjustments to content, process, product and learning environment, to meet the specific learning needs of HPG students. Through ongoing data collection, teachers analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of differentiated programs and provisions.
Our high potential and gifted education opportunities
Our students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW.
- Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking.
- Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning.
- Advanced learning pathways, including accelerated or compacted content.
- 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.
- Differentiated movement tasks and skill refinement in PDHPE.
- Targeted learning goals for coordination, agility, and control.
- Opportunities to take on lead roles in physical demonstrations or team strategy.
- Supportive learning environments that enable exploration and self-assessment.
- Strengths-based feedback and goal setting.
- Opportunities for leadership within the classroom.
- Structured peer collaboration and reflection.
- Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance.
- Debating
- Academic competitions
- Critical thinking workshops
- School musicals
- Visual arts and drama showcases
- Creative writing groups
- Sport squads
- House competitions
- Peer mentoring
- Student leadership (SRC)
- Wellbeing programs
- Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives.
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The Representative School Sport Pathway and PSSA and CHSSA events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.
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The Premier’s Sporting Challenge (PSC) promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and professional learning.
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.