High Potential and Gifted Education

At our school, we teach the NSW curriculum and offer many different subjects to support each student’s learning. We know that development of skills in literacy and numeracy are the building blocks for learning and for everyday life. Our teachers use effective teaching strategies to help students achieve their goals.

Gifted Education

Gifted education refers to teaching practices that meet the individual needs of gifted and talented students. Learn about the characteristics gifted and talented students display and the strategies that can be used to give them appropriate challenges and opportunities.

Differentiation Adjustment Tool

Selective high schools and opportunity classes

Supporting parents and carers

Why choose us for your child’s learning?

Extension opportunities

Some students are ready for more challenges. We offer open-ended tasks, enrichment programs and support. We help all students to reach their full potential.

High-quality education

We offer a range of subjects to match what students enjoy and want to learn about. Our skilled teachers support every student to find what they love, do their best and succeed.

HPGE Pedagogy at Manly West PS

Manly West PS students are inspired to achieve excellence by being:

Empowered -through outstanding teaching and learning practices;

Invested in their learning through strong pedagogy that encourages student agency;

Engaged –through a high expectations culture, expert teachers, evidence informed teaching and continuous improvement. At Manly West, all students are challenged and supported to meet high academic expectations. Effective pedagogical differentiation strategies are embedded in programs and teaching practices, ensuring learning opportunities that challenge and engage students. We use high expectations and effective, explicit, evidence-informed teaching to create optimal learning environments where all students are challenged and engaged to achieve their educational potential.

At Manly West PS, there are school-wide processes for identifying and tracking students with high potential and giftedness in the four domains. We use Assessment and Data in an ongoing manner to inform learning and teaching across all domains of potential:

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Creative domain

The creative domain refers to natural abilities in imagination, invention and originality.

Signs of high potential include originality, innovation and inventiveness in organising ideas, images, words, sound, movement and objects (including digital media).
Learning in the creative domain occurs within and across a range of subjects, including mathematics, science, creative arts, English and literary arts, design and technology, social sciences and sport.
Benefits of creative development include self-expression, problem solving, risk-taking and experimentation, reduction in stress and anxiety and feelings of accomplishment and pride.
Examples of students who have developed their potential:
- Tahj’s high potential in the creative and physical domains is evident in his talent in dance and sport. Read more.
- Tate’s high potential in the creative and intellectual domains is evident in his advanced spatial skills, problem solving ability and literacy. Read more.

Intellectual domain

The intellectual domain refers to natural abilities in processing, understanding, reasoning, and the transfer of learning.

Signs of high potential include verbal, numerical, logic and spatial aptitudes, synthesis and evaluation, abstract thinking, use of long term and working memory, and problem solving.
Intellectual development assists students to be observant, intrinsically motivated and goal-driven, with creative, critical and independent thinking skills.
Examples of students who have developed their potential:
- Anhaar's high potential in the intellectual and social-emotional domains is evident in her rapid mastery of new concepts. Read more.
- Daniel’s high potential in the intellectual and social-emotional domains is evident in his vocabulary and interpersonal skills. Read more.

Physical domain

The physical domain refers to natural abilities in muscular movement and motor control.

Signs of high potential in the physical domain include power, speed (muscular), muscular strength, endurance, flexibility, speed (of reflexes), agility, coordination and balance.
High potential in the physical domain may be observed in a range of contexts, such as sport, dance and performance.
Examples of students who have developed their potential:
- Abby’s high potential in the physical domain was evident in her early interest in cricket. Read more.
- Brooke’s high potential in the physical domain is evident in her aptitude for swimming. Read more.

The social-emotional domain refers to natural abilities in self-management and relating to and interacting with others.

Signs of natural abilities include perceptiveness, empathy, social ease, tactfulness, influence, persuasiveness, eloquence, leadership, and charisma.
Social-emotional development and wellbeing of high potential and gifted students is supported by learning environments that enable them to connect, succeed and thrive.
Social-emotional development assists students to cope with stressors, manage behaviours, and effectively work with others, positively contributing to society.
Examples of students who have developed their potential in the social-emotional domain include:
- Vaneeza’s high potential in the social-emotional domain is evident in her sense of compassion and empathy. Read more.
- Ben’s high potential in the creative and social-emotional domains is evident in his inclusive behaviours and ability to create and problem solve design challenges. Read more.
- Nazli’s high potential in the intellectual and social-emotional domains is evident in her optimism and enthusiasm about learning and social justice. Read more.

What students learn

Students learn a wide range of subjects in the NSW curriculum. They build skills, think creatively and prepare for life beyond school.

Our subjects

Explore how we teach the NSW curriculum through key learning areas.

Religion and ethics

At our school, students can take part in special religious education (SRE) or special education in ethics (SEE) classes, depending on what’s available. These classes are delivered by approved providers.

When enrolling your child, you’ll be able to choose an option from the approved providers offered at our school. Students not attending SRE or SEE are given supervised quiet activities.

You’re welcome to change your choice. Please use the form on the School Bytes parent portal.

For more information, visit the department’s website or contact us.

Inspire – High potential and gifted education

At our school, we give the right support to help gifted learners to grow and do their best.

We notice these students early. They may learn quickly or show strong skills in creativity, leadership, problem solving or sport. We help them stay challenged with lessons and activities that match their strengths.

Our learning approach

Our school uses explicit teaching. This means we clearly tell students what they are learning, why it is important and how to do it step by step. Explicit teaching helps students understand new ideas by breaking them into smaller parts.

Learning at our school is student-centred, inclusive and practical. We are committed to equity and access. We support all learning styles and needs. Our teachers use proven teaching strategies. They take part in ongoing professional development to stay up to date with best teaching practice.

Our learning approach includes:

real-world learning: hands-on tasks, group work and exploring new ideas
technology: to help students learn and build digital skills
flexible teaching: the right support for each student, with a focus on wellbeing
community connections: through excursions and local programs.

Helping students progress

We support every student’s academic progress by:

checking their progress and giving clear and timely feedback
empowering students in their journey as assessment capable learners
holding high expectations for every student
giving extra support from specialist staff
reporting on each student’s learning progress so parents and carers know how their child is doing

providing targeted literacy and numeracy support in small groups
making wellbeing part of everyday learning
working with families to support learning at home and school
helping students through transitions, like starting school or moving to a new stage of learning.