Inspire – High potential and gifted education

Our students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, across the school, across NSW and across Australia through various activities, competitions and programs.

Examples in the classroom and across the school include:

• Learning tasks are experienced at an adjusted pace and level of complexity, requiring sustained challenge and higher-order thinking.

• Progress is continuously monitored through formative assessment, enabling learning experiences to be adapted in response to growth and readiness.

• Abstract thinking, inquiry, and exploration of concepts beyond age-level expectations are embedded in learning experiences.

• Access to advanced learning pathways, including acceleration or curriculum compaction, is provided based on demonstrated readiness.

• Critical thinking and problem-solving strategies are explicitly learned and applied across learning contexts.

• Choice and authenticity are embedded in cross-curricular tasks that foster critical and creative thinking.

• Strengths are recognised through targeted feedback and purposeful goal setting to extend achievement.

• Learning environments support exploration, reflection, and self-assessment.

• Confidence, perseverance, and intellectual risk-taking are encouraged through safe learning environments.

• Peer collaboration and structured reflection deepen thinking and understanding.

• Flexible grouping supports collaboration, ideation, and presentation of learning.

• Leadership opportunities are available within and beyond the classroom to apply and extend strengths.

• Leadership in physical demonstrations, tactical decisions, or team strategy is encouraged in movement contexts.

• Targeted goals guide the refinement of coordination, agility, and movement control.

• Differentiated movement tasks extend physical skills and performance in PDHPE contexts.

Regional, State, National and International opportunities include:

• In Drama our students are regularly selected for OnSTAGE, and the NSW Public Schools State Drama Ensemble, and Featured Drama Ensemble for Schools Spectacular.

• In English, Debating and Public Speaking, Stage 4, 5 and 6 debating including participation in the Combined High School Debating Team, The premiers Debating Challenge, the NSW Junior and Senior State Debating Championship.

• Our Environment Group meets each week this year to work on small sustainability projects and plan student-led activities. We also run ecology workshops for local primary students.

• In HSIE, the National Finals of the Illuminate Challenge the Newcastle Future Entrepreneurs competition the EBE Plan your own Enterprise competition, UBS Finance Academy, History Extension Essay Prize, UNSW Playconomics Competition and the Mock Trial Competition.

• In Languages and TAS, hosting the Nichidai Buzan Girls from Japan, continuing to strengthen international connections and cultural exchange. In TAS, the McCormick Flavour Challenge. Year 10 Food Technology successfully catered a fund raising event for OzHarvest.

• The Library Write a Book in a Day, the Premiers Reading Challenge, and our  Book Club's celebration of Jane Austen's 250th birthday.

• In Mathematics, the Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians, the Australasian Problem-Solving Mathematical Olympiad and the Australian Mathematics Competition.

• In Music, our Co-Curricular program includes the choir, the String Orchestra, the Symphonic Band, the Jazz Band, and our various choirs. Our choirs participate in the Ryde Eisteddfod and Sydney Eisteddfod.  Members of the Senior Choir represented HGHS as part of the combined choir in NSW Schools Spectacular.

In NAPLAN our school was ranked second best in New South Wales for literacy and numeracy and importantly best school for girls in NSW.

• In Science our students participate in the RACI International Chemistry Quiz, Junior Science Olympiads, Australian Science Olympiad, Australian Brain Bee Challenge, Big Science Competition, the Science Teachers Association of NSW Young Scientist Competition.

• In Social Justice, our International Women's Day Breakfast raises funds in support of building a Gender Equal Future, we also work closely with Hornsby Women's Shed, Hornsby Council, NSW Police, the Red Shield Appeal, the Hamlin Fistula Organisation.

• School sport continued to thrive with Zone, Regional and State based competitions.

• In Tournament of Minds, students from Years 7 to 10 collaborate in our Tournament of Minds program, developing their problem-solving skills.

• In Visual Arts, our students attend the National Art School HSC Intensive Studio Practice and participate in the Young Curators Program, in Operation Art, in the Lester Portrait prize.

• The Minister’s Student Council is the peak forum for interaction between NSW public school students, NSW Education and the NSW Minister for Education and our students participate in this opportunity.

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.

Contact us