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.

Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?

Recognising potential and developing talent

Our teachers find potential and nurture our students to be the best they can be.

Tailored lessons

Each student has different abilities. Teachers respond to each student’s ability by providing extra challenges and extension activities to keep learning exciting and engaging.

Rich opportunities and activities

Students can take part in opportunities to develop their talent in the arts, sport, leadership and more.

Opening doors to wider experiences

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:

Our high potential and gifted education opportunities

At Wideview Public School, our students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW.  We pride ourselves on the bespoke programs we offer our HPGE students and aim to identify and support the wide variety of talents our students bring to the school.

In our classroom

In our classroom we tailor our learning to suit the needs of our students. We have:

  • Explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem-solving strategies.
  • Flexible grouping for collaborative working.
  • Targeted learning goals.
  • Supportive learning environments that enable exploration and self-assessment.
  • Opportunities for leadership within the classroom​.
  • Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking​.
  • Formative assessment and 'data talks' with stage and grade teachers to monitor growth, adapt learning, and identify high potential​.
Across the school

Our students all learn in different and varied ways, bringing their unique and diverse abilities to the school. We provide a range of opportunities to support our students:

  • Debating

  • Specific, bespoke HPGE groups and programs, including:

    • Podcasting
    • 3D printing
    • Art
    • Digital Music
    • Coding
    • Maths Explorers
    • Building and engineering challenges

  • The school Junior and Senior Band

  • Showcase productions

  • Junior and Senior Dance

  • Beginner and Senior Recorders

  • Performing Arts Night

  • Drama Club

  • Eco-Warriors

  • Student Representative Council (SRC)

  • Student Leadership Opportunities (School Leaders, Library Monitors, Band Captains, PA and Tech Head Teams)

  • Peer Support Program K-6

  • Kinder and Year 6 Buddy Program

  • Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives.

  • External providers - Chess, Music lessons K-2

Across NSW

Our students have wonderful opportunities to engage in a range of activities tailored to extend their learning and life experiences:

  • The Premier’s Spelling Bee promotes our students’ vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.
  • The Premier’s Debating Challenge helps our students to build logical arguments and confidence in public speaking.
  • The Representative School Sport and Hornsby Zone (HZSS) events that enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.
  • The Schools Spectacular - an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools.
  • Academic competitions (ICAS)
  • Northside Gifted and Talented Network and Gateways - Wideview PS has had a long connection with this network of schools. Each year, selected students attend workshops hosted by schools within the network and have the opportunity to engage in rich and deep learning of a particular topic.
  • YICTE - Young ICT Explorers - For the past four years, we have had one very successful team of four students enter this external competition. In 2025, we are keen to support interested students to work collaboratively to create an invention that is unique and purposeful for the world we live in today. This program is designed for students in Years 3-6 who have the initiative to work on a project in and out of school hours.

Wideview's Highly Inquisitive Groups

Highly Inquisitive Groups is an internal program for students who demonstrate an inquisitive nature and/or display high potential in a certain subject area. Teachers lead weekly 1 hour workshop sessions focusing on a chosen subject matter. Each program generally runs for 8-12 weeks with a whole school and parent expo at the conclusion of the program to celebrate the creative learning journey.

Past Programs

Agent Escape

Students solved a series of challenges where their secret Lego agents had to escape off an island. These included building a plane, a parachute, an observation tower, a vehicle and a bridge using only paper and other simple resources.

Videocasting

Inspired by the children's news show, BTN, students put together their own videocast investigating daily life at Wideview.

Challenge of the Century

One of Wideview's more audacious programs where students across the school pitted themselves against each other in a broad range of challenges from Master Rubiks Solver to Most Knowledgeable about Dinosaurs.

Music Production

Students explored sound design and used the Digital Audio Workstation software, Ableton Live, to produce their own music track.

Grand Designs

Inspired by the TV show, students had to research and design a building that would fit with the local redevelopment and building projects. They used CAD software and 3D printers to design and build their models.

Grandstand

Students had to adhere to a range of rules in order to design a grandstand seating space for the school oval. They then built models from card and paper.

Art Attack

This was for our highly artistic students. They expanded their range of artistic skills and put together a gallery presentation for the school.

Big Bang Percussion

Led by our in-school musician, Mr Harpur, students explored rhythms and beats from a range of cultures using djembe drums.

Maths Explorers

Our younger, Year 2 and Year 3 students were dared to solve a range of rigorous mathematical challenges, developing strategies for success and perseverance.

Robotics with Beebots

Our younger, Year 2 students explored robotics and coding by designing and solving mazes for their BeeBot robots.

3D Playground

Children were tasked with designing and modelling a new playground space for the school. They used TinkerCAD and 3D printers to make their models.

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There are plenty of other opportunities for students to show off and develop their talents and expertise at Wideview Public School:

End of Year Showcase

The highlight of the year is our Showcase performance that involves the whole school performing to a packed-out hall for 3 shows. This year's theme was Imagine and performances ranged from imaging a world made of candy, to Lego and a future filled with robots.

Debating

Students engage in a challenging program designed to develop their skills in debating and public speaking. They develop their ability to think quickly, logically and persuasively. They also develop the skills to think of and consider opposing views as well as develop counter arguments.

HZSS Sport

Our students represent the school in a range of sports competing in the Hornsby Zone School Sport competition. This year students could select from soccer, AFL, netball, and cricket.

Schools Spectacular!

This year students represented Wideview at the phenomenal School Spectacular where they joined a bang of over 1000 other students to perform in concerts at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

Science Fair

Students across the school shared their passion for science in this year's science fair. They confidently put together their experiments and presented their findings. Here, Jack shares his knowledge of space and his handmade planetarium.

Band

From Year 3, students are able to learn a musical instrument and join the Junior or Senior School Band. This year our band was able to collaborate with students from The Forest High School and perform for the school.

Dance

Our young performers preparing for the Eisteddfod.

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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

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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