High potential and gifted education

At St Ives Public School, many students have high potential and we help that potential to grow into something powerful.

• Teachers identify students' learning needs in the classroom and differentiate tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking

• We provide learning pathways, including enrichment groups and extension classes to compacted content and develop a deep understanding of the curriculum.

• Teachers develop tasks that promote choice, authenticity, and critical and creative thinking​, including cross-curricular projects.

• Teachers use formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning​.

• Our supportive classroom environments promote a sense of belonging and encourage risk-taking, creativity, collaboration and perseverance.

• Groups are flexible, students take lead roles, and feedback is strengths-based with clear goals and self-assessment.

• Our teachers engage in professional learning to support the diverse needs of all students, including our high-potential and gifted learners.

Throughout our school, we recognise that each student is unique, so we offer a wide range of flexible and diverse opportunities. Located close to St Ives High School, we collaborate closely to provide additional extension programs.

• Students enhance their strengths through activities such as public speaking, debating, writing competitions, STEM and coding pathways, as well as parent-led workshops that share expertise.
• We celebrate talent through participation in the Combined School Musical, Sydney North Dance, and Ryde School Performing Arts Festival, along with art exhibitions at the local shopping centre and school band performances.
• Leadership is nurtured via the SRC and buddy programs, while wellbeing is supported through positive behaviour for learning (PBL) awards, access to on-site school counsellors, and our Therapy dog program.
• Sport is also an important focus, offering PSSA sport, training, coaching, and house competitions that include tailored physical education opportunities.

• Our STEM Enrichment Partnerships with industry and universities deepen our students’ intellectual curiosity while developing innovation and collaboration.
• The Representative School Sport Pathway and PSSA events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.
• Students participate in opportunities such as DoE Game Changer Challenge, the da Vinci Decathlon, APSMO Maths Olympiad, DoE WriteOn, Premier’s Spelling Bee, Premier’s Multicultural Public Speaking and Dorothea Mackellar Poetry.