High potential and gifted education (HPGE)

What is HPGE?

HPGE stands for High Potential and Gifted Education. It focuses on identifying and supporting students who demonstrate high potential across various areas. Potential exists along a continuum, and students may require different levels of support depending on how their abilities compare to their peers.

🌟 High Potential: Students whose abilities exceed those of their age peers in one or more domains. They benefit from targeted enrichment and extension programs.

🌟 Gifted: Students whose abilities significantly exceed their peers. These students often require curriculum adjustments and in-depth enrichment.

🌟 Highly Gifted: Students whose abilities vastly exceed their peers, typically in the top 1%. They require individualised learning plans and targeted acceleration.

Who are HPG Students?

HPG students are those who demonstrate high potential in one or more of the following domains:

🌟 Intellectual: Students who exhibit advanced cognitive abilities, including exceptional problem-solving, reasoning, and academic skills, particularly in areas like math, language, and science.

🌟 Creative: Students with exceptional creativity and originality, often displaying innovative thinking in artistic expression, design, or conceptual problem-solving.

🌟 Social-Emotional: Students who display strong leadership, emotional intelligence, empathy, and the ability to influence and guide others, contributing positively to social contexts and group dynamics.

🌟 Physical: Students who show advanced skills in physical activities or sports, with exceptional coordination, strategy, and athletic performance beyond typical age expectations.

At Toronto High School, we identify and support students in these domains, offering tailored learning experiences to help them reach their full potential.

How do we identify HPG Students?

The identification of High Potential and Gifted (HPG) students is based on a range of evidence-based indicators that ensure equitable recognition of student potential across various domains. This process ensures that students with high potential are identified and provided with appropriate learning opportunities to support their growth.

Indicators for Identifying HPG Students:

🌟 Teacher Observations: Noticing students’ performance, behaviours, and potential for excellence.

🌟 Academic Data: Achievement data and results from standardized testing to identify high-level academic capabilities.

🌟 Student Work: Samples or portfolios demonstrating advanced skills, creativity, or critical thinking.

🌟 Enrichment Participation: Involvement in competitions, performances, or other enrichment activities that highlight advanced abilities.

🌟 Self-Nomination: Student interest in seeking out extension opportunities to challenge themselves.

🌟 Specialist Recommendations: Feedback from mentors, specialists, or external providers about the student’s potential.

🌟 Social-Emotional and Leadership Capabilities: Evidence of leadership qualities, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal skills.

Processes for Identification

🌟 Year 6 Transition and New Enrolment:
Students transitioning from primary school or enrolling at the school are identified using a combination of parent/student nominations, primary school data, teacher recommendations, and relevant assessment information.

🌟 LEAP Selection: The LEAP (Learning Enrichment and Acceleration Program) selection process involves parent applications, school and external assessment data, HAST test results, and interviews to assess suitability for the program.

🌟 Parent Inquiry: Families can support the identification process by submitting information about their child’s achievements and potential. Please complete the online referral form.

🌟 HPGE Referral Process: Teachers can nominate students for HPGE consideration based on a range of indicators. These referrals are reviewed by the HPGE panel, which evaluates the evidence and allocates appropriate support based on the student's level of need.

How do we select LEAP Students?

Selection for LEAP primarily occurs in Year 6, based on an Expression of Interest (EOI), school reports, NAPLAN data, and teacher recommendations. After this, students may be invited to complete HAST testing and attend an interview. Offers are made in a first-round, and if necessary, a second-round process follows.

Please click here for further information including key dates and Expressions of Interest Forms.

Acceleration Opportunities

Collaboration and Career Pathways

Support for All Needs

Classroom Differentiation: The Foundation of Support

Classroom differentiation is a core part of our approach. Teachers adjust lessons so that each student is working at the right level of challenge, engaging with tasks, extension activities, and opportunities for independence.

We use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a guide, helping students move from basic understanding to more complex skills like analysis, problem-solving, and creativity. This approach ensures students are consistently challenged and develop their talents to their fullest potential.

Learning Enrichment & Acceleration Pathways (LEAP) Program

The LEAP Program is designed to provide academic enrichment and advanced learning opportunities for selected students in Years 7–10. The program offers a curriculum that is more complex, rigorous, and focused on inquiry, critical thinking, and high expectations.

Further information regarding our LEAP program is available here.