Inspire – High potential and gifted education
In 2025, the NSW Department of Education is focused on our Inspire – High potential and gifted education (HPGE) policy to better support students who have exceptional abilities. To achieve this, here at BNPS, we have created a specialised HPGE focused team who are leading action research projects, to find effective ways to engage these students.
Our staff are dedicated to exploring different tools and strategies to help all learners reach their personal best. Identifying and supporting students with high potential is an ongoing process that happens throughout their education, not just at one point in time.
For all diverse learners, including those in the HPGE category, we start by making adjustments in the classroom to meet their needs. These processes exist in each and every classroom at BNPS, whereby teachers provide exemplary opportunities for talent development through differentiated curriculum implementation. Please note that all differentiation processes take ten weeks to evaluate, as substantial time is required to gather information and assess the effectiveness of these adjustments.
Where evidence supports needs beyond these classroom level adjustments, we will refer specific students to our Diverse Learners Team. If appropriate, this team will evaluate the data collated through a variety of sources and initiate next steps in further individualised support.
Please refer to our HPGE procedure for further information:
Our high potential and gifted education opportunities
Our students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW. Our teachers at BNPS are committed to developing high potential across the 4 domains, finding potential and nurturing our students to be the best that they can be.
At Balgowlah North Public School, we challenge our students to think, create, lead, and grow every day. Our supportive classroom environments foster a sense of belonging and encourage risk-taking, creativity, and collaboration.
In our classrooms, you will consistently see:
- Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking.
- Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning.
- Explicit teaching of critical thinking and problem-solving strategies.
- Opportunities for abstraction, inquiry, and curriculum depth.
- Tasks that promote choice, authenticity, and critical and creative thinking including cross-curricular projects.
- Supportive learning environments that enable exploration and self-assessment.
- Strengths-based feedback and goal setting.
- Opportunities for leadership within the classroom.
- Structured peer collaboration and reflection.
- Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance.
These classroom practices ensure that all students, including those with high potential and gifted learners, are supported first and foremost in their everyday learning.
Our school recognises that every student is an individual, and we provide flexible and diverse opportunities for students to explore and develop their strengths beyond the classroom.
Student talent is encouraged and supported through a myriad of opportunities within our school community, including:
- Premier's debating challenge team
- Interschool sport competitions
- Critical thinking workshops
- Music ensembles - including Senior and Junior Choir plus our bands
- The BNPS Art Show (visual arts)
- K-2 and 3-6 Performance evenings
- Sport squads
- Sydney North Public Schools Dance Festival team
- LightsUP drama ensemble
- Peer mentoring
- Student leadership (SRC)
- Wellbeing programs
- Eco Warriors
- Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives.
We actively participate in statewide activities and competitions, which provide invaluable opportunities for students to be challenged, encouraged, and extended. These opportunities span multiple domains and include both team and individual-based events.
- Participation in drama ensembles promotes character exploration, storytelling and expressive freedom for high potential and gifted drama students.
- Participation in music ensembles hones our students’ musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.
- The Premier’s Sporting Challenge (PSC) promotes whole-school participation in physical activity with leadership pathways and professional learning.
- The Representative School Sport Pathway and PSSA and CHSSA events enable our students to trial and compete in sports at regional, state and national levels, fostering discipline, commitment and collaboration.
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.
Our principal and staff
Get to know our wonderful Balgowlah North Public School team who sit at the heart of our school community.
Curriculum overview
At our school, we follow the NSW Curriculum to provide every child with a rich and engaging learning experience. Find out more here.