High potential and gifted education (HPGE)
At Botany Public School, we are committed to nurturing the talents and potential of every student. As part of this commitment, we follow the NSW Department of Education’s high potential and gifted education policy, which guides how schools identify and support students who demonstrate high potential across a range of areas.
The four domains of high potential
The HPGE policy identifies four key domains in which students may show high potential or giftedness:
- Intellectual – Advanced learning capacity in areas such as reading, writing, problem solving or critical thinking.
- Creative – Originality, imagination, and innovative thinking in visual or performing arts, writing, or design.
- Social-emotional – Leadership skills, empathy, motivation, and emotional intelligence beyond age expectations.
- Physical – Exceptional physical abilities, coordination, or athletic skill in sports or movement-based activities.
High potential vs gifted vs highly gifted
Understanding the differences between these terms can help clarify how schools support different learners:
- High potential: A student has the capacity for high performance but may not be achieving at a high level yet. With the right environment, these students can flourish.
- Gifted: A student consistently demonstrates performance significantly above age-level expectations. They usually grasp new concepts quickly and need tasks that challenge and extend their learning.
- Highly gifted: A smaller group of students who perform at extraordinary levels well beyond their age peers. These students may need more tailored and accelerated learning plans.
How do we support HPGE students?
At BPS, we use a range of methods to identify and support students with high potential or giftedness. This may include teacher observations, classroom assessments, standardised testing or student work samples. Once identified, students may be supported through classroom differentiation, enrichment tasks, social-emotional support or, in some cases, Personalised Learning and Support Plans (PLSPs).
We are proud to offer a wide range of opportunities to help students with high potential thrive across all four domains—intellectual, creative, social-emotional, and physical.
Co-curricular opportunities
Students who demonstrate particular talents are encouraged to showcase their abilities through a variety of school and community opportunities. In recent years, our talented students have proudly represented Botany Public School in events such as:
- Performing in the local schools’ showcase at Kingsford Juniors (band and dance)
- Having artworks displayed at the Office of the Children’s Guardian as part of Operation Art
- Entering artworks in the Art Gallery of NSW’s Young Archies Competition
- Performing at the Big Band Bash hosted by Daceyville Public School
- Representing the school and local PSSA in a wide range of sports, including rugby league and tennis
- Representing the school at weekly PSSA inter-school competitons in softball, OzTag, netball and soccer
- Competing in local PSSA carnivals for swimming, athletics, and cross country at Zone, State, and National levels
- Participating in ICAS competitions across Reading, Mathematics, and Science
These programs allow students to pursue their passions, be challenged at appropriate levels, and connect with like-minded peers.
Families are key partners in this process, and we welcome your insights and involvement. If you believe your child may be showing high potential in one or more of these domains, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or a member of the school executive team.
Student opportunities and activities
At Botany Public School, we are committed to helping every student thrive by providing access to a broad, creative and engaging curriculum.
Uniform
Wearing our school uniform helps students feel a sense of belonging and pride in our school community. Find out more about our uniform and where to purchase it.