High potential and gifted education

At Sir Joseph Banks High School, supporting High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) is an integral part of our daily approach. We are dedicated to recognising and developing the talents of gifted and high potential students, ensuring that each student has the chance to excel and succeed in their learning journey.

Our Quality teaching pedagogies that support improved student outcomes include:

• We maintain high expectations to challenge and extend every student, recognising this drives higher performance. Our teaching is explicit, with clear strategies, learning intentions, and success criteria, building strong foundations in literacy and numeracy. Timely, constructive feedback supports student growth and self-regulation. We use data from various assessments to tailor learning, addressing individual needs and interests. Effective classroom management fosters a positive, inclusive environment that encourages creativity, risk-taking, and collaboration. We prioritise student wellbeing, understanding its vital role in holistic development and academic success. Finally, collaboration among students and staff underpins our commitment to sharing innovative practices and cultivating a culture of excellence.

• Our supportive classroom environments foster a strong sense of belonging, where students feel safe and valued. We actively encourage risk-taking, creativity, and collaboration, empowering students to explore new ideas, develop innovative solutions, and work effectively with their peers in a supportive and inclusive setting.

• Connected Curriculum: The Stage 4 Connected Curriculum subject is designed to cultivate the essential 4C skills—critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication. Through an interdisciplinary and engaging approach, this curriculum provides enriched opportunities for students to deepen their analytical abilities, work collaboratively with peers, think innovatively, and articulate their ideas effectively, thereby preparing them for future academic and real-world challenges.

• The Year 10 Geography Elective is designed for students who have demonstrated high potential in Year 9 geography. This elective offers an opportunity to deepen their understanding and develop advanced skills in preparation for the Stage 6 Geography course in the Higher School Certificate (HSC). The curriculum encompasses a comprehensive study of Oceanography, Physical Geography, and Political Geography, providing a strong foundation for academic progression and fostering a nuanced appreciation of global geographical dynamics.

Our school is dedicated to fostering engagement and challenge for every student, recognising and valuing the unique potential within each individual. We understand that achieving excellence, particularly for high potential and gifted learners, is grounded in cultivating supportive school environments characterised by quality teaching, inspiring leadership, and purposeful learning. Potential exists along a continuum, and we are committed to implementing differentiated approaches and tailored interventions that respond to the diverse needs and strengths of our students, ensuring that all have equitable opportunities to thrive and excel.

• Joeys Elite Athlete Program (JEAP): The High Performance Student Athlete Program at Sir Joseph Banks High School supports high potential and gifted athletes to reach their elite potential while fostering pride in their identity as student-athletes. Through a comprehensive coaching and mentoring program, supported by Greater Western Sydney (GWS) and the XVenture program, students identify and develop the skills needed for success in their chosen sport. This unique program is tailored to SJBHS and developed in consultation with NESA developed Physical Literacy Continuum, General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum, FTEM NSW Office of Sport and The Australian Institute of Sport future athlete pathways criteria. This program affords our students access resources such as personalised strength and conditioning programs, links with industry professionals, specialised training days and weekly sessions building communication, leadership and strategical skills.

• All students at SJBHS, including high potential and gifted students, are encouraged to take on leadership roles through the Student Representative Council, ABCN emerging leaders program, futures teacher club and leadership of major events including ANZAC and Remembrance Day, School Awards Ceremonies and whole school assemblies.

• The Senior Hub Inspire Centre (SHAC) offers dedicated support and weekly workshops within a calm, well-equipped environment designed to foster sustained effort for our Stage 6 students. Through personalised learning profiles, students receive tailored guidance that aligns with their individual strengths and aspirations, helping them navigate tertiary education opportunities and confidently prepare for their future pathways.

• Talent in the Arts is celebrated and extended through music ensembles, drama performances and our community link with the Sydney Opera Houses BUILD STEAM project. The program uses creative problem-solving and human-centered design to encourage interest in the world of science, technology, engineering, arts, architecture and mathematics

• Like Minds:  A High Potential and Gifted opportunity targets students identified within the Intellectual Domain. This opportunity allows students to explore their creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills through a focus project. Students compete in groups of four made up of a mix of students from Years 7-10, tackling a universal problem, the theme changing each year.

• Joey’s Journos: targeting high potential and gifted writers, this initiative also develops the creative domain through the graphic design of the publication. Students are identified, given explicit development opportunities and measured against literacy progressions to track their progress in writing above age and stage.

• Wellbeing programs: the social-emotional domain refers to natural abilities in self-management and relating to and interacting with others. Our MMM and GEMMS programs identify these students, providing supported opportunities to further develop their capacity to support and relate to others through volunteering and community outreach opportunities. Student also give back to the school community through peer mediation training, supporting events of younger year groups and working with students from our Inclusive Education Unit.

Our students can participate in a wide range of state-wide programs that aim to extend and enrich student potential.

• Intellectual - The Premier’s Reading and Debating Challenges promote academic enrichment and extension in a competitive environment. Students are encouraged to supplement their in-school learning with practice of key concepts like spelling and vocabulary knowledge, wide reading and argumentation.

• Physical - We continue to prioritise and promote participation in sporting pathways such as gala days, knock outs, PSSA, grade sport and selection through to zone, regional and state carnivals. As a result of the JEAP program, there has been an increase in students making these representative levels, including CHS (Combined High Schools).