Gifted and Talented Education
Philosophy
Perth College caters for the educational needs of high potential and gifted students. We are committed to developing students who are academically gifted, as well as those with sporting, musical or other talents.
We provide targeted enrichment, subject streaming, ability grouping and differentiation from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12.
The Gifted and Talented Program focuses on promoting educational excellence for gifted students within an inclusive environment. Students of high academic ability are challenged through rigorous curricula and quality teaching to reach their full potential.
How it works
The Gifted and Talented Program at Perth College focuses upon meeting students’ needs through:
- Dynamic, evidence-informed identification
- Development and delivery of appropriate curricula to challenge and engage
- Ongoing case-management of identified students
- A caring and compassionate approach to student development
- Professional learning for teachers, parents and the wider school community
Program
Our Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 is Lucy Birts. Lucy Birts collaborates with teachers, Heads of department and other key stakeholders to support gifted education and talent development. She also provides professional learning for teachers.
Junior School
Our Gifted and Talented program in the Junior School focuses on dynamic, ‘sprint-based’ withdrawal programs that seek to target students’ specific strengths/areas of talent. These Learning Sprints cover topics including Mathematical problem-solving; Critical and Creative thinking; Scientific Inquiry; Geographical Inquiry and Creative Writing. Identification measures draw on multiple data points including formative and summative assessment data, teacher observations and student profiles.
Underpinning these Learning Sprints is a strong focus on quality differentiated teaching programs and assessments within the mainstream classroom. The Learning Engagement team work closely with teachers on programming and planning to ensure our gifted and high ability students are extended daily.
Additionally, the Eudaimonia program links Gifted Students in the Junior School and High School to work together on projects tailored to their areas of interest.
Senior School
Gifted and talented students may participate in enriched, extended or accelerated learning experiences from Years 7 to 12 at Perth College. Teachers are supported to develop subject specific, academic curricula to challenge students and support talent development.
As well as enrichment and extension, curriculum compacting and acceleration, there are provisions for:
- Streaming in MESH subjects
- Clustering gifted and talented/high potential students outside MESH subjects
- Acceleration options
- Support and mentoring for Twice Exceptional students and underachieving Gifted and Talented students (including Executive Functioning support)
- Support for Gifted First Nations and EAL/D students
- Peer Mentoring and Academic Coaching
- Access to multiple external competitions and initiatives
Gifted and Talented Partnerships
- Australian MENSA School
- Curtin University ISSP
- Future Problem Solving
- Gifted WA
- Tournament of the Minds
- Da Vinci Decathlon
- Growing up Greatness (Kylie Bice)