High potential and gifted education

At Wyong High School, High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) is thoughtfully integrated into everyday classroom learning to challenge and inspire students to reach their full potential. Our dedicated approach ensures that all students receive tailored opportunities to deepen their understanding and excel across a range of subjects.

• Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking​.
• Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning​.
• Advanced learning pathways, including accelerated or compacted content​.
• 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.
• Flexible grouping for collaborative ideation and presentation​.
• Differentiated movement tasks and skill refinement in PDHPE​.
• Targeted learning goals for coordination, agility, and control​.
• Opportunities to take on lead roles in physical demonstrations or team strategy​.
• 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​.

Wyong High School recognises the uniqueness of every student and offers flexible, diverse opportunities for students to explore and develop their strengths beyond the classroom.

• AIM HIGH Program - AIM HIGH targets student potential for successful lifelong learning. The program seeks to align motivation and enthusiasm for learning with the skills to advance learning potential. It is a unique and innovative learning program that prepares students for post-secondary education, skills development and work-readiness. AIM HIGH offers highly motivated learners the opportunity to extend and enrich their learning experience through curriculum experiences and access to unique extended learning opportunities.

• STEM Selective Program - Our STEM selective class follows a tailored pathway enabling students to complete 100 hours of a Computing elective by the end of Year 9, laying a strong foundation for advanced technology studies. With over half of Australian jobs already requiring digital skills and demand for coding and AI set to grow, this pathway gives students a head start for the future workforce.

• Accelerated Learning - At Wyong High School, we offer early commencement and early completion pathways that are fully NESA-compliant, empowering capable and motivated students to progress at a pace that matches their abilities and ambitions.

  Stage 6 HSC VET:In 2026, every Year 10 student will have the opportunity to begin a Stage 6 HSC VET course, engaging in skills-based learning, work placements, and industry immersion. This pathway also frees up their HSC year to focus on rigorous academic study, with the added option to sit their HSC VET exams early. Certificates II or III earned through this program can count as separate applications for early entry to numerous universities—including UON—providing a unique advantage for future study.

  Accelerated Science:Our highest-achieving Stage 4 Science students complete Years 9 and 10 Science by the end of Year 9, allowing them to progress to Stage 6 Science sooner and access advanced learning while still in Year 10. This accelerated pathway also aims to increase female participation in science-based subjects, opening pathways to scholarships and future careers. Complementing this initiative is our Girls Engineering Club, where female students in Years 9 and 10 visit local universities to complete hands-on challenges and explore STEAM-based careers.

• Identifying and supporting individual students - Wyong High School has adopted a referral process to identify individual students across four domains. A focus team allocated to working with these students to support and develop learning plans. Students are identified over four domains:

  Intellectual: The intellectual domain of potential refers to natural abilities in processing, understanding, reasoning, and the transfer of learning.

  Creative: The creative domain of potential refers to natural abilities in imagination, invention and originality.

  Physical: The physical domain of potential refers to natural abilities in muscular movement and motor control.

  Social/Emotional: The social-emotional domain of potential refers to natural abilities in self-management and relating to and interacting with others.

  Other opportunities at Wyong High School:

• Debating and creative writing

• Academic competitions

• Visual arts showcase

• Sport squads

• Student leadership

• Wellbeing programs

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

• The Premier’s Spelling Bee promotes our students’ vocabulary development and attention to detail in competitive settings.
• The Premier’s Debating Challenge helps our students to build logical arguments and confidence in public speaking.
• Our STEM Enrichment Partnerships with industry and universities deepen our students’ intellectual curiosity while developing innovation and collaboration.
• Involvement in the Game Changer Challenge empowers our students to solve future-focused problems using design thinking.
• The Schools Spectacular is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools.
• 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.
• Participation in state-wide dance ensembles develops our high potential and gifted Stage 5 dance students’ technical skills, performance presence and physical expressiveness.
• Our mentoring programs connect our students with trusted adults including school alumni to build confidence, motivation, and interpersonal skills.