High potential and gifted education

Some students learn faster and more easily than others. These students may shine in creativity, thinking, leadership or sport.

At our school, we recognise and nurture these strengths early. We support advanced learners with great lessons and activities to help them grow and thrive.

Learning Enrichment Accelerated Pathways (LEAP) Class

The predominate method MHS is addressing the intellectual HPGE domain is through a Learning Enrichment Accelerated Pathways (LEAP) class in Years 7 – 10. The purpose of the Moruya High School LEAP class is to create a quality learning environment for high potential students. The characteristics of the LEAP Class, adapted from CESE, include:

Selection of the group using data from a range of assessment points and measures (formative and summative),
Grouping these students in the same class for a number of subjects,
Differentiated curriculum to increase the level of challenge, complexity, depth and learning pace, and
Co-curricular activities to extend and motivate students to enhance students self-directed learning skills, team building school and self-satisfaction

Our high potential and gifted education opportunities

Student potential and learning opportunities may occur across multiple domains of potential (creative, intellectual, physical, and/or socio-emotional).

Below is a list of the talent development strategies for each of the domains of potential:

Creative Domain

Refers to natural abilities in imagination, invention and originality

Creative Writing Group - provides a weekly after-school platform for students to refine their critical and creative writing abilities, nurturing advanced literacy skills and fostering deeper talent development
Drama Club - offers a co-curricular environment where students can strengthen their performance skills and expressive capacity, supporting the cultivation of dramatic talent and confidence
MAD (Music, Art, Drama) Night - an annual Term 3 showcase that enables students to demonstrate their creative strengths to the school community, promoting talent development through authentic public performance and exhibition
External Competitions - such as the Mayor’s Writing Competition and the Little Sellers Art Prize, give students the opportunity to extend themselves, gain recognition, and further motivate their creative growth
Vocal Group - provides a weekly structured singing experience that enhances vocal technique, musicality, and artistic expression, contributing directly to students’ creative talent development
Excursions - theatres, galleries, and museums expose students to rich cultural experiences that broaden their perspectives and stimulate advanced creative thinking, reinforcing high-level talent development beyond the classroom
Music Lessons – students get 1:1 music lessons with an experienced tutor once per week which will be showcased at MAD Night

Intellectual domain

Refers to natural abilities in processing, understanding, reasoning, and the transfer of learning

LIFT Program – identified students in Year 12 participate in fortnightly lessons to extend them with study skills workshops
Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR) - PLC formed where colleagues observe each other and discuss practice aligned to QTF
Explicit Teaching – teachers clearly showing students what to do and how to do it, rather than having students discover that information themselves
Differentiation - increase the level of challenge, complexity, depth and learning pace for students in the LEAP class
Year 10 Goal Setting - goal setting with our LEAP students to help them focus their efforts, stay motivated, and measure progress toward achieving personal or professional aspirations
Communication with Parents - liaising with parents to maximise student outcomes
Enrichment Days - students in the Stage 5 LEAP classes will participate in a day to broaden the learning experience by applying learning to new and different contexts
Competitions - students in the LEAP classes will participate in a number of external run competitions (Australian Geography Competition, Australian History Competition, Big Science Competition, Australian Mathematics Competition) throughout the year across subjects. The cost of these will be covered by the school

Physical domain

Refers to natural abilities in muscular movement and motor control

School Facilities - including the gym, oval, MPC, and COLA, provide students with diverse, high-quality environments that support the ongoing development of physical talent and athletic skill
Training Groups - such as Run, Boxfit, and Spin offer weekly before- and after-school sessions that enhance students’ cardiovascular fitness and foster disciplined, long-term athletic development
Elite Sport Training - enables identified Stage 4 and 5 students to refine their physical talent through specialised coaching, with activities and expert teachers rotating each term to broaden skill sets
Representative Sport - offers students the chance to compete at Zone, Regional, and State levels across a wide range of disciplines, promoting advanced skill development, resilience, and high-performance potential
Coaching Development - embedded in PDHPE, PASS, and SLR courses, equips students with foundational coaching knowledge and leadership skills that strengthen their overall physical literacy and sporting capability
PL Coaching Qualifications - Staff ensure teachers are formally trained in specific sports, enabling them to better identify, nurture, and extend the athletic talent of students
Teaching Programs - in PDHPE, PASS, and SLR progressively increase in difficulty and provide targeted extension opportunities, challenging students to reach higher levels of physical performance
The Fast 5 Elite Athletes Opens Competition - showcases the top athletes from our school as they compete against other Eurobodalla schools, creating an authentic platform to demonstrate and further develop elite individual and team skills

Refers to natural abilities in self-management and relating to and interacting with others

Prefects and SRC - provide leadership opportunities that allow students to develop confidence, communication skills, and social responsibility while contributing meaningfully to the school community
Peer Support – enables students in Year 9 to build empathy, resilience, and collaborative skills by guiding and supporting younger peers in their transition to high school
Year 11 On Track Mentoring - offers personalised guidance that helps students strengthen their emotional intelligence, goal-setting skills, and interpersonal awareness through supportive adult or peer relationships
Youth Committee - group of local young people who meet during school term to provide their views on council plans, plan activities, volunteer for community events, and build leadership skills
Career Lessons - provide fortnightly opportunities for students to explore future study and employment pathways, helping them build self-awareness, confidence, and decision-making skills
Student Voice Initiatives - enable students to participate in surveys, focus groups, and feedback forums, fostering a sense of agency, responsibility, and ownership over their learning environment
Year 10 Future Me Course - immerses students in a week-long series of workshops designed to strengthen their personal capability, resilience, and readiness for life beyond school

What is high potential and gifted education?

High potential and gifted education (HPGE) is how our school supports students with advanced learning needs.

We do this through:

effective teaching strategies like enrichment, extension and acceleration

tailored support during lessons that stretch, challenge and inspire

access to a wide range of opportunities both within and beyond our school.