High potential and gifted education

Some students learn faster and more easily than others, excelling in areas such as creativity, critical thinking, leadership, or sport. All NSW public schools have a range of differentiated learning opportunities, enabling students to thrive and reach their own potential.

At Keira High School, we recognise and nurture these strengths from an early stage. We support advanced learners through  differentiated lessons and enrichment activities  that challenge them, extend their abilities, and help them grow and thrive.

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 and extension opportunities.  

• tailored support during lessons that stretch, challenge and inspire.

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

  ---

High potential and gifted education at Keira High School

• At Keira High School we are committed to developing high potential across four domains: creative, intellectual, physical and social-emotional.
• We foster a culture of high expectations and equity in excellence, ensuring every student, regardless of background, has opportunities to develop their potential into talent.
• All students at Keira High School benefit from high-quality teaching that meets their individual learning needs.

We offer high potential and gifted education opportunities

We offer - Specialised HPGE Opportunities

Year 7 and Year 8 Excel Enrichment Program

• Is your child a high achiever? Do they enjoy extending their knowledge and skills? Are they motivated to extend their own learning? If so, the  Keira High School Excel Class  may be the right choice for them.

• At our school, we believe that every student benefits from opportunities that extend beyond the regular classroom curriculum. Our enrichment Stage four Excel classes are designed to challenge and inspire students by offering deeper exploration of subjects, fostering creativity, and developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. We are committed to providing a supportive learning environment where students are encouraged to pursue their passions, build confidence, and develop a lifelong passion of learning.

• If you wish to apply for the 2027 Year 7 Excel Class please attend the Parent Information Evening on Tuesday 5 May 2026.

We offer – Whole-School opportunities

Our school offers a range of whole-school programs that support student growth.

• Southern Stars
• Chess club
• Debating opportunities
• Crochet club
• Duke of Edinburgh
• Interact Club – Wollongong Rotary Club
• NSW Premier Reading Challenge
• Peer support
• Student Representative Council
• Sport Leadership Opportunities
• Sporting Carnivals
• Representative Sporting Opportunities
• Mountain Bike Competitions
• NSW Premier Sporting Challenge
• Art Club
• Keirabald Annual Art Exhibition
• CAPA Showcase
• Choir
• Keira High School Band
• Japanese Exchange Program
• Growing Resilience Program

We offer - Classroom opportunities

We are committed to recognising and nurturing high potential and gifted students, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive at our school.

• Writing competitions
• Public Speaking competitions
• Math Olympiad and Mathematics Competitions
• Science and Engineering Challenge
• STEM Challenges
• Science Week Collaboration Opportunities
• Australian History and Geography Competition
• United Nations Education
• ASX Share Market Stimulation
• Local History Projects
• Inter school sporting competitions
• Hydrogen Car Challenge
• Bridge Building Challenge
• Robotics Competitions
• Young women in STEM opportunities
• Solar Car Challenge
• Coaching and Mentoring opportunities

To see a full description of the above activities please see the link: What we offer at Keira High School.

How do we find High Potential at Keira High School?

Evidence-informed teaching supports all students to achieve personal excellence.

• High potential students are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more areas.

• Gifted students are those whose potential significantly exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more subjects or areas.

• We use objective, valid and reliable measures to assess and identify high potential and gifted students’ learning needs.

• At our school, high potential and gifted students are assessed through:

  • application process for the excel class
  • achievement testing
  • performance-based assessments
  • student self-nominations
  • pre-testing and formative assessment
  • teacher observations.

• We implement evidence-informed strategies to support talent development for high potential and gifted students.

• Contact us via the link below for specific information about our high potential and gifted education opportunities.

Contact us

Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?

This program is designed to broaden horizons and unlock potential, ensuring students are prepared not only for academic success but also for the challenges and opportunities of the future.