High Potential and Gifted Education

Applying for our specialised Gifted and Talented programs - STEM and academic progam

Placements are open to ‘out of area’ and local enrolment students

At Gymea Technology High School we are committed to supporting every student achieve their educational potential by providing talent development opportunities and differentiated learning experiences that are aimed at raising expectations and building student capabilities. Our High Potential and Gifted Education program has been developed to promote engagement and challenge for every student. We believe high potential students from all backgrounds should have access to quality learning opportunities that meet their needs and aspirations and we use evidence based talent development to optimise growth and achievement across all domains.

We offer high quality learning opportunities to all high potential and gifted students through our Gifted and Talented program which includes:

Specialised STEM Program
Academic Selective classes
Talented Technology Programs
Advanced learning pathways
Enrichment, extension and extracurricular programs

Academic Selective Class

We offer opportunities to extend the learning of our high potential and gifted students through our Academic Selective classes in years 7 and 8. These opportunities extend into years 9 and 10 through our accelerated learning pathways with a particular focus in Mathematics where students accelerate into.

Stage 6 learning allowing them to experience the demands of completing the Year 11 Mathematics Advanced course in Year 10.

All students are invited to sit the High Potential and Gifted Program student testing. Inclusion into our academic selective class in year 7 is based on student performance, application information gathered from primary schools and an assessment of literacy, numeracy and writing skills which is completed in May. We invite parents to provide additional information about their child’s achievements, including records of academic achievement, NAPLAN results, literacy & numeracy competitions, school reports and their primary school portfolio.

Talented Technology Program

At Gymea Technology High School we encourage high potential and gifted students of technology to apply for the Talented Technology Program that develops individual talent and interest in technology, as well as a broadened student understanding of technology in the 21st Century.

This program provides year 7 and 8 students the opportunity to undertake project based learning through gaming design, robotics, web design, multimedia including movie design and photographic and digital media. The year 9 and 10 Talented Technology Program provides students with choice over the pathway they wish for their technology learning to take them, including study of a Stage 6 Technology based HSC course which see’s them complete their HSC in Information and Process Technology or Industrial Technology Multimedia in Year 10.

Inclusion into the Talented Technology Program is based on an application and a portfolio of student accomplishments. In addition, students will be asked to complete an assessment focused on their literacy, numeracy and technology skills.

Future Pathways for our High Potential students

The majority of our students head into further tertiary study as they graduate from Gymea Technology High School. For our Gifted and Talented students, we see them achieving placement across many of our world class University’s year after year both through early entry into courses and through their high performance in the Higher School Certificate.

You can hear from some of our most recent 2020 graduates who were inspired to pursue STEM pathways after their involvement in our Gifted and Talented programs in the short video below.

Application Process and Forms

STEP 1

Come along to our HPGE Program Information Session to learn more about the programs we offer. This year our HPGE Information Session will be on Tuesday 27 February at 5:30pm in the school auditorium.

STEP 2

To apply for either or both of the two programs download and complete the Gifted and Talented Expression of Interest Form below.

If you are out of the Gymea Technology High School drawing area, also complete the Out of Area Application Form.

Gifted and talented application form

Out of area application form

STEP 3

Submit the applications with accompanying portfolio to the School by Friday 12 April 2024.

If you have missed the due date, the school may consider late applications depending on vacancies in the programs. If you wish to make a late application, please contact our Enrolment Officer on 9521 3244.

STEP 4

Program testing for both gifted and talented programs will be conducted at Gymea Technology High School on Wednesday 8 May 2024 commencing at 9:00am.

Download a sample GAT asssessment

GAT sample questions (PDF 643.98 KB)

Key Dates

HPGE program information sessions for STEM and academic programs	Tuesday 27 February 2024 at 5:30pm
Applications submitted by	Friday 12 April 2024 to Gymea Technology High School
Gifted Program student testing	Wednesday 8 May 2024 to Gymea Technology High School
Entry Notification	Mailed to parents 10 May 2024