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.
Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?
Recognising potential and developing talent
High Potential Classes operate in each year group from Year 7 to 10 and were first implemented at Wagga Wagga High School in 2004.
Year 7
Students are identified during our feeder school testing days in mid-June, after which they may be invited to the class. Students and parents then sign a class agreement outlining acceptable standards of academics, application and attitude.
Year 8 - 10
Students apply for a position in the High Potential class in term 3. Sentral entries and academic reports, as well as discussions with Year Advisor/s and DP, form the basis for acceptance into these classes.
Tailored lessons
Each student has different abilities. Teachers respond to each student’s ability by providing extra challenges and extension activities to keep learning exciting and engaging.
Rich opportunities and activities
Here at Wagga Wagga High School, students can take advantage of our Dance, Creative Arts and Agricultural programs. Our SRC and Leadership teams are actively involved in our school community, and our sporting teams have proven successful over many years.
Opening doors to wider experiences
Our students can participate in a wide range of state-wide opportunities that aim to extend and enrich student potential.
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.
Our high potential and gifted education opportunities
Our students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW.
- Differentiated tasks that adjust pace, complexity and higher-order thinking.
- Formative assessment to monitor growth and adapt learning.
- 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.
- Flexible grouping for collaborative ideation and presentation.
- Differentiated movement tasks and skill refinement in PDHPE.
- 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.
- Structured peer collaboration and reflection.
- Safe learning environments that encourage confidence, risk-taking, and perseverance.
- Debating
- Academic competitions
- Critical thinking workshops
- Dance Night
- Music ensembles
- Whole school showcase
- Sporting teams
- House competitions
- Peer mentoring
- Student leadership and SRC
- Wellbeing programs
- Participation in whole-school inclusion and wellbeing initiatives.
- 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.
- The Schools Spectacular is an iconic performing arts event that celebrates the talents, diversity and creativity of students from across NSW public schools.
- Participation in (state/regional) drama ensembles promotes character exploration, storytelling and expressive freedom for our Stage 5 high potential and gifted drama students.
- Participation in music ensembles (e.g. State Wind Orchestra, State Choirs) hones our students’ musical skills, discipline and ensemble awareness.
- 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.
Wagga Wagga High School Dance Program
Outside of Elective Dance classes, students can participate in dance in various ways. We have 2 weekly Dance Ensembles, Junior Ensemble (Year 7 to 9) on Wednesday Afternoons until 5.00pm, and Senior Ensemble (Year 10 - 12) on Tuesday afternoons until 5.00pm. We also run extra ensembles in Term 2 for the Dance Spectacular in Tap, Hip hop and Ballet. All our elective dance classes and ensembles have performance opportunities, including the Riverina Dance Festival, State Dance Festival, Schools Spectacular, Wagga High Dance Spectacular, and Wagga High Showcase. If you would like more information on how to get involved, please get in touch with Mrs Brown in the PDHPE staffroom.
Duke of Ed
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (also known as the Duke of Ed) is a global youth development program that helps young people aged 14-24 build skills and confidence through a framework of non-formal education. Our students work to complete a personal program of activities across four sections: Voluntary Service, Skills, Physical Recreation, and an Adventurous Journey.
Leadership & SRC
Our school leaders and SRC actively engage in our school community, organising events, addressing the school on current issues, and participating in various activities. Our school leaders and SRC are committed to building their leadership skills and have a passion for improving the school. They uphold our school values and have a willingness to collaborate with others.
Multimedia and Entertainment Crew
Multimedia and Event Crew is a high-energy HPGE class for students who love tech, creativity, design, and being part of something big. You’ll learn how to run the full technical side of our $500,000 hall setup (lights, sound, vision), become the school’s go-to team for designing eye-catching ads and promotional content, and launch WWHS News — our very own student-driven news channel. If you’re keen to create, problem-solve, have fun and take the lead on real school events, this is the class for you!
Musical Fusion
Musical Fusion provides students with the opportunity to explore a range of instruments, both as solo performers and as members of ensembles. The program offers workshop experiences designed to enhance their performance skills and foster a deeper interest in music.
Help for your high potential child
If your child shows signs of high potential, contact us. We can share how our HPGE support can guide their learning journey.
Student opportunities and activities
Discover the opportunities our students have at our school.
Learning
Find out about our approach to learning and supporting students to progress