At St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, we nurture the unique gifts and talents of every child, supporting them to flourish academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
Guided by contemporary understanding, we recognise that high potential and giftedness can be expressed across a range of domains—including intellectual, creative, social-emotional, and physical. Through a combination of data, teacher insight, and observation, we identify students who may benefit from additional challenge or support.
HPGE Opportunities at St John Fisher
Students with high potential are supported through a range of rich and meaningful opportunities designed to extend learning and develop their strengths.
- APSMO Maths Olympiad & Maths Games
Challenging programs that extend mathematical thinking, build resilience, and develop creative and strategic problem-solving skills
- Year 6 Debating
Participation in the Central Coast Schools Debating Competition, developing confidence, teamwork, and persuasive communication skills
- TechMatics Days
Hands-on enrichment experiences where students engage with digital tools, solve real-world problems, and collaborate in innovative ways
- Creative Writing Literacy Immersion Pathways Program
A collaborative program with local schools and St Peter’s Catholic College, where students develop storytelling skills alongside secondary mentors
- School Community Learning Partners
Students engage with parents, carers, and industry professionals, gaining authentic learning experiences that connect classroom learning to real-world pathways
Through these opportunities, students:
- Extend their learning beyond the classroom
- Develop resilience, independence, and collaboration
- Explore their passions and strengths
- Build confidence applying skills in real-world contexts
“At St John Fisher, we believe every child has been gifted with unique strengths—our role is to recognise, nurture and challenge those gifts so each learner can flourish.”
Recognising High Potential Learners
At St John Fisher, we value strong partnerships with families in recognising and supporting high potential learners. Giftedness can present in many different ways, and students may not display every characteristic.
You may notice your child demonstrating some of the following:
- Learns quickly and grasps new ideas with ease
- Shows strong memory and recall
- Asks deep, thoughtful or persistent questions
- Enjoys problem-solving and complex challenges
- Thinks creatively and makes connections between ideas
- Displays a strong curiosity and desire to understand “how” and “why”
- Uses imagination in writing, play, or problem-solving
- Develops strong interests or passions in particular areas
- Works independently and persists when challenged
- Demonstrates leadership or seeks like-minded peers
- Shows empathy, sensitivity, or a strong sense of fairness
-
Sets high expectations for themselves
How We Identify High Potential Learners
At St John Fisher, we follow a clear and collaborative process to identify and support students with high potential. This includes teacher observations, student data, and input from families.
Our approach ensures that identification is ongoing, evidence-based, and responsive to each child’s development. Our identification process helps us recognise and support each child’s strengths over time. It brings together teacher insight, ability and assessment data, and conversations with families to ensure every learner is well supported.
Important to Remember
No single characteristic determines giftedness. Rather, it is a pattern of strengths over time. At St John Fisher, we use a combination of school data, teacher observation, and parent insight to build a clear understanding of each child’s learning needs.
Partnering with Families
If you recognise these characteristics in your child and would like to learn more about High Potential and Gifted Education at St John Fisher, we encourage you to speak with your child’s teacher.
