Gifted students

Gifted and talented students

Gifted and Talented Education was a major policy initiative undertaken by Education Queensland in response to QSE 2010 and Years 1-9 Curriculum Framework. At Burpengary State School the Learning Engagement Team sees the development of the whole-school Gifted and Talented Strategy as an important focus for the provision of Gifted Students in Queensland Schools. Our challenge is to make a difference for every child by delivering improved learning successes that meet our gifted students’ needs. Research indicates students who are gifted are at risk of underachieving and disengaging from learning if they are not identified and catered for appropriately.

Giftedness

The possession of natural abilities at levels significantly beyond what might be expected for one’s age, in any domain. The key to giftedness is outstanding potential rather than outstanding performance.

Talent

An achievement or performance in any domain at a level significantly beyond what might be expected at a given age.

The purpose

This policy is to define and formalise processes and responsibilities to ensure that the students with gifts and talents at Burpengary State School are provided with opportunities to develop their abilities and meet their potential for success.  Our policy stipulates it is a shared responsibility to ensure the students are provided pathways to develop their abilities and meet their potential for outstanding successes. 

There are three interrelated pathways for gifted and talented students:

• Enriching Education through programs to target students with identified gifts, talents and/ or needs
• Providing differentiated curriculum through classroom provision
• Providing individual support for identified students. Specific individual pathways are designed to meet the needs of the individual child. These pathways are very focused and purposeful for the particular gifts or needs of the student. 

Academic Talent Development Program

The model used aligns with Francois Gagne’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent. The eight characteristics of an Academic Talent Development Program are:

1. Enriched P-12 Program
2. Long-term excellence goals
3. Selective access
4. Early involvement
5. Systematic and regular (daily) practice
6. Ability grouping
7. Performance-based assessment
8. Personalised pacing

At Burpengary State School our current practice is to identify students at the end of Year 2 who show gifts and talents based on school performance across classroom and standardised tests, and the temperament for learning demonstrated throughout the early years. From Year 3 students can continue in an Academically Talented grouping (subject to performance) right through until Year 6. Our local high school provides placements for students in Excellence streams (subject to performance).  Consequently, students have systematic and regular daily practice with high level learning in a potentially seamless transition from Year 3 to Year 12. As with any practice at Burpengary State School, and our high performance cluster of schools, outcomes will be continuously and regularly monitored.