Quakers Hill High School is committed to high quality education and strives to fulfil the educational potential of each student.
School communities have a responsibility to develop effective and equitable identification procedures and developmentally appropriate programs for gifted and talented students. Quakers Hill High School aims to identify gifted and talented students, maximise their learning outcomes and support these students to achieve their learning potential.
Gifted and talented students are found in all communities regardless of ethnic, cultural or socio-economic backgrounds. The gifted population includes students who are underachieving and who have disabilities.
The Quakers Hill High School Policy for Gifted and Talented Students is aligned with the NSW DEC Gifted and Talented Policy no. PD20040051, last updated 24/4/12.
Definition
Giftedness is recognised as a broad concept that encompasses various abilities including intellectual, creative, leadership, social and physical skills.
Giftedness refers to potential distinctly beyond the average for the student's age in one or more of the following domains of human ability:
- intellectual
- creative
- socio-emotional
- physical.
Talent denotes achievement and performance distinctly beyond the average for a student's age as a result of application to training and practice. The translation of giftedness into talent results from application to appropriate opportunities for learning, training and practice.
It is important for school communities to be sensitive to catalysts and impediments that can help or hinder the recognition of giftedness and the development of talent in young people. Gifts and talents need to be viewed from multiple perspectives reflecting the values and beliefs of different cultures.
Identification
Quakers Hill High School aims to identify gifted and talented students through effective and equitable procedures in consultation with feeder primary schools, specialist learning and support personnel, parents and the school community.
The identification process is ongoing and multi-faceted in order to maximise opportunities for GAT student identification. These opportunities aim to promote inclusivity identifying gifted students regardless of ethnicity, disability implications, socio-economic background and current achievement levels. Opportunity for identification of GAT students is ongoing throughout each stage of learning.
The identification process at QHHS aims to:
- be school wide, culturally fair and inclusive using multiple criteria.
- be dynamic and continuous ensuring that all domains of giftedness and fields of talent are identified within varying degrees.
- be organised to enable input from the full range of stakeholders and linked to differentiation.
Specific identification strategies include:
- Close collaboration with feeder primary schools involving the detailed gathering of information and data across all domains of giftedness. This information is gathered and collated by the Year 6 Coordinator in collaboration with the Head Teacher-Teaching and Learning and the Head Teacher Welfare to form an extension class in Year 7.
- Training teachers to use the data gathered from primary schools to familiarise themselves with the gifted student population and plan differentiated programs and development opportunities accordingly.
- Formal survey of staff each semester by the QHHS Gifted and Talented Team to enable the identification of gifted students who may have been missed in the year 6 to 7 transition process.
- Anecdotal evidence of giftedness demonstrated by a student via class tasks, activities and assessment observed by the class room teacher.
- Self- nomination or nomination by a parent. This application process allows a student/parent to self-nominate in an area of giftedness that has yet to be identified or acknowledged by the school system. Similarly it provides parents with an avenue to facilitate different learning pathway for their gifted child.
Responsibilities
The Principal
The Principal, with the assistance and support of the school executive and other appropriate personnel, are responsible for decisions in relation to:
- the identification of gifted and talented students at Quakers Hill High School
- the collaboration of home-school partnership to support gifted and talented students.
- the provision of a range of educational opportunities to develop giftedness and to ensure effective evaluation of programs for gifted and talented students at Quakers Hill High School.
The Head Teacher –Teaching and Learning in consultation with the Deputy Principal
The Head Teacher – Teaching and Learning, with the assistance and support of the school executive, is responsible for multiple strategies to cater for the needs of gifted and talented students. This role may include:
- the formation of the QHHS Gifted and Talented Committee. This committee (along with teaching and welfare staff) may include parent/caregiver, cultural group and student representative.
- serve as or appoint a chairperson to the above mentioned committee.
- supervise the identification process of gifted and talented students at Quakers Hill High School.
- liaise with Faculty Head Teachers to ensure the development and evaluation of KLA specific programs to cater for the needs of gifted and talented students within their subject area.
- provide provision for the professional learning of teachers to develop their skills in differentiating curriculum to cater for academic, social and emotional needs of gifted and talented students.
- supervise the accelerated program at Quakers Hill High School and liaise with all stakeholders including Head Teachers of accelerated subjects, Head Teacher Secondary Studies, Wyndham College personnel, parents and students.
- supervise the Prosperitas program including the appointment of teacher mentors to students involved in the program.
- liaise with appropriate staff from Wyndham College to support the development of their Platinum program for high achievers.
Head Teacher – Key Learning Area
The Head Teacher of a Key Learning Area is responsible for ensuring that the whole school strategy for gifted and talented students is specified and streamlined for their faculty area. This role may include:
- ensuring their faculty members are explicitly aware of the students in their class(es) who are identified as gifted and talented and in what domain.
- collaboration with each faculty member to discuss strategic planning of differentiated course content, strategies and methodology to support identified gifted and talented students or groups.
- encourage staff to access professional learning opportunities provided by regular workshops at QHHS and by Western Sydney Region via MyPL@DET
- promote communication between class teacher and parents to provide the opportunity for parents to be included in the supportive educational environment for GAT students.
- forming an extension class in the subject area wherever possible to cater for GAT and high achieving students.
- promoting competitions (both internal and external) across all KLAs and ensure that head teachers are including opportunities for competition entry and challenge in their KLA.
Teachers
Teachers have the responsibility to:
- select and implement a variety of teaching strategies for inclusion in programs for the range of gifted and talented students in their class.
- prepare extension activities within and across classes that present relevant challenge.
- incorporate online learning, use of ICT where applicable, self-directed learning initiatives and problem solving that motivate GAT students to develop and extend their capabilities.
- inform their Head Teacher if they believe a student to be unidentified gifted.
- liaise with parents on the strategies adopted and progress of the student
- provide a positive learning environment that encompasses the SMART values of QHHS.
- seek and access professional learning opportunities.
School Counsellor
The school counsellor has the responsibility to:
- contribute to the identification process of gifted and talented students where possible (eg psychometric assessment).
- provide counselling when appropriate.
- support professional learning of staff in teaching gifted and talented students.
- be an advocate for the students.
Parents
Parents of gifted and talented students have the responsibility to:
- communicate needs of their child to the school and maintain an open and positive line of communication with school personnel.
- Inform the school of any concerns or circumstances that may affect their child's learning.
- negotiate availability for consultation with the school when required.