High potential and gifted education (HPGE)

At Canterbury Girls High School, we are committed to nurturing the unique talents and potential of our students through our High Potential and Gifted Program for Years 7 and 8. This highly successful program is designed to provide enriched learning experiences for students with demonstrated high potential in academic and creative domains.

Why Choose the CGHS High Potential and Gifted Program?
Our program offers a nurturing environment where students can thrive academically, creatively, and socially. Through differentiated instruction, co-curricular involvement, and individualised support, we ensure each student is empowered to achieve their fullest potential.

Program Objectives:

Identify and nurture high potential and gifted students through tailored learning experiences.
Develop students' talents in their chosen fields while promoting well-rounded personal growth.
Foster leadership, resilience, and critical thinking skills essential for success in the 21st century.

Why choose us for your high potential or gifted child?

Recognising potential and developing talent

Our teachers find potential and nurture our students to be the best they can be.

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

Students can take part in opportunities to develop their talent in the arts, sport, leadership and more.

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 High Potential and Gifted Program offers two specialised streams, both are delivered over two years (Years 7 and 8), providing a continuous and supportive pathway for students to achieve their personal best.

Performing Arts
For students with a passion and talent in the Performing Arts (Music, Dance, Drama). This stream provides:

Additional lessons and enriched learning in CAPA subjects.
Opportunities to extend skills through participation in co-curricular activities, ensembles, and performances.
A supportive environment where creativity, talent, and academic achievement are fostered.

Academic Stream
For students demonstrating academic excellence across multiple subjects. This stream offers:

Challenging and differentiated learning experiences across all subject areas.
Opportunities for students to refine their academic skills, participate in competitions, and pursue areas of interest.
A focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent learning.

Our students engage with HPGE education in the classroom, in our school, and across NSW.

Individualised Planning

The HPGE program provides students with the opportunity to extend and challenge their abilities across all areas of the curriculum. Many students who have been identified as gifted in a certain area need specialist programming to further develop their skills in a balanced manner. The Canterbury GIrls High School we offer two HPGE programs: academic and performing arts. These HPGE prgrams provide students with the opportunity to experience a challenging curriculum at a greater depth.

In our classroom

Learning is differentiated to extend and challenge the abilities of all students. HPGE students are further challenged with cross-curricular programs designed to refine existing skills and enrich teamwork, independent learning, and self-management and time-management skills.

Learning programs incorporate a range of written, oral and expressive tasks to extend the gifts and talents of individuals. As part of this holistic approach, students will be required to work both individually and as part of a team. Students will be provided with learning experiences which promote higher order cognition, analysis and critical thinking.

HPGE students will be supported in using a variety of technologies to investigate areas of study and present learning products in a sophisticated manner.

Across our school

At Canterbury Girls High School we are committed to providing all students with the opportunity to do their best and to maximise educational opportunities. Our programs across the whole school provide enriched learning experiences and extension opportunities. We have a sustained record of achieving outstanding HSC results and a high rate of university entrance.

The school provides an extensive range of co-curricular and cultural opportunities. A wide range of leadership activities provide students with real world experiences and the opportunity to test and develop their leadership skills.

Canterbury GIrls High School provides opportunities in Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts, Theatresports, Schools Spectacular, a range of debating competitions and public speaking opportunities. The school has a successful band program supported by opportunities for individual musical tuition.

Sport programs at Canterbury Girls High School include a range of competitive grade as well as recreational sport. We compete in the Sydney East Zone against a highly competitive field of schools. We hold swimming, cross country and athletics carnivals and participate in representative carnivals and CHS and knock-out competitions.

Across NSW

Gifted children often show greater perceptiveness and sensitivity to the needs of others and the environment. The Canterbury Girls High School HPGE program aims to encourage students to grapple with wider global issues along with solving challenging questions.

In order to develop social intelligence and community awareness, students will be required to collaborate with students from Ashfield Boys and Canterbury Boys High Schools to complete crosscurricular projects. HPGE students will be actively encouraged to participate in the Duke of ENdinburgh Program and pursue leadership and personal development opportunities, particularly in areas about which they feel strongly.

Entry Requirements and Application Process

Admission to the High Potential and Gifted Program is through a competitive selection process, including a formal application, interview and audition (performing arts stream only). Selection is based on a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's abilities, achievements, and potential. This includes school reports, standardised test results, portfolios, and other supporting documentation.

Performing Arts Stream applicants must:

Demonstrate experience and commitment in one or more Performing Arts areas (e.g., Dance, Drama, Instrumental, Voice).
Provide evidence of consistent academic effort and achievement.
Commit to participating in co-curricular ensembles in their choose discipline.

Academic Stream applicants must:

Provide evidence of outstanding academic achievement across multiple subjects (e.g., school reports, awards, competition results).
Demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence and personal growth.

Applications for the program open in Term 1 each year, with interviews and/or auditions conducted in Term 2 and placement offers made in May.

How to apply

Please note High Potential and Gifted applications are a separate process only through this school.

Complete the online HPGE application form and upload supporting material
Applications must be received by Thursday, 2 April 2026

Government Primary School Students: please note you will still need to fill out an Expression of Interest (EOI) online through your primary school.