Gorokan High School's Selective Class and Enrichment Program
Selective class policy
The identification of high potential and gifted students for the selective class at Gorokan High School together with the curriculum implementation and its evaluation follow the new high potential and gifted education policy from the Department of Education and Training in NSW.
Gorokan High School has based and adapted its HPGE policy using the framework expressed in the policy named above. However, we have tailored our policy to meet our own core values and address the needs of our own high potential and gifted students.
If you want to know more about the policy and how to support your high potential and gifted child at home and at school, follow this link Supporting parents and carers or contact our HPGE Application Team at school, benjamyn.glachan@det.nsw.edu.au or ben.drelincourt1@det.nsw.edu.au.
Entry to the Year 7 stream
The selective classes at Gorokan High School are an academic class in which entry is managed by the Selective High School Unit.
Students wishing to gain entry to the class must sit an exam in Year 6. The administration forms and dates are managed by your local primary public school. However, here is a link to access the current information about the application procedures and due dates for Year 7.
The exams are rigorous, and ability based.
The Selective School Unit will send the list of students to Gorokan High which has accepted the placement in our school. Gorokan High School does not have a say in this placement.
Exams are in March each year. Contact your primary school to gather more information.
Selective stream entry Years 8-10
Students have the opportunity to gain entry into the selective stream later on in their junior years.
Application for entry into Gorokan High School's selective stream in Years 8 - 10 in 2025 opens Friday 21 June 2024 and closes Friday 26 July 2024.
Please complete the Application Form and return to Gorokan High School before the closing date.
Gorokan High School procedures for entry in the selective stream in Years 8 to 10 is as follows:
- submit the application form by the due date to Gorokan High School Office or by email gorokan-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
- students sit an ability test on Friday 16 August, Term 3, 2024.
- on the day of the test, please bring previous school reports, NAPLAN results and any relevant awards.
- the results of the application will be posted to parents in Term 4 of the current school year. Please contact the HPGE coordinator for any assistance benjamyn.glachan@det.nsw.edu.au or ben.drelincourt1@det.nsw.edu.au.
What happens if the application is successful:
- if the student is currently enrolled at Gorokan High School, no further paperwork is necessary. Just respond to the acceptance note for the placement in the selective classroom
- if the student is not currently enrolled at Gorokan High School, an enrolment application form will be sent to the parents together with any other relevant information to be completed.
Selective stream expectations
The academic level of the selective stream is high and rigorous. Teachers expect that the students work hard to reach their personal best and true potential. Misbehaviour is not tolerated in the classroom and discipline procedures are followed.
Students need to bring their classroom materials and books every day and comply with all teachers instructions in the classroom and adhere to the school uniform policy.
It is expected that students reach the academic level in the top 10% of the school cohort and they participate in extra-curricular activities.
Improvement program for selective stream students
The improvement program encompasses the identification and analysis of student motivation and engagement barriers. It is a highly individualised process that is designed to support students to realise their academic potential and re-engage in the classroom at the level of which they are capable.
The program may include:
- Completion of motivation and engagement survey
- Identification of barriers to motivation and/or engagement
- Activities to support students to overcome identified barriers
- Personalised parent/student planning and goal setting
- Connecting with a mentor teacher
- Links to CAT team
- Links to supported study for organisation and assessment task support
Enrichment Program
The Gorokan High School Enrichment Program is a whole of school program that is delivered both through embedded practices within classrooms and through extra curricula opportunities, competitions, targeted events and mentoring. The purpose of the "Enrichment" program is to provide students with challenging, high quality learning experiences across the school, taking in the goals and strengths of the "whole learner". The program is based on the NSW Department of Education High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) Policy and education research that supports what works best for students.
Our focus is on developing student potential and developing talent across the intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical domains. Our students are supported to become self-directed learners facilitated by quality teachers, to be challenged to achieve their full potential. This program includes differentiated classroom learning with targeted groupings within each class to support extension and enrichment activities, portfolio learning, an emphasis on skill development and personal reflection, and whole school and targeted student participation in specific events and co-curricular programs.
Gorokan High School offers "enrichment" opportunities to students across the entire year cohort. Students are invited to submit an application for specific inclusion in the enrichment program. Enrichment opportunities give students a chance to experience challenge and alternate perspectives on their curriculum, while our specially trained staff work to further enhance each child's talent development, promote their high performance and foster high potential growth.
High potential students are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains. Their potential may be assessed as beyond the average range across any domain. They may benefit from an enriched or extended curriculum and learning opportunities beyond the typical level of students the same age.
Gifted students' potential significantly exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains. Gagne and others commonly estimate 10% of students may be considered gifted. They typically develop talent and achieve mastery notably faster than their age peers.
Highly gifted students' potential vastly exceeds that of students of the same age in one or more domains. Highly gifted students have potential assessed in the top 1% or less of age peers. Highly gifted students may require specific and more significant curriculum adjustments to meet their learning and wellbeing needs.
Students who are most suited to the Enrichment Program may demonstrate a number of the following attributes:
- be intensely curious
- learn new ideas or skills quickly and easily
- display a good memory
- ask complex questions
- be creative
- enjoy thinking in complex ways
- looking to contribute to the school community
- become intensely focused in one or more area of interest or passion
- excel in one or more domains (intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical).
Students who nominate for this program are required to maintain high standards of engagement and achievement in their learning, attend school at the expected level of above 95% and participate in targeted and available extra-curricular opportunities in the domain of their strength.
A significant component of the schools' approach in developing highly functioning independent visible learners is the emphasis placed on students taking initiative and choosing to engage in the opportunities presented across the school that are specifically aligned with their areas of strength and to further challenge themselves against areas that can open up opportunities for growth.
All applications for the enrichment program will be considered by a panel of the HPGE Team members.